Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 24 February (HL4991), whether they consider that the government of Botswana's decision not to supply food to the bushmen of the Kalahari who have a legal right to live in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve constitutes a breach of Article 1(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and if not, why not.

We have not made any assessment as to whether the Government of Botswana’s ban on hunting or any decision on the supply of food to the San constitutes a breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Botswana is a democracy with an independent judiciary. The constitution guarantees the rights and freedoms of all Batswana irrespective of race, colour, religion, gender, political opinion or place of origin. The UK follows closely the situation of the San communities in Botswana. We will continue to encourage dialogue between the San communities and the Government of Botswana, and raise issues at an appropriate level.