WIMSA'S HISTORY At the Regional Conference on Development Programmes for Africa's San Populations held in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1992, the San representatives expressed a need "to form committees to represent us at the local, regional and international levels." To explore the possibility of setting up a regional San network to this end, a needs assessment was carried out in 1994"among San communities in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Representatives of the relevant government offices and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the region, as well as international academics focusing on San affairs, were also consulted for the assessment. The findings emphasised the San's unanimous hope for an effective exchange of information and experience among their communities, and for their involvement in regional development processes. These hopes were reiterated by the 54 San delegates from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana at the Conference on Self-Development and Resettlement held in D'kar, Botswana, in 1995. In early 1996 the Regional WIMSA was established in Windhoek, Namibia, and shortly thereafter WIMSA/Botswana was established in D'kar. The Regional WIMSA is registered with Namibia's Ministry of Health and Social Services as a welfare organisation, and WIMSA/Botswana is registered with Botswana' s Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs as a society. Both ministries fully acknowledge WIMSA's objectives, which focus on supporting and networking around San affairs. WIMSA 'S STRUCTURE WIMSA's 15 member organisations in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa form the backbone of the network. These are San organisations which have the right to participate in formulating WIMSA policies and work programmes, to receive appropriate services from WIMSA, to delegate representatives to the WIMSA annual general assembly and to nominate candidates for election to the WIMSA board of trustees. A member organisation is obliged to observe the aims and policies of WIMSA and to supply WIMSA with copies of its publications. The general assembly, being the highest official organ of WIMSA, meets once a year as WIMSA's constitution prescribes. It consists of San representatives delegated by member organisations and is responsible for formulating policies on major issues affecting WIMSA's future. The board of trustees currently comprises three San board members and three alternates each from Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. According to WIMSA's constitution the board members' powers and duties focus on the management and control of WIMSA affairs. The Regional WIMSA office is run by a small team composed of two San trainees, a part-time mentor and the co-ordinator. The co-ordinator is mandated to implement decisions taken by the board of trustees in its biannual meetings. In addition to its 15 member organisations WIMSA has 11 support organisations, which include regional as well as international institutions in Europe, America and Africa concerned with indigenous minority groups worldwide. The support organisations have the right to participate in the annual general assembly but they are not permitted to vote. They are required to supply WIMSA with copies of their publications. The regional support organisations provide professional expertise to WIMSA where called upon, and assistance with logistical matters. The international support organisations are most helpful in bringing urgent matters to the attention of the media and governments in their countries, and in providing moral support. WIMSA'S OBJECTIVES The WIMSA mission statement, prepared by the San delegates during a board meeting in May 1997, focuses on the assistance that WIMSA should give the San to enable them to gain political recognition, to secure access to natural and financial resources, to raise human rights awareness among their communities, to become self-sustainable through development projects and to regain their identity and pride in their culture, thereby improving their self-esteem. To these ends the San delegates at the San Conference- hosted by WIMSA in Gross Barmen, Namibia, requested WIMSA's support in the areas of education and training, development planning, gaining control over tourism, securing land and rights of access to natural resources, obtaining project funds, procuring legal advice and co-ordinating San affairs across the regional borders. WIMSA'S ACTIVITIES WIMSA has provided six-month on-the-job training courses in its Windhoek office for young San, and conducted a series of workshops with San traditional authorities from Namibia on land tenure, income-generating possibilities and specific community problems. WIMSA played an important role in organising the First Secondary School San Learner's Conference held in Windhoek in 1997, and provided opportunities for San delegates from the southern African region to participate in regional workshops, international conferences and exchange visits abroad. As a networking organisation WIMSA is not involved in implementing projects. However, San communities have continuously requested WIMSA's advice in their efforts to plan projects, raise funds and generate income. One of the community-based projects to which WIMSA has provided assistance since 1996 - in conjunction with Namibia's Centre for Applied Social Sciences (CASS) - is the Omatako Valley Rest Camp, a San tourism venture. The community members responsible for running the camp are compensated for the services they render from the fees charged to tourists who utilise the camp. The issues of land tenure and control over tourism have required a great deal of patience, motivation and commitment from all parties involved. For example, it took two-and-a-half years to negotiate and sign a balanced agreement between the San community and a lodge owner who had entered into a joint tourism venture. Also, the struggle to prevent the Namibian government's planned eviction of Kxoe community members from a portion of their land in west Caprivi has continued since May 1997. WIMSA activities relating to institutional capacity-building have consisted of board and general assembly meetings, providing support to and/or advising WIMSA member organisations, and visits to San communities by WIMSA delegates. The San have regarded as most useful and eye-opening exercises the exchange of views and experiences facilitated during gatherings for San from Botswana, South Africa and Namibia, and in workshops with international indigenous delegates. CONSTRAINTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS In the short period since its inception WIMSA has gained considerable recognition at the local, regional and international levels. San communities, NGO personnel, government officials and academics frequently request the organisation's expertise and resources. On several occasions WIMSA personnel have been praised for their role in engendering self-confidence among the majority of WIMSA trainees and San traditional authorities, which has enabled them to speak out in unfamiliar environments such as conferences, and to lobby their governments around issues affecting their communities. This ability has largely been ascribed to WIMSA' s intensive training efforts. Although the traditional leaders of 31 Namibian "traditional communities" were recognised by government as members of the council of Traditional Leaders in March 1998, none of the six San traditional authorities' applications for recognition were taken into consideration at the time. It was only after WIMSA initiated a meeting between the Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing and the San traditional leaders, and subsequently facilitated the fulfillment of the ministry's requirements of the San communities, that two San traditional authorities were recognised by the Namibian government. WIMSA has always emphasised that all parties involved in accomplishing set goals around San issues must accept that the San themselves should set the pace for any action taken. However, experience has taught WIMSA that compromise is often called for in this regard. For example, the fast-growing tourism industry determines its own rules, and if the San wish to be involved in this industry they will have to be willing to compromise on their ideals in some instances. Other constraints, which have hampered endeavors supported by WIMSA relate to negative tendencies connected to the generation gap evident in most San communities, the prevalence of individual advantages over collective interests, the apparent passivity of most San women regarding developmental and political matters and the competitiveness prevailing among a couple of NGOs in the southern African region. It is believed that other constraints posed by the enormous geographical distances separating San communities and the current lack of basic communication links can be tackled far more easily than the social constraints noted above. CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE One of WIMSA's biggest challenges is to achieve the aim of ensuring access to land and natural resources for the San in their respective countries. Negotiations are continuing with the South African government regarding a land restitution claim in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, with the Namibian government on the land dispute of the Kxoe from west Caprivi, and with the Botswana government concerning the relocation of San from their ancestral land in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The process of empowering the San will be pursued through further capacity training for traditional leaders and skills training for San playing specific roles in their communities. These training efforts will enable the San to have their say on and make informed decisions about social, developmental and political issues affecting the wider society of each country and the region as a whole. WIMSA 's long-term goal is to unite all San communities of the southern African region through a San Council that is officially recognised by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is hoped that all stakeholders will proffer the necessary patience, commitment and solidarity to achieve this long-term goal. oo0---0oo

 

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