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| Bushman children, CKGR, Botswana 2004
© 2004 Stephen Corry/Survival |
A government witness has admitted that his department stopped issuing
hunting licences to Bushmen living in the Central Kalahari Game
Reserve, even though it had no legal right to do so.
Joseph Matlhare, former Director of Wildlife, claimed that his
department stopped issuing the licences following a decision by central
government in 2001. Under Botswana law, only Parliament could make such
a decision.
The issue is important because the Bushmen living in the reserve rely
on hunting for their livelihoods. Since the Department of Wildlife
stopped issuing licences, many Bushmen have faced hunger and some have
been arrested for hunting illegally.
