Social Exclusion, Marginalization and the Threat of Extinction of Ethnic Minorities : A Case of the Batwa Community in Uganda

While the rest of the world enjoys the fruits of technological advancement, economic growth, better social services, and improved standards of living generally, there are some groups of people that continue to languish in forgotten corners of the world. Using the Batwa case, this paper is concerned with the minorities who have been excluded from mainstream development, and whose very existence is under threat. The Uganda Land Alliance for Coalition of Pastoral Civil Society Organizations (COPACSO) has warned that the few thousand Batwa of Uganda are in danger of extinction. This paper is situated within the context of sustainable human development, with a specific focus on the developing world. The author believes human development should be rooted within the grassroots communities and that it should be holistic/integral – taking care of all dimensions of a human being, such as the economic, social, political, cultural, religious, and ideological aspects. While minority groups like People Living With Disabilities and Homosexuals, have human rights organizations fighting for their rights, the voice of the Batwa is so faint that many people do not even know they exist. Apparently the Batwa have continued to lag behind in terms of access to medical and educational services, as well as other programs meant to improve the lives of Ugandans. Striking among the key issues presented in this paper is the feeling expressed by some Batwa that their whole community is going to die of HIV/AIDS. The significance of this paper is to give a deeper understanding of the vulnerability of the minority peoples in the developing world. The issues raised are expected to trigger a critical debate, thereby initiating the process of dialogue on the protection of minority indigenous communities in the developing world, alongside their cultures, in order to bring about sustainable development