Scenes of jubilation greeted the Botswana High Court's ruling today in favour of the Kalahari Bushmen.
The court ruled today that the Botswana government's eviction of the Bushmen was "unlawful and unconstitutional", and that they have the right to live on their ancestral land inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
The court also ruled that the Bushmen applicants have the right to hunt and gather in the reserve, and should not have to apply for permits to enter it.
One of the judges, Justice Phumaphi, said the government's refusal to allow the Bushmen to hunt "was tantamount to condemning the residents of the CKGR to death by starvation."
However, the judges also said that the government is not obliged to provide services to Bushmen in the reserve. (MORE)
http://www.survival-international.org/news.php?id=2128
The court ruled today that the Botswana government's eviction of the Bushmen was "unlawful and unconstitutional", and that they have the right to live on their ancestral land inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
The court also ruled that the Bushmen applicants have the right to hunt and gather in the reserve, and should not have to apply for permits to enter it.
One of the judges, Justice Phumaphi, said the government's refusal to allow the Bushmen to hunt "was tantamount to condemning the residents of the CKGR to death by starvation."
However, the judges also said that the government is not obliged to provide services to Bushmen in the reserve. (MORE)
http://www.survival-international.org/news.php?id=2128