Pressure mounts on Tanzanian government following Maasai evictions

Survival International

September 29, 2009

Pressure is mounting on the Tanzanian government following the recent violent evictions of Maasai from their land in Loliondo, Northern Tanzania, to make way for the hunting company, Otterlo Business Corporation (OBC). Local human rights organizations are filing criminal and civil cases against the Tanzanian government on behalf of the affected Maasai people at the High Court in Arusha. More than 100 witnesses are reportedly willing to testify. Further pressure comes from diplomats based in Tanzania's capital, Dar es Salaam. A group from Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and the UK recently visited Loliondo to investigate the evictions and reports of human rights abuses.