botswana/namibia - Cour international de Justice

"Until now it's when we hear the issue of Kasikili, people are claiming it. It's where I know
we were born."
474. In cross-examination by the Botswana Component of the Joint Team, she says
"I was born at Kasika." (ibid., p.134).
475. Christopher Liswani Matondo, who was 73 years old at the time of giving evidence in
1994, says (at page 136, Memorial of the Republic of Namibia, Volume II, Annex 1):
"Me, in Kasikili it's where I was born. My father Matondo it's where he had built his house, I
even know the grave of the Chief of Kasikili and others. Even Chief Moraliswani when he
was born. It was in Kasikili. It is where Chief Liswaninyana died and was buried."
Of course, it cannot be true that Chief Liswaninyana was buried at Kasikili (see the evidence
of Chief Moraliswani below.)
476. Asked if his family had a house in Kasika, he says:
"It's where our parents were staying in Kasika and it's where we were born in Kasika." (ibid.,
p.139)
477. The witness Elias Shamwazi Lilungwe, who was 65 years old at the time of giving
evidence in 1994, says:
"I say that the Island of Kasikili/Sedudu belongs to Bekuhane, it's where I was born. It's
where my grandfather was buried and where my father was ploughing. It's where I grew up
and got married." (ibid., p.174)
478. In cross-examination, he has this to say:
"My house is in Kasika. Up to now it's where I am staying. Starting from where I was born,
it's where I am staying. I got married at Kasika. I was born at Kasika." (ibid., pages 179, 180).
479. Maimbolwa Anna Siiyinda, 65 years old at the time of giving evidence, says:
"I am not talking lies. At Kasikili it's where we were born. All of us, it's where we were
ploughing....After our Chief died ... after that three years we went back and ploughed ... then
came the elephants ... It is at Kasika that our Chief was buried. After our old people have died,
then we stayed at Kasika. We found that there is nowhere we could go now because even if
we tried to plough there, the Botswana Authorities told us that we should not plough on
Kasikili." (ibid., pp.205-6).
480. In cross-examination, she was asked if she lived in Kasika and she said,
"If there was an aeroplane, I could go and show you where we are left, me and my kids and
my family - where we are staying at Kasika." (ibid., p.208).
481. Asked if that was the house she has lived in all her life she says: