ANB-BIA SUPPLEMENT

ISSUE/EDITION Nr 323 - 01/05/1997

CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE

Botswana

Island dispute

by Prof. Malema, Botswana, 1st April 1997

THEME = INTERN.POLIT.

INTRODUCTION

For four years, Botswana and Namibia have been in dispute over an island in the middle of a river. Now the International Court at The Hague has been called in

Botswana's Permanent Secretary for Political Affairs, Louis Selepeng, said that delegations from Botswana and Namibia met in The Hague on 28 February to submit written arguments before the Court, concerning the case. He said: "What follows next is for the two parties to submit written counter-submissions. This will be done sometime in November. After that, the Court will inform us when the hearing will take place. This could possibly be in the first half of 1998"!
The scene is now set for the most controversial territorial dispute ever between these two southern African countries - a dispute which began in 1992. It's all to do with Sedudu Island, (called by Namibians, Kisikili Island) which covers an area of 3 sq km. The uninhabited island is well-known for its tourism opportunities, and it lies in the northern Chobe River of landlocked Botswana, and east of Caprivi Strip which is in northern Namibia!
The conflict flared up in 1992, as the two countries hastily went into an unprecedented military build up along their common border. The spiralling events compelled President Sir Ketumile Masire of Botswana, and President Sam Nujoma of Namibia to convene a meeting in the northern town of Kasane, where President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe played the role of "honest broker"!
A communique issued after a day-long meeting indicated that a Technical Committee was to be appointed, to decide on the boundaries between the two countries. The Committee was to base its findings on the Anglo-German Treaty of 1890; the 1892 Anglo- German and Portuguese Treaty; and on maps of the period!
The communique also stated that tensions between the two countries over ownership of the island should decrease and that nothing should spoil existing relations between the two countries. Economic activities such as fishing should continue, on the understanding that fishing nets should not be laid across the river. There must be free navigation on the river and unhindered movement of tourists. The military presence should be scaled down, except for the purpose of anti-poaching activities. President Masire is on record as accusing the Namibians of "shifting the goal posts". He said that according to experts, the border between the two countries runs along a deep water stretch of the river, thus making Sedudu part of Botswana. This opinion is upheld by historian and researcher, Jeff Ramsey, who quotes a letter from the former South African Prime Minister's office and the Department of Foreign Affairs, dated 14 October 1948. The following is a quote from the letter: "The joint report discloses that while the main channel of the Chobe River is shown on the maps as passing to the South of Kisikili Island, it in fact passes to the north of the island". Ramsey adds that although the eastern Caprivi's Botswana frontier is defined by the Kwando River, Linyati and Chobe River, in many places the actual terrain defies easy demarcation"!
At one time or another, Britain, Germany and South Africa are all said to have been in dispute over the ownership of the island. In December 1984,a joint commission between Botswana and South Africa, decided in Botswana's favour!
Namibians say the island belongs to them and they have always regarded it as part of their territory on which they can hunt, fish, plough and graze their cattle. It accuses Botswana of hoisting its flag on the island while the matter is still under arbitration, adding that the move "goes against the spirit of peaceful co-existence in the region"!
Namibia dismisses claims that the matter had previously been solved under the former Pretoria administration which was ruling South-West Africa, now Namibia!
President Mugabe didn't make much headway in the dispute, and relations have deteriorated between the two sides. Last year, when the German Government halted the sale of 54 second-hand German built Krauss Maffei I-V MBTs from the Netherlands to the Botswana Government, a sale which was in the region of US$ 14.2 million, Namibia was accused by Botswana of influencing the halt in the sale.

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PeaceLink 1997 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement