'A good measure of sacrifice': Botswana and the liberation struggles of southern Africa (1965-1985)

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Periodical article

Title:	'A good measure of sacrifice': Botswana and the liberation struggles of southern Africa (1965-1985)
Author:	Mgadla, Part T.
Year:	2008
Periodical:	Social Dynamics
Volume:	34
Issue:	1
Pages:	5-16
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Southern Africa Botswana South Africa Zimbabwe
Subjects:	national liberation movements refugees kidnapping deportation covert operations 1950-1999
External link:	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02533950802078889
Abstract:	From the 1960s through to the 1980s, the government of Botswana had to strike a fine balance between not isolating the liberation movements, not letting them use Botswana as a military base and not appearing to harbour 'terrorists'. The government realized that overtly supporting the liberation movements was potentially suicidal, for the country could easily be punished by South Africa: trade links could be severed and communication networks paralysed. The settler regimes of Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) and South Africa did try to infiltrate and weaken the liberation movements in Botswana and carried out acts such as kidnapping, intimidation and deportation, to try to prevent the liberation movements from threatening the status quo in southern Africa. Using evidence from the Botswana National Archives, oral interviews, and newspaper reports, the article examines the means the Botswana government adopted to deal with the situation and safeguard the security of its citizens. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]