A/HRC/31/59/Add.1 disadvantages children in remote areas, who have no or minimal exposure to Setswana in their families and communities. This is especially the case of pupils residing in hostels. 41. While welcoming the introduction of teacher aides, the Special Rapporteur does not believe that it will ensure linguistic and cultural rights within the education system. She considers it important for the cognitive development of the child to be taught in his or her mother tongue and to see that his or her culture and history are acknowledged as an integral part of the culture and history of the country as a whole. The Special Rapporteur recalls that the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities states that, wherever possible, minorities should be provided with opportunities to learn or to have instruction in their mother tongue (art. 4, para. 3) and that denying minorities the possibility of learning their own language, receiving instruction in their own language, or excluding from their education the transmission of knowledge about their own culture, history, tradition and language, would be a violation of the obligation to protect their identity.30 42. In Botswana, culture and cultural diversity are to be integrated in education through cultural and social studies and extracurricular activities. Nonetheless, stakeholders reported that most programmes are relevant for Tswana communities only. The Special Rapporteur also heard concurring testimonies that teachers wishing to organize extracurricular events in the language and culture of minority tribes are seen as promoting tribalism. Although many of the testimonies referred to events that took place in the past, sometimes decades ago, they reveal a context in which people feel that it is not possible to promote multiculturalism and interculturalism in schools, whether or not that is true. 43. In that regard, it is important to highlight Botswana’s excellent 2001 National Policy on Culture. Unfortunately, few people seem to know about this policy. The policy states that “it is through language that culture is communicated to future generations.” The Special Rapporteur is happy to see that, in some districts, such as Ghanzi, the local administration acknowledges the importance of local languages and has started publishing? multilingual newsletters. However, several key provisions of the policy remain largely unimplemented, such as those relating to the documentation and further development and use of languages, acceptance of and respect for other cultures as integral parts of the national stream, and reorientation of cultural practices and values to achieve a society that is culturally supportive of the rights and status of women. Some communities have also requested the establishment of community radio stations in minority languages in various parts of the country. C. Tourism, world heritage sites, wildlife protection and cultural rights 44. Conflicts relating to land use are numerous in Botswana, with various competing needs, uses and interests at stake, which also imply different world visions: commercial and traditional farming, hunting, tourism, wildlife management, mining and urbanization, in particular. Vision 2016 aims to reduce poverty sufficiently to create a situation where no one is forced to damage the environment for their basic needs and where wildlife is managed for the sustainable benefit of the local communities and the interests of the environment as a whole.31 45. In most of the Special Rapporteur’s meetings, the issue of land was a recurring theme. Many complained about the opacity of the land allocation process that is conducted 30 31 See E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2005/2, para. 28; and A/HRC/22/49, para. 48. Botswana, Vision 2016 booklet, p. 8. 11