President Advocate Duma Boko today received the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Dr. Albert Kwokwo Barume, during a courtesy call at the Office of the President.
In his remarks, President Boko expressed Botswana’s appreciation for Dr. Barume’s work regionally and globally in advancing the rights of indigenous communities. He reflected on Botswana’s own history with the Basarwa (San) people, particularly in relation to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, noting past constitutional protections, landmark court cases and the challenges the community has faced around land, water, hunting and cultural recognition.
The President highlighted his personal involvement in pivotal human rights cases, including the landmark Roy Sesana and Matshidiso Mmatshame matters, acknowledging both the jurisprudential advances and shortcomings that have shaped Botswana’s legal landscape on indigenous rights. He emphasized the importance of honesty in confronting past shortcomings, noting that the courts have on several occasions affirmed the Basarwa’s fundamental rights, including access to water and ancestral land.
President Boko reaffirmed his government’s commitment to human rights, with a particular focus on indigenous communities who often face disproportionate inequalities. He recalled his long standing advocacy for indigenous rights spanning legal practice, academic contributions, and political leadership and noted that in February this year he appointed an inter-ministerial committee to assess and provide recommendations on indigenous peoples’ issues.
“Your visit is timely,” President Boko told Dr. Barume. “Your expertise as a human rights lawyer and thinker will enrich our reflections and strengthen the policy pathways we are now exploring. Welcome to Botswana, from a kindred spirit in the struggle for human rights.”
