August 9 was the International Day of Indigenous People but in Namibia there is a new risk to San human and land rights. San leaders in Tsumkwe West are worried by mixed messages from different Government agencies, and a renewed risk of encroachment of cattle into a wildlife conservancy area.

In 2003 after a long battle and strongly backed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the 10,000 km area of Nxa Jaqna Conservancy between the veterinary fence and Aasvoelnes was gazetted. This ought to protect it from all other uses, which could interfere with game hunting and tourism. But very recent proposals by the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement could turn much of the area into small farm holdings with livestock, the Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA) said in Windhoek on Wednesday.

The groundwater is not enough to sustain farmed animals, especially cattle. Over-grazing the land would endanger the traditional way of life, even the survival of local San families. It would undermine work to re-introduce game animals, which will bring in large income to the conservancy from hunting, according to WIMSA.

WIMSA and the Legal Assistance Centre have written to the Government to express their concern about the farming proposals, and to insist that local people should have the final say. They would also seek compensation for any loss of livelihoods, or access to land.

Speaking in Windhoek, the Regional Co-ordinator of WIMSA, Joram /Useb, said:

"Today, 9 August is Indigenous People’s Day. All over Africa, for hundreds of years, the San have been driven back from their land. Mostly they have survived only as marginalized communities, living in poverty as cheap labourers on other people’s farms, or scratching a living in towns. This trend was being reversed. The Government’s enlightened conservancy policy has enabled San communities to live on the land, alongside wild game, in a sustainable way, which meets the needs of local inhabitants as well as encouraging tourism. That allows them also to collect veld fruits across wide areas, which is impossible on enclosed farm lands".

In Nyae Nyae and Nca Jaqna in former Bushmanland, and Bwabwata National Park in West Caprivi, the rights of San and other inhabitants of remote rural areas are protected by law, as conservancies and national parks.

Nca Jaqna Conservancy was formally gazetted only three years ago. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism and some NGOs are reintroducing wild game into the area, by developing water sources and training game guards. The fruits of that policy are just coming through; with new water points opening and the first game re-stocking taking place this year.

"This progress is much too precious to put at risk," /Useb said, "WIMSA would resist any plans to take away these benefits from local people, by introducing farming in areas where it is not sustainable. Their interests will be harmed by an influx of people from other areas bringing cattle."