Sign On Petition: Stop The Eviction Of Indigenous Pastoralist Communities In Ngorongoro Conservation Area

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Update on the Campaign

To:

Her Excellency, Samia Suluhu Hassan
President of the United Republic of Tanzania

Cc:

Hon. Dr. Freddy Safiel Manongi
Conservation Commissioner, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority

Hon. Dr. Damas Daniel Ndumbaro
Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism

Hon. Tirso Dos Santos
Head of Office, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - Tanzania

Hon. Dr. Bruno Oberle
Director-General, International Union for Conservation of Nature

Hon. Audrey Azoulay
Director-General, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is planning to evict 73,000 Indigenous Peoples from Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). On April 12, 2021, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) had already initially issued a 30-day eviction notice to 45 indigenous pastoralists living in Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The NCAA considers them illegal immigrants. Their baseless pronouncement that Indigenous Peoples and their pastoralist way of life are endangering the ecological balance of Ngorongoro Conservation Area was further disseminated by the mainstream media’s biased coverage of the issue.^[1]

Studies have proven that pastoralism is compatible with conservation.^[2] The last holding grounds for many of Tanzania’s remaining flora and fauna are found in pastoralist lands or in territories occupied by pastoralists.^[3] “The conservation attitude of pastoralists is found in the very practices of pastoralism itself. Conservation ethic is found in their cultures, and their ways of managing critical resources.”^[4]

The NCAA and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) are stuck with a parochial and colonialist mentality. They disregard recent scientific studies that demonstrate and prove the crucial role of indigenous pastoralist communities in conservation. These government entities dismiss the importance of conducting sincere consultation with indigenous pastoralists in addressing biodiversity loss. NCAA and MNRT are neglecting their mandate to protect the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and are solely concerned with deriving profit from tourism.

The NCAA and MNRT have been responsible for a number of human rights violations against the indigenous pastoralist communities, which include the demolition of their homesteads and threats against their lives and livelihoods. The recent eviction order, although currently put on hold, threatens to continue these violations, including the destruction of government-constructed facilities such as schools, health centers, police posts, churches and mosques.

Furthermore, the safety and security of indigenous human rights defenders, including civil society organizations supporting them and the affected communities are at risk.

The threats and attacks of NCAA and MNRT on the indigenous pastoralist communities and their way of life contravene the concern of Her Excellency, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, to take steps to preserve Ngorongoro Conservation Area’s ecology and wildlife.

In light of the impending escalation of human rights violations against the indigenous pastoralist communities in Ngorongoro Conservation Area,  we stand in solidarity with them and fully support their legitimate demands for the respect and protection of their rights and wellbeing. We reecho their urgent call to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, to:

We also wish to draw the attention and action of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) as partners of the Tanzanian government in the management of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, over the impending unjust eviction of indigenous pastoralist communities. This is clearly against the principles and commitments of UNESCO and IUCN in respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

This petition is closed.
There were endorsements from 124 organizations and 229 individuals from 51 countries.
On 12 May 2021, IPRI sent this appeal to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania. You can read the letter here.

Signatures*

Organizations

Individuals**

*as of 11 May 2021
**plus 32 undisclosed individual endorsements

^[1] See International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs. “Tanzania” in Indigenous World 2021, pp. 139-147. https://www.iwgia.org/en/resources/indigenous-world.html
^[2] See studies from Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): https://www.cbd.int/development/doc/cbd-good-practice-guide-pastoralism-booklet-web-en.pdf and from International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/import/downloads/tanzania_contry_study.pdf
^[3] https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/import/downloads/tanzania_contry_study.pdf
^[4] https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/import/downloads/tanzania_contry_study.pdf