EU Parliament passes key resolution on land grabbing in Tanzania

Written on 12 March 2015. Posted in Tanzania

The EU Parliament passed a resolution strongly condemning the practice of land grabbing in Tanzania on Thursday (March 12). They released a press release stating that members of the Parliament (MEPs) strongly condemn the "illegal displacement of local rural communities, the destruction of their villages and traditional way of life, and the violation of their basic human rights.”

The resolution addresses key issues of concern for pastoralists and indigenous peoples in Tanzania – as well as elsewhere on the African continent. “We hope it can be used by local organizations in Tanzania in their advocacy work for recognition and protection of their fundamental human rights,” said Marianne Wiben Jensen, coordinator of IWGIA’s Africa programme.

Hope for Maasai pastoralists in Loliondo

IWGIA has closely followed the enduring land-rights struggle of the Maasai pastoralists in Loliondo, Tanzania, which have been subject to continued threats and evictions. Most recently, an operation carried out by the Serengeti National Park resulted in the destruction of more than 100 homesteads, confiscation of livestock, and alleged violence committed against the community. It is hoped that the resolution will help the Maasai residents in their decades-long battle to protect their land from foreign investors and other interests.

MEPs urged the Tanzanian government to immediately implement the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT). They also asked the European Commission to ensure the alignment of its land policy guidelines with the VGGT, and to report to Parliament on EU programme expenditures related to land governance, in order to ensure those programmes promote human rights.

Tags: Land rights