Tanzania accused of abuses against Maasai
Thu May 10, 2018 02:30:pm Africa
7.5K By Obiaks Blog
A new report accuses the Tanzanian government and some foreign safari companies of a series of human rights abuses against the indigenous Maasai people.
The report, released today by independent policy think tank, the Oakland Institute, details cases of arrests, evictions and beatings of Maasai people.
The Maasai people allege the government is using conservation laws to evict them from their traditional pastures in favour of high earning tourism - a claim the government denies.
Tourism has been Tanzania's largest foreign exchange earner for almost a decade, contributing an average of $2bn (£1.5bn) annually.
But according to the Maasai testimonies collected in the report, the foreign companies have been denying them access to their ancestral land and key water sources, and have been co-opting local police in beating and arresting them
One of the accused companies has previously told the BBC the Maasai people are only blocked from water sources during the July to December hunting season - which coincides with the dry season.
The government, on the other hand, has consistently denied allegations of human rights abuses, and says the conservation laws were created to conserve and protest ecosystems around conservation area.
Last year, the government terminated a 25-year-old hunting concession with the UAE royal family-owned company OBC as it launched an investigation into the company's dealings with former tourism ministers.The findings of that investigation are yet to be made public
BBC
The report, released today by independent policy think tank, the Oakland Institute, details cases of arrests, evictions and beatings of Maasai people.
The Maasai people allege the government is using conservation laws to evict them from their traditional pastures in favour of high earning tourism - a claim the government denies.
Tourism has been Tanzania's largest foreign exchange earner for almost a decade, contributing an average of $2bn (£1.5bn) annually.
But according to the Maasai testimonies collected in the report, the foreign companies have been denying them access to their ancestral land and key water sources, and have been co-opting local police in beating and arresting them
One of the accused companies has previously told the BBC the Maasai people are only blocked from water sources during the July to December hunting season - which coincides with the dry season.
The government, on the other hand, has consistently denied allegations of human rights abuses, and says the conservation laws were created to conserve and protest ecosystems around conservation area.
Last year, the government terminated a 25-year-old hunting concession with the UAE royal family-owned company OBC as it launched an investigation into the company's dealings with former tourism ministers.The findings of that investigation are yet to be made public
BBC
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