Wednesday 30 August 2017

How Could Massive Human Rights Crime Happen Again in Loliondo and Why is There Such Silence?


Statement from the Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism and the Minister’s own totally conflicting statements
OBC
OBC’s ministers
2015…
The Germans
The operation to silence everyone
The leaders
Who is responsible for this human rights crime?
Oloosek 13th August

The text has updates in purple. Find updates in the introduction, under "OBC's ministers", and under "the leaders".
From 13th to 26th August 2017 hundreds of Maasai bomas (homesteads) were illegally burned to ashes in Loliondo and Sale divisions of Ngorongoro District, Tanzania, from Ololosokwan village in the north to Piyaya 90 km further south. Hundreds of families suffered loss of property and were left without food or shelter, and an unknown number of cattle was dispersed during this severe drought, it’s not yet known how many people have been illegally arrested and taken to Mugumu, at the other side of Serengeti National Park, during the operation, and the arrests of people and cattle continue up to date. Hundreds of cows are have been illegally detained at Oloosek, and kept at Klein's gate without food or water, and many have died. Many people have been severely beaten, including a 9-year old girl and a 12-year old boy who were beaten unconcious (no confirmed shooting after the operation started).The extent of the fear and panic can’t be imagined. This human rights crime is being committed on the ground by rangers from Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, assisted by local Loliondo police. All the bomas were situated on village land per Village Land Act No.5 of 1999, which means the land is owned and managed by the residents of local villages and isn’t any kind of protected area. The attack is a quite unexpected repeat of the extrajudicial evictions of 2009. On 3 September rangers keep seizing cattle at Oloosek, destroying temporary shelters that the victims have put up, and preventing access to water. Oloosek in Ololosokwan village is a very attractive corridor of land between OBC’s camp and the Klein’s area.
Data is being compiled. 

On 4th September the government organ CHRAGG issued an interim order to stop the evictions, and demanded that the government explain the operation. It was communicated on the 5th. This is a result of the work of Onesmo Olengurumwa of Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition.

On 7th September the victims of the illegal evictions were still being beaten and arrested as before CHRAGG’s interim stop order. In Oloosek in Ololosokwan, Engare Oodare river and nearby places like Empirbir, in Endashata, Ololosokwan, and also areas of Kirtalo like Mambarashani (where OBC have their airfield), and Kitumidet and Ileken near Mambarashani people are beaten when returning, which is in complete violation of  the interim stop order. The same day, the 7th, the rangers tried to humiliate some men who were washing in Engare Oodare river, and they seized 90 calves. On the 8th they were beating up some young herders. I haven’t heard any reports about beatings on the 9th. Those arrested in Mugumu were released on bail on the 7th.  Two young warriors were arrested in Arash and taken to Mugumu, and on the 13th 20 more people were arrested, and more cows seized...

On 16th September, I got reports about beating and arrests in Piyaya, but haven’t been able to obtain confirmed details. On the 17th more cows were seized in Ending'ting near Ang'at Endek in Ololosokwan.
On Monday 18th September, the rangers sold off illegally seized cattle at Klein’s gate! The beatings continued and Parketuyan Toroge was sent to hospital in Mugumu in critical condition.I should have written a new blog post long ago, but am waiting for some delayed information.

On 21st September KDU rangers (anti-poaching, close to OBC) were beating up people in  areas around Oserosopia and Olangawuas, near the Kenyan border.

Saturday 19 August 2017

URGENT REQUEST FOR INTERVENTION AGAINST THE ONGOING VIOLENT AND ILLEGAL EVICTIONS IN LOLIONDO


To any Tanzanian or international organisation or individual who can do or say anything against the ongoing human rights crime in Loliondo:

Posted 30 August: How Could Massive Human Rights Crime Happen Again in Loliondo and Why is There Such Silence?

In Loliondo, Ngorongoro District, Tanzania there are currently ongoing extrajudicial evictions of the Maasai pastoralists in a 1,500 km2 area. This is the same as the human rights abuse that took place in 2009 and a repeat at this moment was very unexpected.

On Sunday 13th August rangers from Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area together with the police set fire to bomas (homesteads) in the Oloosek area of Ololosokwan village. The following days the illegal operation has continued to several other areas inside the 1,500 km2, from Ololosokwan in the north to Piyaya 90 kilometres further south, hundreds of bomas (homesteads) have been burned to the ground, and the operation continues.

All the affected areas are classified as village land and should be managed by the villages as per Village Land Act No.5 of 1999 and Local Government (District Authority) Act No.7 of 1982.

Sunday 13 August 2017

Illegal Arson Attack in Loliondo – Rangers Say that They Have Started an Operation to Evict the Maasai from the 1,500 km2 Osero


An illegal eviction operation has begun in Loliondo.

While writing I was informed that five houses containing 12 families had been set on fire in the Oloosek area of Ololosokwan and rangers say that they will continue evicting people in other areas.

This post is written urgently to inform anyone who can help. I hope to soon have more detailed information.

Update: the arson continues on Monday, 14th August, Tuesday, 15th August, Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th August. According to the Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism, and the DC, the insane and illegal operation will go on for 14 days.See below (in purple).

Posted 19 August: URGENTREQUEST FOR INTERVENTION AGAINST THE ONGOING VIOLENT AND ILLEGAL EVICTIONS INLOLIONDO

Posted 30 August: How Could Massive Human Rights Crime Happen Again in Loliondo and Why is There Such Silence?