Bushmen beg to keep their freedom

The Times (London) ^ | September 12, 2005 | Jonathan Clayton in Johannesburg

[Rakkasan1]

FEMA's fault.

[cyborg]

The state diamond company, which is an offshoot of the De Beers diamond conglomerate, maintains that even the richest diamond deposits, which lay at the heart of the Bushmen’s land, are currently uneconomic to mine. However, De Beers does not rule out mining them at a later date.

** Hmmmmmmm....

[atomicpossum]

It's BUSHmen's fault!!!

(Been waiting for that one for a long time)

[Walkingfeather]

Give them all a glass coke bottle and let them fight for their freedom

[Translates]

What a shame that a country with a gazillion dollars worth of diamonds underfoot has such poor people.

[Clock King]

Don't destroy the "heart of Africa". You would think the government would know better, but I guess not.

[REactor]

NO, it's BUSHES' fault. There in the bush
are just too many bushes.

[Larry Lucido]

“There is very deep-seated racism on the part of the Government clique.”

Jesse Jackson, call your office.

[sarasmom]

Actually, the required FR crass comment would have been "it is Bush's Fault".
Since you have actually joined tomorrow, and seem quite oblivious to the "rules of conduct" or even vaguely familiar with the homepage on this website, it seems to be you, who is actually the crass poster of non-seqiturs.(p) in vefore the ZOT!

[sgtbono2002]

Debeers doesnt want to mine tham , They have enough in storage now to last 50 years. If Debeers released all the diamonds they have they would be cheaper than coal.They keep the price up by keeping diamonds scarce.

[cyborg]

You may be right but I'm sure they don't want competitors getting that stash either. I remember the story on FR last year about the faux diamond that is exactly like a 'natural' diamond. Conspiracy theories abound!

[gaspar]

Next door in Namibia the government is nationalizing the large farms that have served as a fence against unlimited killing of wildlife. Hundreds of families will be settled and the Europeans will be expelled. As one can imagine, there goes Namibia.

[Prime Choice]

If they have to beg, then they are not free.

[REactor]

What was the comment no.5 about? They deleted it before I could read it. Is it possible that there at large is some psycho who does not like BUSHmen??

[Inyo-Mono]

This is very sad. I urge everyone to read Congo Kitabu by Jean-Pierre Hallet, first published in 1964. A real man's-man and no enviro-weenie, Hallet was a conservative conservationist long before the lefties even considered stepping off their front porch into the boonies.

Severely wounded, Hallet drove over 100 miles across dirt roads in Africa to a hospital after blowing his hands off with dynamite while attempting to obtain fish while helping the starving locals.

Hallet lived with the Bushmen for quite some time back in the 1950s and paints a vivid picture of these proud people.

[SteveMcKing]

Isn't this the plot to Sheena?

[Rakkasan1]

This was one arrogant dude. Col. DeBeers did everything he could to make us hate South Africa during the height of the apartheid in S. Africa. He was a pretty good wrestler, but he always cheated to win. Sheik Adnan Al-Kaisie was his manager, and would usually spear DeBeers opponents with the South African flag, enabling the Colonel to pick up the easy victory.

[Coyoteman]

In honor of the Bushmen, one of their creation stories. (Sounds like the local government just wants their land. Hope they make it.)

The First Bushman

Water in a desert country is so precious that for those who depend on it, it can assume divine properties. To the Bushman water is the ancient symbol of life. In it he can revitalize himself and make a fresh start. His legendary hero, Mantis, appears at the time of the beginning of the world, when the face of the earth was covered with water.

Mantis was carried over the tumult of the dark and turbulent waters by a bee (bees, as honeymakers, are an image of wisdom). The bee, however, became wearier and colder as he searched for solid ground, and Mantis felt heavier and heavier. He flew slower and sank down towards the water. At last, while floating on the water, the bee saw a great white flower, half-open, awaiting the sun's first rays. He laid Mantis in the heart of the flower and planted within him the seed of the first human being. Then the bee died. But as the sun rose and warmed the flower, Mantis awoke, and there, from the seed left by the bee, the first Bushman was born.