Roy Sesana

Roy Sesana, in his own language actually Tobee Tcori, (date of birth unknown ( to 1950) in Molapo, Botswana ) is a human rights activist from the San people, which works to share with the organization First People of the Kalahari for the rights of the San. For his work he was awarded in 2005, together with the organization of the Right Livelihood Award.

Life

Roy Sesana lives as a traditional medicine man in New Xade, a location near the Reserve Central Kalahari Game Reserve ( CKGR ) in the Central Kalahari. He spent several years in South Africa and returned in 1971 to his people to live with him in the reserve.

In 1991 Sesana was one of the founders of the First People of the Kalahari ( FPK ), which for the rights of San advocates intensive and above all the right to the traditional way of life in the reserve, which for that very purpose on the advice of anthropologist George Silberbauer wants founded in 1961, prevail. From 1995 to 2000 Sesana was chairman of the organization, then stepped back, however, to advance the information work within the San.

The central goal of the reserve was after held several conferences and discussions on the land rights and use in the 1980s and 1990s changed and it should be a reserve for the protection of wild stocks, the San ( Bushmen ) were initially tolerated. In 1997 they were living in the reserve, moved by the state government in the newly created New Xade, 2002, the Bakgalagadi were brought here. The government officer destroyed the wells and threatened the San penalties on when they should return to the reserve, are still about 200 San again entered the reserve and are living in temporary settlements. They are subjected to persecution and torture, as they are accused of poaching and the brother Sesanas died in 2004, after he was beaten up by gamekeepers.

Roy Sesana has remained committed to the work and called the San on the government to leave the cities that he called "Places of Death" ( " places of death" ). Together with 248 San he filed a court case against the Botswana government, which is also symbolic for dealing with indigenous peoples is regarded worldwide and is observed internationally interested. The original indictment in 2002 was lost due to technical inconsistencies, a retrial should take place no earlier than 2006. Even prior to the Botswana government announced, however, that it will change in the event of losing the laws in the form that they can continue their program without hindrance.

On September 24, 2005 Roy Sesana was arrested along with at least 20 other San and jailed since the group had tried to move into the central scope of the Kalahari. Sesana was released on bail on September 27, September 29, he and the First People of the Kalahari Of The Right Livelihood Award was awarded.

After Roy Sesana and the San people had enforced their living and the right to stay in the National Park Central Kalahari court order against the Botswana government, they also have the right was now allowed again to drill wells for the vital drinking water.

Quotes

• " We want to live on our land and determine our way of life itself. " ( Roy Sesana, April 2002 )
• " Now we have our graves to leave and go away. The government sees no problem in taking us from our ancestral land and to transplant elsewhere. Our own culture and our community life are destroyed, no one respects these things, there is no democracy for us. " ( Roy Sesana, October 2001)