In a shocking report, Survival International has accused the UN of being complicit in the violent eviction of Indigenous people from six World Heritage Sites in Africa and Asia. These sites, often the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples, have been forcibly taken from them through intimidation and violence.
One such site is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania, where the Maasai population has faced arrests, torture, and theft of their cattle. The Maasai have also reported that the government has cut off health services in an attempt to force them off the land. Despite UNESCO’s 2010 decision that the Maasai population should remain within the capacity of the property, the Indigenous community continues to be subjected to human rights abuses.
In another example, UNESCO urged officials to remove illegal occupants from Kahuzi-Beiga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in the forced eviction of Indigenous Batwa people. A subsequent report revealed allegations of rape, murder, and brutal treatment of the Batwa by Congolese soldiers. The Indigenous community has expressed their determination to remain in their ancestral forest despite the violence and threats they face.
Similar evictions have also taken place in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in Republic of Congo, Kaziranga National Park in India, Chitwan National Park in Nepal and Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in Thailand. UNESCO has responded to these reports by stating that it upholds the rights of Indigenous people in managing World Heritage Sites but there is more work to be done to ensure that these rights are respected and protected on a consistent basis across all sites.
The report by Survival International sheds light on ongoing human rights violations faced by Indigenous communities living near or within World Heritage Sites in Africa and Asia. It calls for greater accountability and action to protect their rights and ensure that they are able to live with dignity on their ancestral lands without fear or persecution.