Since 2009, Tanzanian authorities, in collaboration with private businesses, have been involved in the forced evictions of Maasai Indigenous communities from their ancestral lands in Loliondo, according to a new report by Amnesty International.
The report, titled “Business as usual in bloodied land? The role of businesses in forced evictions in Loliondo, Tanzania,” highlights the complicity of Otterlo Business Corporation (OBC), a trophy hunting company linked to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE. OBC allegedly participated in these evictions by accompanying Tanzanian security forces and allowing them to set up camps on their property.
“Since 2009, the Tanzanian authorities have resorted to ill-treatment, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and detentions to forcibly evict the Maasai while leasing their land to private companies,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “It is particularly disturbing that they have carried out these evictions under the pretext of ‘conservation’, while in reality, they have allowed OBC to do improper or illegal trophy hunting activities.”
The report also implicates other tourism companies, including TAASA Lodge and &BEYOND, operating in areas where Maasai have been forcibly evicted. On June 10, 2022, Tanzanian security forces used excessive force, including live ammunition and tear gas, against peaceful Maasai protesters in Ololosokwan village, leaving over 40 people wounded and many homeless.
Amnesty International’s research, conducted between June 2022 and May 2024, involved interviews with current and former employees of the companies in Loliondo, residents, and a lawyer familiar with the situation. The investigation also included the analysis of satellite imagery, media reports, official documents, and scientific studies.
TAASA Lodge, in response to Amnesty International’s findings, stated that they were not consulted about the evictions and remain committed to their staff and communities. &BEYOND acknowledged ongoing litigation over the disputed land and claimed they await the court’s ruling to determine their position.
“It is deeply troubling that Otterlo Business Corporation’s role in the evictions likely contributed to the harm caused by Tanzania’s security forces,” Chagutah added. “This company appears to not only have been aware that state security forces were involved in the forced evictions, but to have actively facilitated the forced evictions.”
Amnesty International calls for a thorough investigation into corporate complicity in the forced evictions and for the Tanzanian authorities to ensure that no land acquisitions or evictions proceed without the Maasai People’s free, prior, and informed consent. The organization urges businesses to respect the rights of the Maasai Indigenous People and to provide appropriate remedies for any harm caused.
This report builds on previous investigations by Amnesty International into the forced evictions of the Maasai Indigenous people of Loliondo. The findings demand urgent action to protect the rights and livelihoods of the Maasai communities affected by these practices.
