E EPISCOPAl CHURCHPEOPLE for a FREE SOUTHERN AFRICA 'C 339 lafayette Street, New York, N.Y. 10012-2725 s (212) 477-0066 FAX: (212) 979-1013. A #178 10 Dec~mberi 199 6
IIAIL & GUARDIAN...... , 29 to DecemberS tM&
Kader Asmal is quietly performing the miracle of regaining @ntrol of the The pragmatism of people like Van 'Today, with the lrninen8e pressure "The objectiVe of the review Is to country's water while l
""~{·. •·• I'··· Tutsis armed by South Africa
tacts in South African industry Zairean lbtsi groups. The arms \lestigated is caDed Omega Sup gional neighbours to under Exclusive and the armed forces. The are shipped as mming equip port Ud and is run by Johan mine opposition to the Michael Ashworth United Nations has launched an ment by a company known as Smith, South Africa's former apartheid regime. Now the Johannesburg investigation into his activities. CMC, an Angolan-based cmn military attache in Angola. same policy continues but the Mr Ehlers and his associates, pany which is also registered in Mr Smith also works for a rewards are financial rather The war in central Africa has who include a former colonel in Zaire, according to the sources. company called Strategic Con than political. been fuelled by arms traders military intelligence and a re This allows the arms traders cepts which is also being inves Out of th.. ,,.,;...d security or who have links to South African tired general from the South to fly the aircraft on a legitimate tigated by the police. It is run ganisations that evolved during military intelligence - selling African National Defence flight plan to Kinshasa on the by a former apartheid-era diplo apartheid and which, with mi weapons to the Zairean rebels. Force, are using their consid pretext of supplying mining mat, Sean Oeary. As well as be nor transformations continue to After revelations that a firm erable contacts in the shadowy equipment. Once in Kinshasa it I ing an advisor to Jonas Savimbi. this day, military intelligence is based in Britain had supplied world of the South African in refuels and flies to airfields in the Angolan rebel leader, Mr the "dark horse".lt has been the the Rwandan Hutus with telligence and arms communi the south-east of Zaire, Rwan-~ Cleary has also worked for the least affected by the change of weapons, The lndependmt has ty to orchestrate an illegal da and Angola. The lack of any South African foreign affairs de government and retains indi learnt that the opposing side operation that is destabilising adequate air traffic control and partment and military intelli viduals in it that were very ac the Zairean rebels who are Africa. radar in Kinshasa enables the gence. tive in covert operations during Sources in the police and na mainly Thtsi- are getting their aircraft to fly to its destinations It has been believed for some apartheid. weapons via both former and tional intelligence service say undetected. time that elements within the According to Stephen FJlis of that arms and ammunition are serving members of the South A separate investigation is South African officialdom were the African Studies Centre in African services. flown by C-130 transport airaaft also being conducted by the pursuing an agenda outside the Netherlands: "The South from Lanseria airport near Jo According to sources in the South African police and the governmental control. This is a African Defence Force and South African intelligence ser hannesburg to the capital of National Intelligence Service theme that characterised the their intelligell\;c <>rganisations vices, Ters Ehlers, a former Zaire, Kinshasa. From there the into a senior South African apartheid years but the aim is virtually escaped scrutiny into persnnal assistant to the former aircraft flies to destinations in National Defence Force general now different. their role in covert operations S African state president PW Angola and Rwanda supplying and an ex-special forces officer During apartheid, such ac whereas the police operations weapons to both the Angolan Botha. is C()-(lrdinating one of who are alleged to be providing tivities were done primarily to have been largely exposed and the operations. using his con- rebel movement, Unita, and the training to rebel and dissident destabilise South Africa's re- have crumbled ... groups throughout central Africa, including the Zairean Tutsis. The company being in- Apartheid's former strongman lambasts S African witchhunt against Afrikaners
Cape Town (Reuter)-The for- at a secret location. No media never associated himself with events in the history of South mer South African president were allowed to witness the en "blatant murder''. But ".!.here Africa ... Concern exists that P.W. Botha declared yesterday counter. might have been instances your commission is being that he would never apologise Thtu heads a Truth and Rec during the conflict of the past abused in this campaign of re for apartheid', and denounced onciliation Commission, in where individuals have ex venge against the Afrikaner." what he called an assault on the tended to heal the wounds of ceeded the limits of their He said British colonialists Afrikaner by the country's new apartheid, which lr.l.s heard authority. and not Afrikaners had intro black rulers. . from police officers that Botha "I cannot be expected to duced race discrimination into · "I am not guilty of any deed · almost certainly kilew about the take responsibility for the South Africa. "The Afrikaner for which I shoUld apologise or torture and murder of black actions of any such individuals." was a victim of (British) colo ask (or amnesty. I therefore activists. He said reconciliation be nial greed ... The ra.-ent conflicts have no intention of doing Mr Botha, who became tween former enemies L"Ould be in which we were involved were this," he said. prime minister in 1978 and achieved only by "closing the primarily against Soviet impe MrBotha,aged80,oneofthe president in 1984, said: "I am book on the past and focusing rialism and colonialism." last two surviving white deeply concerned about the on the challenges of the future He asserted it was he who apartheid presidents, made fierce and unforgiving assault in unity. had begun the process of rdorm hiS remarks m a written state- which is being launched against "In many circles the Afrikan which led to Nelson Mandela ment after a private meeting the Afrikaner and his language er is being isolated to be pun being released from a life prison with Archbishop Desmond Thtu at all levels of society." He had ished for all the unfavourable sentence in February 1990. He
also claimed responsibility for comment or clarification." he removing some racist legislation. told Archbishop Tutu. '1\s head of the government Mr Botha said evidence from of the day - a legally effected a former police general to the government which was inter commission that he had or nationally recognised - I accept dered the bombing of an office full political resP?nsibility for block in Johannesburg housing the policies wh1ch were fol anti-apartheid activists was lowed," Mr Botha said. wrong. "These allegations are But he added that he and his based on untested, unconfirmed former cabinet could not be ex and unsubstantiated hearsay." pected to react to every allega Archbishop Tutu's commis tion that came up during truth sion has until the .:nd of 1997 commission hearinp. to unravel the human rights '.'Your commissum should record of the war ov.:r apart provide me and the .:x-ministers h.:id, to pardon human rights with a document comprehen off.:nd.:rs on both sides of the sively detailing all those as struggl.:. and to award limited pects on which it requires compt:nsation to victims. ANGOLA: control posts and has forbidden UN de-mining teams to clear roads through the areas. Unita concerned for ally as Zaire's AtAndulo, another base used by Savimbi, the movement military crumbles insists that the UN give advance noticeofairorroad patr Jls The Angolan rebel movement Unita is watching the and refuses to allow a.-..arches of planes from Zaire. situation in Zairewithincreasingconcernas the army ofits The government h
A daughter in search of her swered. "'We need to know what father's killer is left deeply happened to his body; we want hurt and disappointed by a to give him a decent burial.'" security policeman's she told the 'Iiibune. her soft confession. voice breaking. She remembers the last time hen former Vlakplaas she spoke to her father: it was operative Roelf Venter shortly after she had been Wtook the stand at an released from her own deten amnesty committee hearing in tion in Johannesburg. Johannesburg this· week, '"I was in detention for 15 Mandisa Pumeza believed she months for ANC activities. might at last come to know During that time my father where her father's body lay came to visit me once. That was buried. the last time I saw him in per The slightly-built. grey son. Whe11 I was released we haired man taking the oath in spoke on the phone and just the dreary hearing room three days after my release he promised before God to tell the disappeared." truth. the whole truth and noth It was her father who ing but the truth. inspired her to join the strug He was applying for amnesty gle. "He was detained when I in connection with the 1985 dis was three and after a while we appearance of Mandisa 's father came to believe we never had a Charles Sipho Hashe, Qaqawuli father. My mother wanted to Godolozi and Champion Galela. protect us from what was hap The three prominent Port pening around us and his name Elizabeth activists are known was never mentioned. · as the Pebco Three. An amnesty application calls Exile for full disclosure but at the "Then he came back shortly end of the colonel's testimony. before my 14th birthday and he Mandisa believed he had done sat me down and explained the nothing but make fools of her struggle to me ... family. '"I was more than pre Mandisa·s own in\"Olvement pared to forgi\·e him but it was in the fight for liberation forced clear that he had no respect for her into exile where she our intelligence. All he man remained for 10 vears. HURT AGAIN: M
~.'"-\ ZAMBIA CA"IVI 811tlft _.., ~·-·~ -·- .-· 't/.r \ l \ he challenge chat contemporary The Basarwa Question T scholars face with respect to in Botswana ! ;J.?k--..... \ explaining the complex notion of I -·· ~-.w;-~" ' 'r-~:IWE development in the context of social In order to preserve both the Basarwa and the wildlife, rhe colonial JWII... I = .l p[..... i.. __ groups i~ co isolate and focus upon the i ~:r;t\ 1-'=~·---· linkages chat develop between the government decided in 1961 to set ,..-----. -~· (.,:..,'I=J·- .. -a·I interacting individuals or parties con up rhe game reserve (CKGR) which I CENTRAL \ cerned. In chis context, it becomes measures 561 square kilometers. j -zl KALAHARI 1....-.-. Basarwa were to remain inside chis ·-•-· GAllE ~ · nnn11 \... wrong to assume chat just because a 1i Gantsi District RUERVE " ...... ,,. ·- _./,...;.- game reserve and in ir 15 boreholes particular person represents a specific Xade r group or institution, or belongs to a were to be drilled and equipped for r.i their use and also for use by wildlife. ~------IUtU1W GAllE MHII'Vl r•-!". particular social category, he necessari 1 ly acts in the interests or on behalf of In 1974, the post-colonial govern I . these others. In the study of develop ment of Botswana established rhe post i ,J ~ QMorone. _,-• ment, especially among the more mcr of Bushman Development Officer ginalized, the link between represenra- which eventually became the Remote ·"! \ /,,...,,...._ ir· Area Development Programme I \ ;· ·'·-·-· I 0 lOUTH AFRICA rives and constituencies, with their dif (RADP) in a bid to accommodate non ferentiated membership, needs co be Basarwa who lived in the remote areas i ! _/· J empirically established, and should along with Basarwa. i t- ...... not be taken for granted. The RADP is funded largely by the This article focuses on Basarwa, a Norwegian government through its The Basarwa of Botswana marginalized minority ethnic group in development agency, NORAD. The Botswana. Basatwa are also known as main concern of che Norwegians is the Leadership, Legitimacy and Participation in Development Sites bushmen, or, sometimes, the San. The welfare of Basarwa. There are also by Isaac Ncube Mazonde first label is used here since chis has NGOs, both local and foreign, which become favored by the groups ,Jiis give various types of assistance co cussed. The area of focus is the Gantsi RADs in general and to Basarwa in district where Basacwa, who form 20% particular. Yet, the different donor gave land rights to members of the of the population of this district, are organisations, NGOs and the different tribes and excluded Basatwa more concentrated chan anyw'1ere else Botswana government all have a who were not recognized by the Ace as in the country. In particular, :Ocus is different conceptualization of the ideal tribesmen. The inequity of the Tribal on the Basatwa in rhe settle .lent of pattern of development for Basarwa. Land Act was intensified by the imple It may be necessary co begin with mentation of the Tribal Grazing Land the Botswana government's view, since Policy (TGLP) seven years Iacer, in Xade, within the Central Kalahari the ocher benefactors have emerged 1975. This policy allowed ranches to game reserve (CKGR). with the aim of either complementing be demarcated in communal grazing The article shows char rhe develop it in parr, or, in some cases, with areas in districts with enough litnd. ment path taken by Basarwa in Xade is the aim of opposing it. Broadly, Basarwa living on such grazing lands an outcome of struggles between rhe government's policy is to foster the , were evicted by the ranchers without Basarwa, their representatives, the "integration" of Basarwa into che compensation because, not being national government, the representa members of any tribe, they were tives of donor organisations as well as regarded as having no rights co the rhe representatives of NGOs char pur mainstream Tswana communities. land they had been occupying. port to support their cause. W'hat tran Government considers chis to be the This sparked a land rights movement spires in Xade cannot be explained only best way to address the question of among Basarwa. Both in communal and by the intervention of public authorities marginalization of Basarwa. Accord commercial areas of Botswana, they or of powerful outsiders. Ir is a direct ingly, the government cook rwo steps protested the treatment they received consequence of the inte-•crions, negoti with respect to Basarwa who have been and took their complaints co district ations and social a.1d c, ;nirive struggles living inside the CKGR since 1961. The councils and appealed against alloca that take place amcng · ~ial actors. first step was to group all of them in one tions of land by land boards in their settlement called Xade, inside the game areas. Some of them talked ro the At the end of a phase of interven reserve, with the aim of improving ser media, arguing vociferously char they tion from different organisations, vices. In 1986, government reversed were not being created fairly. It was at the Basarwa have experienced some itself in a second srep, which was to re this time chat NGOs, both within social transformation. Although such locate them outside the game reserve, so Botswana and outside, carne into the transformation re-structures their that they could have access co land scene on the side of the Basacwa, who traditional social organization and sufficient for them to carry out such were manifestly being discriminated conforms it along the lines of the development projects as they were capa against by the government and the social organization of rhe dominant ble of implementing. dominant Tswana groups. non Basarwa groups, it remains Politicization of Basarwa debatable if Basarwa can be said to Pardy influenced by organisations in have achieved any improvement in the Meanwhile, Bas:il:wa were gaining Namibia and with the assistance of quality of rheir lives or to have realized social and political consciousness, foreign groups, Basarwa in I 992 development of the kind they wane. especially berween 1961 and 1986, established the "First People of rhe Apparently, the end result of the when many of them experienced rapid Kala!Jari." This pressure group promotes intervention by the benefactors has social change. Much of the enlighten the rights of Basarwa, and consists of been an exchange, among the Basarwa, ment began as a corollary ro che Tribal representatives frcim the different of one form of poverty for another. Land Act. The Tribal Land Act of 1968 Basarwa groups within Botswana. The organization met with government i_n trier council's refusal to allocate cattle relief programmes. Currently, some 1993 to outline important issues to their co Basarwa in Xade. Their desire to gee 80-90% of Basarwa are estimated to constituents: land rights, political repre cattle ·mav be one ·reason why many of depend on government drought aid .1 sentation in councils. parliament and the rhem in 'xade evenr).lally accepted to mechanisms. Such dependence would ,, house of chiefs, and the right to move our of the game reserve. The throw doubt on assuming that adopt education in mother tongue languages for spokesmen, in contrast, are fighting for ing certain Tswana ways, such as chief their children. Borswana's official policy is che right to stay in Xade. shiP., reflects greater political parrici-. that only Serswana is recognized and used The spokesmen-the leaders of the pati~n by Basarwa. as the vernacular language in schools. First People of the Kalahari-were not A conspicuous conseql;lence of the elected bv Basarwa but were brought Conclusion association char Basarwa have enjoyed together .by sponsors for conferences The current dependence of with various organisations and the funded by aid agencies, parricularly Basarwa on government for suste outside world is the heightening of NORAD. The posicion taken by these nance is an outcome, and hopefully their understanding of political affairs, agencies and rhe spokesmen of rhe not a culmination, of a long, complex manifested dearly in their participa Basarwa is that the distinct identity of and on-going process in which differ tion in party politics. Throughout the the Basarwa must be maintained and ent forces oppose each ocher over cer 1970s and the 1980s, there had been that remaining in a wildlife area-a tain issues whilst supporting each little evidence of any significant classic hunting ground-is their right. other over others, with limited gains participation of Basarwa in Botswana's Government is capitalizing on the for· each, and no outright winner. The politics at national or local levels. difference of opinion between the Basarwa, in their attempt to wrest the There were no Basarwaocouncilors or Basarwa and cheir spokesmen, inter best from every force, are only able to Members of Parliament, even in the preting it as an indication chat the transform their social organization in Ganrsi district where they are mostly Basarwa spokesmen do not represent concentrated. Bur in 1989, the pattern rhe views of Basarwa bur of themselves line with the srructur,· of the main- of rhe participation of Basarwa in and their sponsors, the foreign NGOs. stream Tswana social organization. politi~s changed dramatically in It argues char Basarwa spokesmen are While this may enhance their ability Ganrsi district, due co stimulation trying co use the plight of the rest of to organize socially andLpolitically, it from rhe Botswana National Front Basarwa for their own economic advan still proves insufficient l,or empower (BNF), rhe main. opposition political tage. The publicity and economically ing them economically, 1M least for party to the ruling Botswana advantageous foreign trips char the the rime being. Democratic Party (BDP). Our of 20 spokesmen enjoy can only last as long Unfortunately for the Basarwa, the cand;dares, seven Basarwa ran for as the bulk of Basarwa remain back intervention of the government, ostensi office of councilor. In two cases, ward and isolated. Hence, continues bly on their behalf, has turned out ro be there were Basarwa running against the government, such spokesmen are merely an extension of state control over Basarwa. Two were elected. Voter bent on doing everything in their them, and not a gain in development. registration increased by 67%, due to power ro keep ocher Basarwa in their Apparently, Basarwa realize this, hence high participation by Basarwa. The their support for an opposition political current situation of depriv< .on. A BNF swept all council sears in Gantsi parry which identifies with their cause. somewhat complementary view, (7 sears) in Basarwa areas. Moreover, Basarwa have continued to expressed by others apart from the gov suffer economic exploitation through CKGR and the Legitimacy of ernment, is that in insisting that. low wages, which at P25 (US$8) per Basarwa Spokesmen Basarwa be "preserved" in their pristine month, are well below the average ··············································································· form, the sponsors of the Basarwa The current government position is monthly rural household income, which spokesmen refuse to recognize rhat chat Basarwa remain within the game was Pl04 (US$35) in 1991. Basarwa most Basarwa have long given up reserve to their own detriment-it is in realize they are now economically "pure" hunting-gathering and are guilty their own interest ro move out. In fact, bonded to the state, with no tangible of preserving for Basarwa tourists. government has another reason for development benefits for them. Nor do Whatever the case, Basarwa have wanting Basarwa ro re-locate outside they always discern much help from not gained from the discord berween the game reserve. The country wants to their spokesmen, who clearly do not the different parties to this develop make wildlife-based tourism a major represent the majority Basarwa view. In ment dispute. For the past 13 yea:s, particular, the role played by the industry in the next National since 1986, they have been waiting tor spokesmen facilitates the participation Development Plan currently under dis developments which have not been of Basarwa in some instances, while cussion. In other words, government forthcoming. This is not to suggest interfering with such participation in sees moving Basarwa our of rhe game that efforts to change the social orga other instances. Such is the complexity reserve as something that will also be nization of Basarwa have failed. Over of "development" at a sire. • for the benefit of rhe entire nation. time, and with the encouragement of Notwithstanding the advance made the government and certain NGOs, Isaac Ncube Mazonde is a smior research by Basarwa in terms of their political Basarwa in Xade have adopted a follow in rural development at the parnctparion, and particularly in Tswana type social structure which is National Institute of Devdopment demanding their rights, there is great centered around a formally appointed Research and Documentation (NIR) in the difference between rhe posicion taken chief. It is unclear how becoming University of Botswana. His interests by rhe majority of Basarwa and that by more Tswana-like in their social and include appropriate technology. social their spokesmen on the issue of moving political organization fits with the .organization for agricultural production, our of Xade. Many Basarwa appear ro claim made by their sppkesrnen that food security and minority groups. He has see sense in the position of the govern their separate identity as a "minority published in all these fields. ment. It is Botswana's policy co give people" should be recognized. One E-mail: mazondei@noka. ub. bw Basarwa carrie ro live on, in the way major factor catalyzed their becoming common ro many Barswana. This can- ~ more sedentary. In the drought period nor be do'ne in a game reserve like Xade of the early to mid 1980s, most where cattle are exposed to predators Basarwa subsisted on maize meal, oil disease carried by game animals. · This and powdered milk which they has been the reason given for the dis- obtained from government drought Garden of Eden on~,_>%" edge of disaster ~0%r,~
and enough plants, fish, in· Ruaridh Nicoll The variouS governments · - confrontation between Na· sects and amphibians to em are signing deals to avoid the tswana government wanted in Botswana finds ploy David Attenborough for a inevitable confrontations. The mibia and Botswana is an idea to dredge an area of the delta Jifetirile. Larger than Wales, Okavanga, however, is differ· often raised Botswana re but, realising that the effec~ the 'great oasis' the delta is the shattered ent: it is unique and develop cently tried to i:luy tanks from might prove disastrous, 1t remains of a river which emp ment could cost the world, and Europe but the deal has been ditched the plan. It may not ties into the Kalahari, a river more importantly Botswana, scotcbed, most think by a plea view others' irresponsibility of the Okavanga has which winds back through one of its greatest natW'al from Namibia. 'There charitably. . in peril of drying Namibia and up to its source assets. been the suggestion that the That people are paranoid In the Angolan heights. Two weeks ago, the Namib Batswana want to buy tanks about the delta is hardly sur· to shoot at the Namibians be up as new Africa On its way it passes a place ian team flew to Maun to prising. Beyond the stagger· called Rundu where Botswa pacify the residents. Heyns cause they want to steal water iDg array of wildlife is a place na's neighbouring state of Na· quenches its found himself facing the white from the Okavanga,' said filled witl! a diversity of mibia plans to draw off water population, a mish·mash of strange people living cheek· in an effort to quench the Heyns. 'That is nonsense, th~ insatiable thirst safari operators, hunters and two things are not connected. by-jowl with a world that occa· drought that threatens its cap frontier flotsam. He argued sionally devours them - ital city. •we were told in June that PUSHING gently at the that the Namibian pipeline Namibia had a serious 'Don't become a meal,' is a Windhoek's reservoirs have would extract only a small co=on motto. stream's sandy floor, Worm fallen to 10 per cent of capa· drought problem,' said Mo eases the mokoro canoe percentage of the Okavanga's memi Sekwale, leader of Bo Ross points out ~e wo~k city; nearly 40,000 livestock water and that, given the situ· her organisation carnes out m through the thick reeds that have died so far. The only tswana's delegation to Oka· border the banks of the Boro. ation In his country, he had no com, a commission set up by its attempt to bring prospenty answer the Namibians say, is choice but to go ahead. to tl!e area, ~ that ~he He stops to point to a distant to build a 155--mile pipeline Namibia, Botswana and line of trees that used to mark He pointed out that it is war· Angola to ensure prudent use has to get involved m politics. from the Okavanga river. 'If tom Angola that the people of the banks of a great river and we don't bUild the pipeline then, as if to prove a point, he the delta needed to worry , of the river. If Sekwale is 'If we. don't fight policy deci and the rains fail again .. .' about. There was one man sions that could kill the delt~ knocks past a wrecked mok· says Peter Heyns, the senior 1 angry that Namibia has super· oro that has become wedged notably absent from the meet· seded Okacom, he does not then all this is worth nothing, Namibian water engineer. 'To· ing, the author of the letter to she says pointing to her across the channel's new put it bluntly, we'll be in the show it: 'The position of Bo breadth. Ross. Peter Smith knows more tswana is that we cannot op organisation's achievements. shit.' about the water of the delta The delta itself is r?bust The sweltering silence is Many of the residents of pose a feasibility study; under than any other living so~. enough to sW'vive anythmg broken by an elephant, a little Maun not least Ross, are the circumstances we can to the left, which rips at Sitting on his porch, set amid only ask to be kept informed.' execpt the water being turned deeply concerned by this pi~. If branches, feeding itself lethar· a 12-acre plot on the edge of But that does not ~ so far off. that happens theu a They themselves are suffenng the dry bed of yet another garden of Eden returns to hal gically with its trunk. badly from the lack of water. as to allow the pipeline to be Downriver the water ends offshoot of the Okavanga, he bUilt. In recent years the Bo- aharidust. For the first time in memory explains why he agrees with in a large pool which tumbles the river did not reach the to emerging hippos. Worm Heyns. town during the annual fl~. 'Angola is still in a very poor treats the place with respect; Much of the town's water IS he believes a large snake lives state, but this is wliere the drawn from boreholes, but greatest threat to the delta 'If the water in its depths drinking the now the water table is drop river dry. Around about, the lies. Once the country be ping fast. comes peaceful, people will dries up it will land lies lazily like pottery Ross sees the pipeline as not glazing In a kiln, creatures start settling beside the river. only unimaginative but also You can't tell them, "OK, you betheendof emerging and departing on as a dangerous precedent. hazy, washed-out back· can Jive there, but don't drink And she is not alone. For the any water".' our lives. Our grounds. Overhead the Kala· white population of th~ ~· hari sun burns deep, claiming Both Smitl! and Heyns make demandinP responsibility pessimistic noises about the lives are solely the once great waters of the from tl'.e t-' nibians is a mat- Okavanga back for itself. delta's futW'e. 'The delta's go dependent on it' Quietly poling, Worm says ter of saving the delta. For tht Ing to shrink,' says Smith. 'In that he has never seen the black co=unities, it means the past we have never had it water so low; that he fears for saving themselves. so good, but people don't, real· his job. Kehemetswe Saozo sits on ise those days have gone. an animal skin chair in the In Maun that view is not Fiftv or so to the miles shade of his ; • ·... ~I in Dit· acceptable. The whites, many south: Dr Karen Ross, holding ship!, a village in the heart of of whom have spent more her straw hat down against the delta itself. His clothes are than a decade bUilding up the grey dust \\ind, leaves her stone-washed by the abrasive businesses, know they can office. She has just seen a Kalahari sands and his face still move off if all goes wrong, letter published in one of Bo looks weary. 'If the water dries but local people have no such tswana's national newspapers up it will be the end of ow option. Tawana Moremi, the accusing her of spreading 'the lives,' he says quietly. 'All the young paramount chief of the sort of careless propaganda things of ow- lives are solely delta is taking six montllS off that may encourage green ac· dependent on it.' from 'his duties. Energetic, in· ti\ists to take up arms, go The Okavanga problem is 1 telligent and bitter from the ballistic or even ignite the precursor of things to come. . pressures he faces, he sits water bomb waiting to ex As peace comes to the whole drinking in one of the safari plode on [Botswana's] north· southern African region and camps that dot the edge of em border'. Ross, head of Con· development booms, rivers Maun's dry river. 'I don't like servation International's Oka· are being used to their maxi· this pipeline very much,' he vanga project, is angry. mum. South Africa itself ex says, morose from alcohol. Bevond her a Cessna lifts off pects to run out of fresh water ·we should buy more planes from.Maun's runway. It banks in the first quarter of the next and bomb it.' and heads north, ferrying century and its engineers are Although far-fetched - Bo- . tourists to the camps In the already looking north. tswana has no history of vio delta beyond. lence towards its neighbours The greatest oasis on the planet. it supports 164 species of mammals, 540 types of bird The, train to Zimbabwe is helping revive Mozambique's ravaged economy, writes Mary Braid Jn lht\ad old days of the hush link land-!licked Rhodc~i!' to taken with a lightl·r heart. But vinced he is _joking. He shakes kidnap you 1!1 stop you ope rat- The ashes. But not the arrogance '' war between rvin1.aml>ique's the sea. is no longer :Jm_lhtary in the packcd.dmcnlate hrnwn his head gravely. "Maria you ing the trains. That happened of the British and Portuguese. l'rclimn govcnum·~1t and the target. Once agai~1 it ~l\r~lcs.th~ carriages used since tl~c davs of should believe. Such thrngs ~~~some friends." Five of them "When the Portuguese left they dn:adcd. South-1\fncan hacked hope of t:'rospenty. fh1s hm_c the Portuguese, war still haunts happen here." d1ed. . . said the trains would soon stop Rcnanll' guerrillas, the d<~y- Mozamb1c<1ns - !'ot their the _psyche. . From the start the line took /\nd he remcmhcrs the tlf!le running and lh<~t we Moz<~m- lnng tr;tin trip from the port of coloniser~- may ~am. . . 1 he locals goss1p about a f~- l~cs. When it was laid, hundreds hcfore tl_1c war when the while hicans would never manage nn Jkira tP Mutarc ( form~r_ly Um- The Be1ra Comdor proJect IS mous female Rena_mo gucml- d1cd from dysentery, malaria Rh_od~SI<~ns_ came down ~o our own," he s from Bcim station- an cnor- 1 to lure trade from Durhan_and make a women menstruate for hair stood on end and the hlood line in 1949 and showered lux- .. ~1011s soulless building left lucrative Zimhahwcnn fre1ght. a solid 12 months. But the car- raced. The medicine man was urics such as fridges and stoves hchind by the Portuguese - Progress is slow. _ riagc's urban professionals arc about all there was left to turn upon train drivers. The trains and dmg across the endless l'as.~cnge~s are d_cli~hted With believer~ too. 1\ hush falls over to. If Rcnamo did not get you, ran twice the speed they can _In- miles of mangrove, the only invcstmentmthe hne. _and trav- the carnage as a teacher, a de- h day, for the track and rollmg W{)llld-hc terrorists arc tiny cl to and fro inland Vll_lages to vnut Muslim, l<~lks of a terror- 1 c government surely would. stock were in good repair. To- t 1 "You were scared even to he boys who run from v_illag~s of buy fr~sh produce whlc ~ t l~n ist nttack _in which carriages sick,'' he says. "If you had In stay ~ay carriages arc fil_lcd to h'!rst- thatched huts to lcvcllmagmary finds 1ts way hack to m.trkct. w_crc dcr