Source: Norwegian People's Aid (NPA)

Date: 21 Aug 2009

Violations of pastoralists' rights in Tanzania continues at an incredible pace. Now local NGOs are calling for the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism to resign after she claimed in Parliament that the local people had burnt their own homes.

The dispute between Ortello Business Corporation (OBC), on behalf of members of a Royal Family from the United Arab Emirates, and eight villages in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area has existed for almost 17 years. The wildlife division of the national Government allocated OBS hunting rights in Loliondo, and despite the company not having ownership rights to the land, they have continued to evict the local people and burn their crops.

The list of damage done to the pastoralists is endless: It has brought hardship to more than 20,000 pastoralist people; more than two hundred bomas have been destroyed; property worth millions of Tanzanian shillings have been damaged; a large number of people have suffered gross bodily harm; at least eight women have been beaten and raped; several women have suffered mischarges; families have been split because of the chaos; hundreds of calves and cows have died; crop fields have been burnt; other foodstuffs and grains have been destroyed; an unknown number of people are left homeless.

NGOs in the area say that the "most regrettable about the whole scandal is to see how the government has failed in its attentiveness to important issues concerning people's welfare by making statements that are careless and on occasion untruthful".

Firstly, the Prime Minister when he was asked about the ongoing injustices of people being burnt out of their homes in Loliondo said that the Government had no knowledge of this.

But more puzzling the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Shamsa Mwangunga, visited Loliondo in July and castigated the operation to burn the villagers' homes and ordered that the operation be stopped forthwith. However, in a statement to Parliament she said the pastoralists moved at their own volition after having been persuaded to do so. The Minister continued to say that it was the pastoralists themselves who burnt their homes of their own volition without being forced to by anyone.

The NGOs are now calling on the minister to resign saying:

"In a country trying to build a foundation of good governance and human rights, Minister Mwangunga needs to voluntarily resign for lying to Parliament and being deceitful in carrying out her duties. If she does not voluntarily resign, we are confident that our trusted Parliament will press for the Minister's resignation through the appropriate Parliamentary regulations."

Another side of the conflict is that some of the villages, in 2007, signing a contract with OBC for the use of the village land for hunting. The villages were required not to allow their cattle in to the areas set aside for hunting during the hunting season, and the OBC was required to pay TShs 25 million to each village together with bringing primary development services to each village, such as water and cattle dips.

However, many of the social services OBC promised to provide have not been honoured. It is also claimed that many of the villagers were deceived and pressed into signing a contract with OBC.

But, as the local NGOs state: "Even if the contract was fair, it is unimaginable that a clause would allow the crime of arson and vandalism to be carried out."

As a resolution to the conflict local NGOs propose the following:

- The Minister responsible for Natural Resources should resign on account of her deception of Parliament and the People about the events that occurred in Loliondo;

- The practice of burning peoples houses should not occur again in Tanzania unless as a result of legal court order

- An independent inquiry, whether Parliamentary or Presidential, be created so as to investigate the violation of human rights and candidly describe and recommend the necessary steps to be taken so as to finally resolve the problems of the last 17 years.

- Assessments be carried out of the destruction and loss of property so that corresponding compensation can be paid by the government and OBC;

- The process of degazetting Game Controlled Areas on village land be accelerated so the people of Loliondo can use their land without obstruction;

- All the leaders that were involved in this injustice and brutality be pursued and administrative and legal steps taken of prosecuting them in court;

- OBC's hunting license be withdrawn and the company ordered to leave Loliondo Game Controlled Area.