Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Tanzanian government of forcibly evicting tens of thousands of Maasai people from their ancestral lands. The rights group released a report on Wednesday detailing allegations of brutality and rights violations against the nomadic community.
The Maasai, traditionally pastoralists, have long faced tensions with authorities over land use in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In 2022, the government initiated a plan to relocate approximately 82,000 Maasai people from this area to Handeni district, over 600 kilometers away, by 2027. The government justifies the move as necessary for conservation efforts, while HRW contends it is a pretext for expanding land for tourism and conservation purposes.
The report, based on interviews with nearly 100 people, paints a grim picture of the situation. Maasai community members described being subjected to beatings by government rangers with impunity. One man recounted how his friend was severely beaten while on his way to a funeral.
The report also highlights the lack of access to justice for victims, with many fearing retaliation from the same authorities they are meant to seek help from.
HRW further alleges that the relocation process has been carried out without the free and fair consent of the Maasai people, violating their rights to land, education, and health. The group calls the entire operation a “forced eviction under the guise of voluntary relocation.”
Despite international condemnation and the withdrawal of funding by institutions like the World Bank and the European Union, the Tanzanian government has maintained its stance, insisting that the relocation is lawful and necessary for protecting wildlife habitats.
The Maasai community, however, faces an uncertain future as they grapple with the loss of their ancestral lands and the ongoing human rights abuses.