We are Campaigning to End Mass Evictions From our Ancestral Land
We have been living sustainably and protecting biodiversity on our pastoral lands for generations. As recently reported in a Bloomberg Businessweek Feature story, thousands of Maasai people have been forcibly evicted from their ancestral lands so Dubai royalty and their guests can engage in the sport of trophy hunting.
Numerous United Nations reports have described the forced eviction of tens of thousands of Maasai people to accommodate the royal family’s hunting activities. In June 2022 United Nations Experts expressed deep concern at plans “to displace close to 150,000 Maasai from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Loliondo without their free, prior and informed consent, as required under international human rights law and standards.”
UAE & COP28 Contradictions
The United Arab Emirates hosting and chairing the United Nations' annual COP28 conference on global climate and environmental protection raises concerns due to the profound inconsistency of engaging in the displacement of indigenous Maasai people. It is disheartening to see a global conference addressing environmental issues while allowing the UAE's royal family and their guests to partake in luxury trophy hunting on Maasai lands. We urge the UAE to terminate any agreements with the Tanzanian government regarding trophy hunting and to put an end to such activities before the COP28 conference begins in November 2023.
By fighting for their lands, Indigenous peoples are fighting to save the planet. Although they comprise less than 5% of the world population, Indigenous peoples protect 80% of the Earth's biodiversity in the forests, deserts, grasslands, and marine environments in which they have lived for centuries.
-World Wildlife Fund
News Coverage of the Eviction Crisis
We are immensely grateful for the extensive news coverage that has shed light on the pressing issue at hand. The importance of covering this topic cannot be overstated. By bringing attention to the forced evictions faced by the Maasai indigenous people in Tanzania, the media plays a crucial role in raising awareness, fostering public dialogue, and spurring action.