botswana: world bank finds diamond project on Gana and Gwi land
Kalahari Diamonds Limited, formed at the initiative of, and partly owned by, BHP Billiton, has secured US$2 million funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to explore for diamonds in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), Botswana. The IFC, part of the World Bank, approved the project on Thursday. This is according to a press release from Survival International, a worldwide organisation supporting tribal peoples. The CKGR is the ancestral land of the Gana and Gwi 'Bushmen' and Bakgalagadi. After a 15-year campaign of persecution, the last Bushmen were evicted from their homes in February 2002.
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASE
17 February 2003
WORLD BANK FUNDS CONTROVERSIAL DIAMOND PROJECT ON BUSHMEN'S LAND
Kalahari Diamonds Limited, formed at the initiative of, and partly
owned by, BHP Billiton, has secured US$2 million funding from the
International Finance Corporation (IFC) to explore for diamonds in
the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), Botswana. The IFC (part of
the World Bank) approved the project on Thursday.
The CKGR is the ancestral land of the Gana and Gwi 'Bushmen' and
Bakgalagadi. After a 15-year campaign of persecution, the last
Bushmen were evicted from their homes in February 2002. Around 100
still hold out in the Reserve. Government documents reveal that most
of the Reserve has since been parcelled out in diamond exploration
concessions. In November 2002, however, President Mogae of Botswana
said, 'There is neither any actual mining nor any plan for future
mining inside the Reserve'.
Despite IFC requirements that indigenous communities are informed
participants in the development of such a project, no Bushmen
communities from the CKGR were consulted over the plans.
De Beers has also increased its exploration concessions on the
Bushmen's land. In November they threatened legal action against
Survival for associating the evictions with diamond interests.
The concessions maps from the Botswana Government's Department of
Geological Survey can be downloaded from:
http://www.survival-international.org/diamonds.htm
Concessions maps from March 2001, before the evictions took place,
and November 2002, nine months after the evictions took place, are
attached.
Photos and footage available. Contact for journalist enquiries:
Sophie Thomas tel (+44) (0)20 7687 8731 or email
[email protected]
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