Tanzania: Rights group urges government to stop criminalization of Maasai leaders and human rights defenders in Loliondo Division
"Tanzania Stop further attacks! Free the Maasai leaders and human rights defenders accused under severe trumped-up charges", 12 July 2022
The Indigenous Peoples Rights International-IPRI urgently calls on the State of Tanzania to immediately stop the criminalization against Maasai leaders and human rights defenders in the Loliondo Division. These leaders along with their communities are defending their right to live in their legally-recognized customary lands in the face of attacks to evict them...
Regrettably, in spite of this order and the concerns raised by UN experts on the violent attacks by Tanzanian security forces on June 10, the government continues to criminalize the Maasai pastoralists in Loliondo. This week, 50 indigenous Maasai pastoralists - 12 of whom are women- are to be taken to court for trumped-up charges, and 27 leaders and human rights defenders are facing murder charges of a police officer. These leaders were arrested the day before the murder that is being attributed to them. Last week, 72 Maasai were arrested and 22 were released on bail. More and more are facing threats of arrest and detention based on false charges...
[T]hese evictions are fueled by the interest of the Government of Tanzania to the establishment of the so called Pololet Game Control Area, established in indigenous peoples’ villages without their Free, Prior and Informed Consent and contrary to Tanzania’s Constitution and legislation. While the Maasai organized a series of peaceful assemblies to demand dialogue and the protection and respect of their rights, the Government did otherwise: unilaterally took violent actions to evict and relocate them to other areas without their consent...