The pipeline

Botswana's reception of refugees, 1956-68

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3663876
AutoresNeil Parsons (University of Botswana, autor de correspondencia)
Año2008
Volumen34
Número1
Páginas17-32
Fecha de publicación2008-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSocial Dynamics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0253-3952 • E-ISSN: 1940-7874
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02533950802078897
OpenAlexW2026787187
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas5

This paper covers Botswana's emergence as a place of refuge from its troubled white-ruled neighbours. Botswana's reception of refugees is seen as a symptom of, and as a catalyst for, its growing identification as a distinct nation in the region. From 1956, Bechuanaland colonial authorities distanced themselves from apartheid South Africa, and from 1957-58 the country received significant influxes of political refugees. The paper pays particular attention to the 'pipeline' that took refugees north across the Zambezi. This was initially protected from local police interference probably by Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Nelson Mandela, alias 'David Motsamayi', used the pipeline 'down' as well as 'up' to re-enter South Africa. Such arrangements continued through independence in 1966 but were almost terminated when guerrilla fighters tried to use Botswana as a refuge in 1966-67. Revaluation of policy towards refugees within Botswana government circles resulted after 1969 in more overt moral support for liberation movements and, boosted by new economic strength, more self-confident assertion of national sovereignty against neighbouring countries. This set the scene for Botswana to receive a huge influx of refugees as a result of the Soweto rising of 1976

Operating system · Pipeline (software · Political science · Refugee · African history and culture studies · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Computer Science · Law