Supporters of Basarwa, who are resisting relocation from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, protested outside a conference for investors in Botswana held in London his week – Survival International has reported.
According to a statement from SI, the protestors wore the message, ‘Botswana: Let the Bushmen go home’ in large letters across their T-shirts. They held banners and placards and handed leaflets to investors attending the conference.
The Gana and Gwi Bushmen have been evicted from their land, tortured, beaten and arrested for hunting to feed their families stated the press release.
Survival’s director, Stephen Corry, was quoted saying, ‘The Botswana government’s wilful destruction of the Bushmen has tarnished the country’s image around the world.
This shameful affair is increasingly putting off companies which might otherwise be keen to invest. It is the people of Botswana who are paying for the government’s stubborn refusal to re-think its destruction of the central Kalahari Bushmen.’
The conference, sponsored by the Financial Times newspaper, was billed as focusing on Botswana’s tourism, mining, financial services and ICT sectors, among other areas. Speakers included Botswana government ministers and executives from De Beers.
