UAE Royal Family

Recently reported in a Bloomberg Businessweek feature story, titled "Maasai Are Getting Pushed Off Their Land So Dubai Royalty Can Shoot Lions," the forced eviction of thousands of Maasai people from their ancestral lands to facilitate trophy hunting by the UAE Royal Family has raised grave concerns. United Nations reports have highlighted the role of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Otterlo Business Corp. (OBC) in arranging hunting activities for the royal family, resulting in the displacement of Maasai communities and the violation of international law.

 

Lieutenant-General Mohammed Abdul Rahim Al Ali, Assistant Under Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, reportedly obtained exclusive hunting rights on behalf of the UAE royal family. Although the OBC's hunting license may have been canceled by Tanzania's Ministry of Natural Resources in 2017, the OBC and the UAE Royal Family continue their activities in the area, subjecting local villagers to eviction and violence at the hands of armed forces and mercenaries.

 

UN special procedure mandate holders have expressed concern about violence, forced evictions, and harassment affecting Maasai communities. They have highlighted the detrimental impact of successive evictions on the preservation of Maasai pastoralist culture and the threat it poses to the survival of the Maasai people. The lack of protection against commercial and private interests, coupled with the shrinking of Maasai peoples' vital space, has resulted in poverty, malnutrition, and preventable deaths among the Maasai.

 

In June 2022, UN human rights experts raised grave concerns about the continuous encroachment on traditional Maasai lands and the lack of transparency and consultation with the Maasai people during decision-making processes. The violent displacement of Maasai indigenous peoples protecting their ancestral land in the Loliondo Division of Ngorongoro District further heightened concerns. These actions violate international human rights law and standards, including the requirement for free, prior, and informed consent.

 

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the General Assembly in 2007, explicitly states that indigenous peoples should not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories without their free, prior, and informed consent. It also emphasizes the importance of just and fair compensation and the option of return.

 

As the UAE prepares to host the COP28 international climate conference, we call upon President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, and COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber to demonstrate the UAE's commitment to enforcing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Terminating the royal family's use of traditional Maasai lands in Tanzania for trophy hunting would be a significant step towards fostering inclusive climate progress.

 

The UAE, as a country committed to climate action, should align its actions with the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which emphasize supporting and respecting the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights. Upholding the rights of indigenous peoples, including the Maasai, is essential in building a sustainable and equitable future.

 

Hosting the COP28 conference while contributing to the displacement of indigenous Maasai people for luxury trophy hunting raises profound inconsistencies. We urge the termination of any agreements between the Tanzanian government and UAE entities regarding the use of Maasai lands for trophy hunting activities before the COP28 proceedings commence. It is crucial to prioritize the rights and well-being of indigenous communities in addressing environmental challenges.