Gå til et af udenrigsministeriets netsteder
The Ministry’s websites
International Press Centre
Denmark's Official Website
MG3 Global Call to Action
Invest in Denmark
Danish Exporters
The CDM Programme
Aid Management Guidelines
Danida Devforum
Søg
Search
ABOUT US
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
Home >
About Us >
News >
Embassy of Denmark focuses on evictions in Loliondo as ERETO is handed over
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
News
Newsletter Subscription
Theme: Women Who Make a Difference
Print
Subscribe
Send
EMBASSY OF DENMARK FOCUSES ON EVICTIONS IN LOLIONDO AS ERETO IS HANDED OVER
Ambassador Bjarne H. Sørensen formally handed over 15 years of Danish support to the Maasai as part of the ERETO celebrations, but it was overshadowed by recent events that have seen the pastoralists being forcefully evicted from their homes, and their bomas burned down. ERETO has assisted in supplying water, animal health-care, restocking livestock, women’s economic groups and HIV/AIDS awareness, also in Loliondo.
One and a half decades of Danish support to ERETO has led to a series of positive results. With more healthy cattle; poverty alleviation and a better organised pastoral community. The Ambassador, however, said,” With regret it seems that our support to the Loliondo District through ERETO has failed as an environment of fear and intimidation apparently seems to exist.”
The Danish Ambassador however remains convinced that Tanzania will continue to see sustainable improvement where conservation and development are promoted hand in hand.
“The media and NGOs have brought to my attention reports about the ongoing operations to evict pastoralists from their land of customary rights. These reports include issues of forced evictions, human rights abuses and unfair trials, which make me greatly disturbed,” the Ambassador said in his speech. “Denmark, together with 4 other countries’ representatives, had a delegation going to Loliondo to confirm if the reports were true. Unfortunately, the Local Government Authorities failed to facilitate us in visiting the affected villages.”
The Ambassador of Denmark expressed how the evictions are of concern to the Danish Government, the European Union Presidency in Tanzania, and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, and he urged Tanzania to take action. “I would like to use this opportunity to call on the Government to be open in its action to secure the rule of law and fundamental human rights for all citizens of Tanzania. I call on the Government to launch an independent investigation of the Loliondo case to make sure that unlawful actions are being dealt with by the proper authorities, according to the law.” Mr. Sørensen said.
Denmark’s support to ERETO has assisted in a better organised pastoral community that can participate in the ongoing dialogue on how to support conservation together with the continued sustainable development of pastoralists in Tanzania. This dialogue is all-important as part of conflict resolution, and needs to be pursued with all officials in the designated regions, and with Parliament.
---END---
For further information please contact
Lars Mikkel Johannessen,
larjoh@um.dk
or
Christian Karstensen,
chrkar@um.dk
at the Embassy of Denmark, Dar Es Salaam
Ambassador's speech as given at ERETO ceremony in pdf
