Maasai evictions in Tanzania must stop, UN says

Tanzania must halt forced evictions of Maasai Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands and address reported abuses by law enforcement, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said on August 28.

The committee voiced alarm at longstanding reported violations, including relocations and restrictions on access to ancestral lands and natural resources. It said Maasai people opposing evictions and relocations had repeatedly faced arbitrary arrests and detention, reprisals, intimidation and harassment.

The committee also cited reports of racial profiling and racially motivated excessive use of force by law enforcement officials.

“Restrictions on access to grazing areas, water sources and cultural sites, together with the reduction or deterioration in the provision of health care, education, water and other essential services in the Ngorongoro conservation area, have adversely affected their enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights and pressured them to relocate from their ancestral lands,” CERD said.

Tanzania has historically allowed Indigenous communities such as the Maasai to live within some national parks, including Ngorongoro, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Authorities say the growing population is encroaching on wildlife habitat and began moving pastoralists out of Ngorongoro in 2022, calling the relocation voluntary.

Since 1959, the number of people living in Ngorongoro has risen from 8,000 to more than 100,000. The supplied material says climate change has led to prolonged droughts and low crop yields, increasing pressure on pastoralists and forcing them into conflict with wildlife over access to food and water.

CERD called on Tanzania to stop forced evictions immediately. It said that where evictions cannot be avoided, affected people should be given adequate alternative housing and compensation.

The committee also said Tanzania should ensure that any conservation, tourism or development affecting the Maasai takes place only after meaningful consultation seeking their informed consent. It asked Tanzania to ensure they enjoy their rights without discrimination, including equality before the law and effective participation in decisions affecting them.

CERD is made up of 18 independent rights experts and monitors adherence to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Its opinions and recommendations are non-binding but carry reputational weight.