Residents of Ngorongoro Call for Delisting as World Heritage Site Over Human Rights Concerns

Residents of Ngorongoro Call for Delisting as World Heritage Site Over Human Rights Concerns

In a significant development, residents of the Ngorongoro region have made a collective plea for the removal of Ngorongoro as a World Heritage Site if its registration fails to align with the protection of human rights for the local population.

This call to action stems from a joint statement issued by four non-governmental organizations: TEST, Ujamaa Community Resource Team, Pastoral Women Council, and PINGO's Forum. 

The statement, delivered by Odero Charles Odero, Director of the non-governmental organization CILAO, underscores the crucial importance of respecting the human rights of the people of Ngorongoro.

The impetus for this statement arose from the secretive commencement of a UNESCO monitoring mission in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania. 

The mission, initiated on February 3, 2024, has been accused of deliberately keeping the Maasai community uninformed about its activities. Despite widespread pressure from local residents and human rights organizations regarding reported violations of human and land rights, the mission has faced criticism for its lack of genuine engagement with the affected communities.

Odero has claimed that, controlled by the Tanzanian government, the joint mission involving UNESCO and its advisory bodies, IUCN and ICOMOS, has been accused of diverting attention away from the voices of the Maasai people. 

Mission members were reportedly chauffeured by government vehicles to luxurious accommodations in Arusha, where they engaged with stakeholders advocating for the forced eviction of the Maasai, rather than hearing from legitimate representatives of the community.

The statement has further highlighted that on February 5th, the mission convened a meeting at the office of the Arusha Regional Commissioner, chaired by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Angellah Kairuki. 

During this session, stakeholders advocating for the forced eviction of the Maasai were given a platform to voice their concerns, further exacerbating tensions within the community

On February 6th, over 20 councilors, village chairpersons, and women leaders from Ngorongoro wrote to UNESCO and the Ministry of Natural Resources, expressing their discontent and demanding formal and meaningful consultation. 

Echoing their concerns, the four non-governmental organizations call upon UNESCO, IUCN, and ICOMOS to immediately suspend the mission, citing its inability to deliver independent and legitimate outcomes without genuine engagement with the affected Maasai communities.

Furthermore, the organizations request that Ngorongoro be delisted as a World Heritage Site if its inscription fails to uphold the human rights of its inhabitants. 

This demand underscores the critical need for international bodies to prioritize human rights in conservation efforts and hold accountable those responsible for safeguarding heritage sites.

As the controversy surrounding the UNESCO monitoring mission continues to unfold, it highlights broader issues of indigenous rights, conservation ethics, and governmental accountability. 

The outcome of this dispute will not only impact the future of Ngorongoro but also set a precedent for how heritage sites worldwide are managed and protected in accordance with human rights principles.

Subsequent attempts to reach Minister Kairuki for comment on the matter proved unsuccessful.