I have for
too long, with too many distractions, been writing a new blog post with some
updates about the brutally and illegally in 2022 demarcated “Pololeti Game
Reserve” that’s taken away almost all dry season grazing land in Loliondo,
again about how the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism wants to replicate
this crime all over northern Tanzania, and about how the Maasai of Ngorongoro
Conservation Area suffer all kinds of restrictions, withholding of permits and
funds, and harassment to make them relocate “voluntarily” far away to other
people’s land. To avoid another far too long blog post, I’ll break it up and first
post some news about the ruthlessly hypocrite and pompously lying land grabbers
that made me start this blog many years ago – Thomson Safaris.
On 16th April, with mixed feelings I received the news that the Oakland
Institute had published a new report, Capitalizing on Chaos: Thomson SafarisTightens its Stranglehold Over Indigenous Lands in Tanzania, about the American
company, owned by land grabbers and ruthless hypocrites Rick Thomson and Judi
Wineland for 40 years. Then on 30th April 2024 a press release all
over the internet announced that Wineland-Thomson, Inc had been acquired by Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc., a travel company that focuses on
ship-based voyages, through its subsidiary Natural Habitat Adventures. I have
no idea what the implications of this will be, but sadly it seems like Thomson’s
“team” remains intact. The constant reference to Thomson’s excellent “brand
name” is a resounding failure for the strategy of silence, lying low, and
throwing allies under the bus, while setting all hope on uncertain court cases,
and now even delaying a new case. Unless Lindblad Expeditions are as criminal
and ready to work with a police state as Thomson and Wineland have been for so
many years, they must stop business and immediately vacate the Maasai grazing
land in Sukenya and Mondorosi villages, Loliondo division, Ngorongoro District,
by Thomson named "Enashiva Nature Refuge", also called "Eastern
Serengeti Nature Refuge". I have of course written to Lindblad Expeditions
(without any reply other than some promotional emails for tourists).
Not
Ngorongoro district, but must be mentioned, yet another atrocity in the
Tanzanian government’s war against the Maasai, on 7th May, the
Kilimanjaro RC, Nurdin Babu, invaded 8 registered villages and demolished
houses on land claimed by Kilimanjaro International Airport. A preliminary
injunction for a notice of a coming court case had been denied and the violence
that had been a threat since 1985 exploded, like so much is exploding under this worse than ever lawless, anti-Maasai, and pro-tourism government. Over a thousand people have been
left homeless, children, mothers and the elderly in terribly wet and mosquito
infested conditions. Livestock are being driven away to prevent capture and
auctioning.
This brief blog
post is delayed due to the delay of the court case, the preparation of which
apparently is complete, but held up by an unresponsive CSO that’s supposed to
do “vetting”. I have also had problems getting anyone to read the draft of this
post to see if it’s suitable, fair and clear, but then at least someone did so.
When Tanzania
is free and all stolen land has been handed back, I may write the truth about
NGOs, or maybe not.
Some issues
may in this blog post be insufficiently described to keep brevity. Read my
summary, other blog posts, or ask me for a better understanding. Other issues
must for the foreseeable future be kept vague.
In this blog post:
Thomson
Safaris and my comments on the new Oakland report
Campaign
victory for Oakland when World Bank suspends REGROW funding
Lastly,
