US embassy cable - 05GABORONE1002

UNCLAS  GABORONE 001002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
AF/S FOR MUNCY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BC, SAN/CKGR Relocation 
SUBJECT: SAN DISPUTE ALLEGED LINK BETWEEN DIAMONDS AND 
RELOCATION IN BOTSWANA 
 
REFERENCE: GABORONE 913 
 
1. (U)  SUMMARY:  The Working Group on Indigenous Minorities 
in Southern Africa (WIMSA), which represents San communities 
in Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Angola, has spurned 
the argument that plans to mine diamonds prompted 
relocations from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve(CKGR). 
WIMSA asked British NGO Survival International (SI), which 
has attacked the Government of Botswana's policies regarding 
the San, to cease its campaign unless it agrees to 
coordinate its message with San organizations.  This 
statement, and the support for it by other groups working 
with the San, exposes as dubious SI's claims that an 
intention to mine diamonds motivated the relocation and 
indicates that San groups hope to revive dialogue with the 
GOB to improve their situation.  END SUMMARY 
 
WIMSA REBUFFS SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL 
 
2. (SBU)  WIMSA asked SI to halt its advocacy campaign on 
behalf of the San until such time as SI is prepared to 
coordinate its message with San organizations.  WIMSA 
observed that SI was not mandated to speak for the San and 
that the San of southern Africa "do not want to close the 
door to negotiations with the Government of Botswana."  The 
group expressed particular concern that SI is focusing 
attention on the dubious claim that an intention to mine 
diamonds within the CKGR led the Government of Botswana to 
relocate its residents to settlements outside the Reserve. 
WIMSA went on to describe diamond mining as an opportunity 
to further support rural development in Botswana.  The 
statement explained that the San would like to enjoy the 
advantages of their traditional way of life while having 
access to modern facilities in villages and towns. 
 
3. (SBU)  In a July 13 conversation with PolOff, Matambo 
(uses first name only) of WIMSA/Botswana explained that 
public jousting between SI and De Beers had forced his 
organization's hand.  He explained that SI had recently 
approached the National Museum of History in London to alter 
an exhibit about diamond mining in southern Africa to 
include content about its social costs, particularly about 
the relocation from the CKGR.  When the Museum balked, SI 
staged a protest.  De Beers, which had contributed to the 
exhibit, then issued a press statement describing how 
diamond mining has benefited the people of southern Africa. 
According to Matambo, the corporation's statement indicated 
that groups representing the San subscribed to this argument 
and specifically named WIMSA among others.  As a result, he 
said, WIMSA decided to issue the statement described above. 
 
OTHER NGOS SUPPORT WIMSA'S STATEMENT 
 
4. (SBU)  Bram Leroux, of the Kuru family of San 
organizations, told PolOff on June 20 that he had been 
engaged in an ongoing e-mail correspondence with Mr. Stephen 
Corry at SI over the wisdom and honesty of focusing on 
diamond mining as a causal factor behind the relocation. 
Mr. Leroux shared with PolOff his frustration that SI's 
approach was "all about marketing" the plight of the San to 
potential supporters and donors.  Leroux suggested that most 
of the San and their advocates in Botswana disagreed with 
the strategy of trying to connect the relocation with 
diamond mining. 
 
5. (SBU)  Alice Mogwe of the Botswana Center for Human 
Rights (also known as Ditshwanelo) told PolOff that a group 
of organizations working with the San had met two weeks ago 
to discuss ways to refocus attention away from the fight 
over diamonds and onto development.  She said that they also 
discussed how to revive negotiations with the Government, 
which other groups except for First People of the Kalahari, 
advocated.  Officially, the GOB has declined to enter into 
such talks while the matter is before the High Court. 
 
FIRST PEOPLE OF THE KALAHARI SI'S ONLY LOCAL ALLY 
 
6. (U)  First People of the Kalahari (FPK) appears to have 
been further isolated in its alliance with SI by this 
development.  Since SI is funding FPK's court case 
challenging the relocation, it is unlikely to break that 
connection.  The price of this support, however, is likely 
to be the marginalization of FPK in any post-trial efforts 
to advocate effectively on behalf of the San. 
 
COMMENT 
 
7. (SBU)  The GOB will be most satisfied to see its arch- 
 
 
antagonist Survival International rebuffed by the very 
people it claims to represent.  This statement by WIMSA, 
which is supported by other groups working with the San such 
as Kuru and Ditshwanelo, exposes as dubious SI's claims that 
the CKGR relocation policy was driven by the intention to 
mine diamonds there.  By publicly rejecting SI's arguments, 
WIMSA has preserved the possibility of playing an active 
role in any revived negotiations between San representatives 
and the Government. Embassy views this as more constructive 
than the confrontational and distorted approach of SI, which 
even FPK's Roy Sesana criticized in the past. 
 
HUGGINS 
 
 
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