UN reprimands Botswana Over Mining in the Okavango Delta

PS says with local communities consultations were held Emphasises social amenities in mining communities UN perturbed by potential loss of indigenous rights Kuru activist says his colleagues were barred from a meeting United Nations experts on elimination of racial discrimination grilled Botswana officials this week about reports that there are mining exploration activities in the Okavango Delta. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="1,2,3,4" ihc_mb_template="1" ] This emerged at the 2938th meeting of the UN’s Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination held in Geneva from the 21 to 22 November. The Botswana delegation was led by the Assistant Minister of State Dumezweni Mthimkhulu and the Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations Office in Geneva Athaliah Molokomme. UN Committee expert Bakri Sidiki Diaby told the Botswana delegation that oil drilling has a serious impact on the lives of indigenous persons and sought to know if indigenous persons had been consulted regarding such a project. “There was an oil licence that was granted to a Canadian company in the Okavango River Basin,” Diaby said. “This is an exploration licence that is likely to affect some indigenous groups. Did they give an opinion and have a say in this because it is going to affect their way of life?” Another Committee expert added that “that a licence had been granted to a Canadian developer for a project in the Okavango Delta. Were the local indigenous communities consulted regarding this decision?” In response, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Tebogo Bagopi, said consultations were conducted regarding the development project in the Okavango Delta but compensation had not been paid yet. “Consultation was conducted because there was a meeting where people registered their names to show that they attended the meeting,” she said. “What we can confirm to this Committee is that there was consultation and we have evidence that we can show to this committee. We believe that where there is mineral (discovery) it should benefit every Motswana and no one should be excluded from benefiting from that.” Bagopi added that there is a social responsibility expectation from mining companies to address what could affect those located in places where minerals are discovered. “No one is excluded from receiving the benefits of mining projects,” she said. “Mining companies contribute to building schools and hospitals in areas where they are conducting exploration activities.” Another Committee expert, Regine Esseneme, also wanted to know what measures were being taken to ensure that the ethnic groups living in the Okavango Delta were lifted out of poverty and did not lose their cultural practices. “What compensation was provided to the San and Hambukushu people of Tsodilo Mountain who were relocated following the inscription of Tsodilo Mountain as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 2001?,” she asked. BaSarwa activist Gakemotho Satau of Kuru Family of Organisations, which represents the interests of BaSarwa previously told The Business Weekly & Review that no relevant public consultation has been conducted so far in Botswana and that BaSarwa are not sure yet what legal documents the Canadian company ReconAfrica has authorising it to begin drilling. “We are not sure if they will be drilling or not,” Satau said. ReconAfrica insists that its responsibility is to safeguard water sources. “We have incorporated it within our management practice through regularly reporting on geohydrological data being collected with time,” a spokesperson of the company has said. Satau emphasised absence of consultations. “The minister (responsible for minerals and energy) only came to Shakawe late last year to introduce ReconAfrica to the village leadership (magosi and VDC members) in a closed-door meeting at which members of the public were not welcome,” he said in a previous interview. “Our colleagues were not allowed in when they wanted to participate.” [/ihc-hide-content]

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