Despite court defeats and international condemnation, the government of Botswana is continuing its assault on the San by attempting to forcibly relocate another community from land they have occupied for decades, says the Khwedom Council, a non-governmental organisation advocating for the rights of the San (or Basarwa) people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is another sad season for the San in Botswana as the government seems to have declared war on our people,\u201d said Keikabile Mogodu, Director of the Khwedom Council. \u201cIt appears that the government will never tolerate San in Botswana and will do everything it can to destroy any trace of the first people of this land.\u201d<\/p>\n
The latest confrontation between the state and the San is taking place at Ranyane, around 220 km south of Gantsi, where there is a San community of more than 600. The community has access to a borehole but lacks all other basic services since the government has always refused to recognise it as a settlement.<\/p>\n
Now, instead of ensuring that the San in Ranyane gain access to clean water, sanitation, health care and education, the government has chosen \u2013 without consultation \u2013 to relocate the people on the pretext that they are living on an animal corridor within a Wildlife Management Area (WMA).<\/p>\n