I’m happy to report some good news regarding a post from over a year ago, when I noted that the Bushmen were being expelled from the Kalahari Game Reserve. This week the Botswana High Court ruled that they could go home. Unfortunately, the government is being very obstinate in its implementation of the ruling:

In a statement Thursday, however, Attorney General Athaliah Molokomme laid down conditions for the government’s implementation of the court order.

“The Central Kalahari Game Reserve remains state land,” Molokomme’s statement said. “It is owned by the state and subject to the laws of the republic.”

Only 189 people who filed the lawsuit would be given automatic right of return with their children, Molokomme said, far short of the 2,000 bushmen who say they want to go home. Anyone else would have to apply for permits.

Returning bushmen may take building materials into the reserve but only “for constructing non-permanent structures,” the statement said.

Those returning can use enough water for “subsistence needs,” Molokomme said. However, park authorities can restrict the amount of water to what is “reasonably required.”

This is likely to be a major obstacle to settlers because the government shut the main well in 2002, and water is scarce in the Kalahari.

Under the government’s rules the bushmen cannot bring domestic animals into the park. Anyone who wants to hunt — a central activity in hunter-gatherer societies — must apply for permits.

Looks like their struggle isn’t over. Via MetaFilter I discovered a site dedicated to their struggle. (Unfortunately it doesn’t yet work with Firefox.)