World
Conference Against Racism
In 1997 the UN General Assembly decided to convene a World Conference
Against Racism (WCAR) by no later than 2001. This decision reflected the
UN's growing concern about theincrease world-wide in the incidence of
racism, xenophobia and race-related intolerance generally, and its recognition
of the challenges and prospects for combating these phenomena. In 1998
the UN General Assembly designated UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Mary Robinson as Secretary General of the WCAR.
In September 2001 the WCAR was held in Durban, South Africa. WIMSA Deputy
Chairperson Victoria Geingos attended the official conference opening,
the NGO Forum convened there and a round-table discussion which the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) headquarters in New York had organised.
Nobel Peace Laureate Rogoberta Menchu Tum and five other indigenous representatives
from Africa, Asia and the Americas participated in the round-table discussion
on the theme "Indigenous Peoples and Crisis: Approaches and Strategies
for Building Peace". The discussion focused on the role of indigenous
peoples' organisations, and movements in preventing and resolving conflict.
Issues addressed included: root causes of conflict linked to racial discrimination;
denial of rights including civic, political, cultural, social and economic;
control over resources and social exclusion; and approaches and strategies
employed by indigenous people to negotiate peace. In her presentation
Victoria cited examples in Namibia of the Hai||om losing control over
their ancestral land and the Khwe of West Caprivi being harassed by police
and military officials. She appealed to southern African governments to
"recognise the San people as indigenous citizens of their states".
This was the first international conference in which Victoria had participated.
In her report on her experience she states that she had felt encouraged
to discuss San problems because they are shared by so many other indigenous
groups, but she had also felt overwhelmed by the numerous plenary sessions
and panel discussions on a wide range of themes.
Tromsø
Forum for Development Co-operation with Indigenous Peoples
The Tromsø Forum for Development Co-operation with Indigenous
Peoples is a meeting place for researchers, development workers, administrators
and activists working with indigenous peoples' issues. The forum is hosted
by the University of Tromsø at the request of the Norwegian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. The main focus of the forum's meeting in 2001 was
"Competence Building and Indigenous Peoples".
The Centre for Sami Studies at the University of Tromsø invited
Kuela Kieme, then Co-ordinator of the Cultural Centre at Kuru in Botswana,
Tomsen Nore of the !Xun and Khwe CPA in South Africa, and WIMSA Education
and Culture Co-ordinator Willemien le Roux to attend the two-day forum.
Willemien reported on her research findings on the education situation
of San children in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa; Tomsen Nore spoke
on the achievements and setbacks of the !Xun and Khwe CPA; and Kuela Kieme
shared his personal experience of childhood and youth within the education
system of Botswana during the 1970s and '80s. The southern African delegates
enjoyed the extensive exchange of concepts of culture and general viewpoints
with the Sami and Maya delegates.
Expert
Seminar on Multiculturalism in Africa
The United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations and the Working
Group on Minorities have both requested that the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights organise seminars, workshops or other similar activities
in the African region. The purpose of these activities is to raise awareness
of the UN work on indigenous peoples and minority questions, stimulate
a dialogue on the concepts to get better understanding of new approaches
that may apply in Africa, share experiences in successful group accommodation,
and build NGO capacity.1
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights sought partnership
with Ditshwanelo (the Botswana Centre for Human Rights), the African Commission
on Human and Peoples' Rights and WIMSA for organising an expert seminar
titled "Multiculturalism in Africa: Peaceful and constructive group
accommodation in situations involving minorities and indigenous peoples"
in Gaborone, Botswana, in February 2002. The seminar incorporated:
- a two-day training workshop on international and regional human rights
mechanisms;
- a two-day seminar on multiculturalism in Africa;
- a one-day consultation with local UN agencies; and
- a session to formulate recommendations.
About 40 experts on minority and indigenous population issues were invited.
The San were represented by Jesi Segole of the Teemashane Development
Trust, Qose Xukuri of First People of the Kalahari, Zacharia Watzamaya
of the Kuru D'Kar Trust, Cgara Cg'ase and Kelina Magu of the Komku Trust,
Mathambo Ngakaeaja of WIMSA/Botswana and Victoria Geingos of the regional
WIMSA. Among the experts were Rodolfo Stavenhagen, newly appointed Special
Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom of
the Indigenous People attached to the UN Commission on Human Rights; Bernard
Yeung Sik Yuem, a representative of the UN Working Group on Minorities;
and Julian Burger and Samia Slimane from the Office of the UN High Commissioner
on Human Rights in Geneva. The latter faciliated the seminar.
As it coincided with the Government of Botswana implementing its relocation
policy in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), the situation of the
San and Bakgalagdi in the CKGR featured as a significant point of discussion
throughout the seminar. In his welcoming speech Mathambo Ngakaeaja, a
member of the CKGR Negotiation Team, clarified statements of the Botswana
Minister of Home Affairs who had officially opened the seminar, by stating,
"Proper consultations have not been done with the communities living
in the game reserve," and asking, "Why is the Botswana Government
in terms of development not able to consider promoting the culture of
the people in the game reserve?" He reiterated, "We want to
be developed where we are in order to promote our culture."
In her detailed report to WIMSA on the seminar Victoria points out that
she had initiated numerous discussions on the term Khoisan, which the
San reject as it forges links between them and the Khoi which affect and
endanger the San"s development on various levels. She stressed that
a distinction should be made between the Khoi and San as their cultures
differ, but that the San are prepared to co-operate with the Khoi as the
need arises. She also reported having taken a personal interest in one
of the expert papers presented, titled "Indigenous Women of Africa:
Access to Resources: Focus on the Samburu Women of Kenya". She regarded
the seminar as extremely informative and as an excellent forum for dialogue
and exchange of experiences.
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