A Review of Statutes and Administrative Jurisdictions on Graves, Burial Grounds and Human Remains in Botswana

Abstract

In Botswana there is no legal protection of archaeological graves, burial grounds and associated humantissue. This is despite the increased interaction between burial grounds, graves, and infrastructuraldevelopments where grave relocations are becoming inevitable. Instead, the Department of NationalMuseum and Monuments (DNMM) which is the institutional custodian of the heritage estate, operateson poorly articulated statutes borrowed from various disciplines and government ministries to guidegrave relocations and studies on human tissue. This essay presents a discussion of the state of affairswith regards to statutes, administration and jurisdictions over archaeological graves, burial groundsand human tissue.