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TUNISIA MOROCCO ALGERI A LI BYA Wester n EGYP T Sahara MAURI TANI A MALI NIGER ERITREA SENEGAL THE GAMBI A CHAD SU DAN GUINEA-BISSAU BURKIN A DJIBOUTI FAS O GUINE A BENIN NIGERIA SIER RA TOGO ETHIOPIA LEONE CÔTE CENT RAL D’I VOIR E GHANA LIBERIA AFRICAN RE P. CAMEROON SOMALIA Afric1 a UGAN DA SAO TOM E EQU AT. AND PRINCIPE GUINEA RE P. O F KEN YA Ishbel Matheson GABON THE CONGO RWAN DA DEM. RE P. BURUNDI OF THE CONG O INDIAN TANZANI A OCEAN ANGO LA MA LAWI ATLANTI C ZAMBIA OCEAN MOZAMBIQUE ZIMBABWE MA DAGASCA R NAMIBIA BOTS WAN A SWAZI LAN D LESOTHO SOUTH AFRICA Africa is one of the continents hardest hit by climate highly attuned to vagaries of the weather system, Country by country was officially taught in primary schools, starting in the change – and marginalized minorities are likely to be may in fact be better able to develop adaptive Algeria fourth grade in 17 predominantly Berber provinces.’ among the most vulnerable of all. According to data strategies than other communities ( Fourth Assessment Parliamentary elections in May 2007 were only the released in 2007 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Report , October 2007). third democratic poll to be held since 1992, when However, this progress still falls short of Tamazight Climate Change (IPCC), by 2020 between 75 Apart from the looming threat of climate change, the army cancelled the first multi-party elections being recognized as an ‘official’ language – as million and 250 million people in Africa are conflict with an ethnic dimension, was, once again, which were won by the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic demanded by Berber campaigners. Moreover, there expected to be suffering from increased water stress the biggest immediate threat to minorities across the Salvation Front) party. The consequences of the are complaints that, outside Kabylia, Berbers’ due to climate change. The IPCC also predicts that continent. In Ethiopia, the government launched an ensuing civil war, marked by extreme brutality, are linguistic and cultural rights continue to be restricted. climatic developments make it likely that food offensive against ethnic Somali rebels in the Ogaden still being felt today. The Salafist militants, re- production could halve by 2020, with the Sahel, arid region, after a rebel attack on an oil exploration site. launched in 2007 as a branch of al-Qaeda, have Botswana but relatively densely populated, among the most The security forces’ tactics – such as a food blockade their roots in the armed Islamic opposition to the The efforts by Botswana’s minorities for recognition exposed of regions ( Fourth Assessment Report , and burning villages – attracted international Algerian state. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has of their rights continued in 2007. Despite being a October 2007). The resultant strain upon available criticism for indiscriminately affecting civilians. In claimed responsibility for a number of attacks across multi-ethnic state, comprised of 45 tribes, resources would impact in particular upon the pre- Sudan, the unravelling of a key peace deal between North Africa, including a series of bombings in Botswana’s laws and constitution continue to existing tensions between farmers and transhumant Khartoum and the former Southern rebels, opened Algeria, leaving many dead. In January 2007, it discriminate in favour of those from the dominant pastoralists, with potentially severe consequences for up the possibility of renewed warfare, while there targeted security forces in the minority Berber area Tswana-speaking group. Most of the laws of minorities across the region, such as the Peul/Fulani, were also new signs of restiveness in the north among of Kabylia in north-eastern Algeria. According to Botswana recognize and protect the rights of the Mbororo and Tuareg and related groups. Similarly, the Nubian and Manassir peoples. The catastrophe in BBC News, seven bombs were detonated and at Tswana-speaking groups with regards to ethnic the UNDP (United Nations Development Darfur worsened, despite renewed efforts by the least six people were killed. identity (including language and culture), land and Programme) Human Development Report for 2006 international community. Worryingly, the disruptive Observers said the low turnout in the chieftaincy. However no such recognition or identifies drought-prone countries in Southern Africa effects of this war are spreading, not just into parliamentary poll reflected the electorate’s protection is given to the non-Tswana-speaking – Angola, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe as having neighbouring Chad and Central Africa Republic, but understanding that power was concentrated in the ethnic groups in Botswana. Indeed, following the ‘gravest food security challenges in the world’. also within Sudan itself. In Somalia, clan-based hands of the presidency not the parliament. For the independence in 1966, the only languages allowed Some communities are already experiencing this, warfare intensified, as the struggle between the Berber minority – which makes up approximately for public purposes or in teaching were Setswana first-hand. In East Africa and the Horn of Africa, supporters of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and 25 per cent of the Algerian population – grievances and English. the Afar and the Somali in Ethiopia, and pastoralists the transitional government, backed by the about recognition of their distinct language and A 2001 High Court ruling in a case brought by the like the Karamajong in Uganda, are already Ethiopians continued. As predicted in SWM 2007 , cultural rights remain. Berber political parties were Wayeyi tribe, found that the exclusion of the Wayeyi grappling with the reality of more frequent cycles of the fighting sparked a severe humanitarian crisis, with divided about whether to contest the elections: the from the House of Chiefs – an influential body which drought. Cross-border flare-ups between the cattle- the United Nations (UN) estimating over 1,000 Rally for Culture and Democracy gained 19 seats, advises parliament – was discriminatory and herding tribes of the Horn of Africa, testify to the killed and 400,000 displaced in October 2007. re-entering parliament after a boycott in 2002. unjustified. However, despite the ruling, the potential for conflict, as competition for scarce The difficulties of managing tourism development However, the Social Forces Front decided once again government’s action purporting to remedy this resources intensifies. In an October 2007 report, while still respecting the rights of minorities and not to contest the election. About half of the discrimination has been far from satisfactory. In 2005, UNICEF reported that half of the total stock indigenous peoples emerged as another powerful Berber-speaking population is concentrated in the the Botswana parliament passed a constitutional holding of pastoralists in the Horn of Africa had theme in 2007. For example, the plight of the mountainous areas east of Algiers – Kabylia – and amendment, dealing with membership of the House been wiped out, and that ‘repeated bouts of drought Hadzabe hunter-gatherers close to the Serengeti this area and its language have been at the centre of of Chiefs. However, the campaign group Reteng have defeated pastoralists’ capacities to recover their plains in Tanzania is typical. According to reports in most Berber issues in modern Algeria. In 2001, riots concluded that this merely further entrenched the stock level’. UNICEF explicitly linked political June 2007, the Tanzanian government struck a deal and demonstrations erupted in the region, due to inequalities. It noted that when the present House of marginalization of the pastoralists to the fact that to lease the land, which was traditionally occupied by widespread claims of repression and marginalization. Chiefs was inaugurated on 1 February 2007, of the 45 governments and the international community fail the Hadzabe, to a safari company from the United Since then, the government has promised more tribes, 20 remained entirely unrepresented. In June to put in place services that would help mitigate the Arab Emirates. Although the deal supposedly economic assistance and eased some restrictions on 2007, the National Assembly proposed the Bogosi effects of drought ( Global Alert: Pastoralist Child ). included the development of roads and education the use of Tamazight – the Berber language. In its bill, which if enacted, would repeal the Chieftaincy The freak rains which hit the continent, east to facilities, the Hadzabe – who number around 1,500 – 2007 report on Algeria, the US State Department Act. However, campaigners say the proposals fall far west in 2007, showed that the growing were not consulted on it, and were reportedly noted that: short of what is required and still preserve the unpredictability of weather events is a further factor opposed to it. Following a campaign by indigenous disproportionate influence of the Tswana tribes in the to which minority groups would be particularly activists, Survival International reported in November ‘Access to print and broadcast media for Tamazight and House of Chiefs. exposed. The IPCC notes that low development 2007 that the safari company had withdrawn from Amazigh culture continued to grow. Tamazight Reteng and Minority Rights Group International levels, weak economies and poor governance records the project. However, the pattern of ignoring the programming also increased on the non-Berber (MRG) have submitted a case, based on the Wayeyi impact on the ability of states and communities to rights of minorities when considering tourism issues language channels, as did advertisements in Tamazight ruling, to the African Commission on Human and combat climate change. However, it did hold out was also evident in Botswana, Kenya and Uganda (see on all television and radio channels. Beginning in the Peoples’ Rights, located in the Gambia, alleging the possibility that some nomadic groups, already individual country profiles). 2006–2007 scholastic year, the Tamazight language violations of the African Charter on Human and 58 Africa State of the World’s Africa State of the World’s 59 Minorities 2008 Minorities 2008 Peoples’ Rights.