Natural Resource Curse in Ngorongoro

Natural Resource Curse in Loliondo

Ngorongoro District is the richest District in Tanzania in terms of natural resources, but surprisingly the district is leading in resource based conflicts and poverty.Ngorongoro Districts produces more than 50 billion per year yet its people do not enjoy part of the collected resources equally.For instance Nngorongoro Conservation Authority collects about 40 billion per year but the District Council do not receive any distribution for the development of its people. In Ngorongoro local communities are weakened in favour of investors. It is polarisation of wealth and poverty at two opposite extremes. It is all sheer robbery, criminal plunder of the weak by the strong. Condemnation of pastoralists and cultivators as simply trouble-mongers, who must be dealt with, has never ceased since 1992 when OBC acquired village land in Loliondo. Mashrooming of tourism related investment activities found to be key player to the resource based conflict in Ngorongoro. Citizens from the grass root are not involved in policy making. Natural resource curse, became new player due to the fact that indigenous don’t benefit from natural resources around them. The rights to exercise permanent sovereignty over natural resources have been put in jeopardy in Ngorongoro ever since. The parasitic stratum between Investors through Government officials revealed the way Natural resource curse play a role to endlessly resource based conflicts in Ngorongoro and Africa in general.Masaai in a have lived with the nature for many years now but today they named as destroyers of the environment. Who is killing Loliondo between pastoralist and investors like OBC? The answer is simple its investment activities on the land that kill the nature of Loliondo but not pastoralists. Animals and livestock have been in many years in coexistence then how come today agents of investors stand and mislead the public about the current situation in Loliondo.

Resource-based conflicts should constitute one of the major development challenges in Ngorongoro. Indeed, this is consistent with the reality all over the dry lands of Africa where conflict has become endemic. In a global review of pastoralism and conflict, have shown how areas occupied by pastoralists are characterised by conflicts emanating from competition for natural resources. Competition for access to range resources leads to conflict among pastoralists and between them and other livelihoods and land use systems that seek the use of the same resources. The ongoing displacement of pastoralist in Ngorongoro District is just continuation of the movement started during colonial time in 1958. The on going progress of demarcating village lands in Loliondo aims at cutting about 1,500 Sq.Km from 4,5000 Sq land size of Lollindo Game Controled Area and remove all remove all pastoralist villages to form a Baffer Zone.When the process of despalcing pastoralists becomes true then almost 75 % of Ngorongoro territory will be realocated exclusively for wildlife tourism management leaving out the pastoralists without necessary resources like land, pasture and water for their livehoods.This was even emphasized by the Minister for Natural resources Hon Ezekiel Maige who visited loliondo on 21st/12/2010 in a bid to respond to various allegations raised by Habari cooperation that Loliondo Game controlled area is dying.

“ I now leave loliondo, but you should all know that my visit to loliondo was not for village land demarcation but I came to verify the rumors disseminated by a media through the entire country that Maasai in Loliondo under the assistance of NGOs and religious institutions have resorted to destroy the loliondo game controlled area… surprisingly what I saw is not the same as what the papers have told the public…but you should all know that village derrmacation program is still on the way to come..but this can be the last resort after attempting other measures” Said the minister.

The demarcation of the village land was not the main issue during his visi but many Loliondo councilors and villagers admit that the minister ensured them that the loliondo village land will be exclusively reallocated for wildlife tourism management leaving out pastoralists without their prime land and other resources.Yanick Doinyo who is Ololosokwan ward councilor had this to say when talked to me over the phone.

“The minister managed to walk all over the entire forest with us and we observed that there is no any serious environmental degradation as it was reported by a certain media outlet. There were no farming activities, no big heards of cattle, no permanent building and no excessive burning.but the minister admitted that there is serious conflict in the area which needs a resolution involving all stakeholders…the minister was very wise and obedient to local leaders defferent with the former minister…angekuwa ni Yule mama nadhani ingekuwa ni vurugu..we real hope the problem can be resolved amicably without harming the community” Said Hon Doinyo.

Onother reliable source revealed that the minister condemned the OBC boss for siding only with DCs and RC’s and forget to reconcile with local communities.
“Nilazima OBC mtambue vijiji nao wanahaki zao, hii ni ardhi yao hamna hifadhi eneoe hili zaidi ya kuwa eneo la uwindaji..msipotaka usuluushi na wananchi mtakuwa kaitka hali mbaya zaidi” said the minister
The case of Loliondo unlawful eviction was a hot agenda in 2009 parliamentary debates, as well as at national and international forums. This happened after malicious and ruthless operations carried out in Loliondo by Police forces in collaborations with OBC. The matter was later taken to the parliament for deliberation. I have found out that, the report of the Parliamentary committee sent to probe the matter in Loliondo was not presented in the parliament because of political interests. The Government justified its brutal actions by saying the victims of Loliondo evictions were Kenyans causing nuisance to an investor from Arab. When addressing the assembly, one of the members of parliament had fiercely condemned the government for embracing and giving red carpet treatment to investors at the expense of its people.

“Mbona Mwalimu Nyerere alikuwa anawakatalia hata Wazungu mambo mengi tu! Alikuwa anawakatalia! Lakini siku hizi sisi tunawakumbatia sana wawekezaji, tunaacha kuwasikiliza wananchi.” The MP uttered.(Why ,Mwalimu Nyerere could refuse to accept many of the things which were asked by foreigners! , he used to reject many things from foreigners, but to day we embrace investors so much at the expense of citizens.)Uttered the MP

The eviction of Maasai pastoralists from the reserve [Mkomazi] in 1988 was done to create a conducive environment for wildlife species. Eviction of people from their land, under any cover, is a “gross violation of human rights.”In reference to the Ramsar Site Convention of 1971 the Lake Natron area was declared to be Ramsar site without peoples concern and hence became a threat to presence of pastoralist living around the lake on their jurisdiction and sovereignty over natural resources. Pastoral communities have for many years been moving to the south, Tanzania tremendously faces another kind of the Maasai migration to urban centers beginning during early 1990s in search of wage labour and other income earning activities. The reasons for such movements include loss of livestock due to diseases, drought, and limited land for livestock keeping, worshiped investors like OBC, extended conservations , expansion of protected areas etc. The land leased to OBC and the other sold to Thomson Safari in Loliondo are seasonal migrated corridors. The same situation was found taking place in Sudan whereby most of the pastoralist seasonal migrated corridors were granted to investors from U.A.E, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Authority (NCA) occupies more than a half of the District land (59%). All people within the conservation area have no right of ownership and even villages are not recognized. Mount Lengai and Lake Natron Game controlled have been hunted by NCA and hash Project companies. The erosion of pastoralist land to the hand of outsiders did not cease, currently Thomson Safaris Company possess 12000 acres of pastoralists grazing land.The situation in Ngorongoro District is defined by competition for access to land and natural resources underpinned by competing land uses and livelihoods. From the 1990s onwards, land disputes between settled agricultural and mobile pastoral people have become more common in Tanzania. These land disputes have been due to land alienation and multiple allocations of land/resource rights on village lands.

Conflicts on village lands have developed when State authorities have favored land allocations to investors at the expense of pastoralists. Liberalization has prompted high marginalization. Thus causing conflicts over natural resources. This was possible because when they move elsewhere in order to secure for forming and grazing are, they cause conflict with people they meet, we have at hand live examples at Rufiji, Ihefu, Kilosa and lindi. Ruthless evictions have been carried out in forms of promoting investment and attracting foreign investment and attracting foreign investor land has been alienated to hoteliers for purpose of tourism in and around National parks We currently have great conflicts with hoteliers at Ngorongoro who wants to build hotels almost every where at conservation area while the laws prohibits indigenous to build modern buildings. Also exclusive hunting right granted to outsider like (OBC) in Loliondo all these is evident from discussions with villagers and other stakeholders in the District, that a major cause of conflict between conservation related investors and local communities in the district is the information gap that surrounds the grant of licenses to the investors, the terms under which the licenses are granted, and the benefits that communities are supposed to get from the operations. This is now what we call a natural resource curse in Ngorongoro.
A key cause of this situation is the lack of clarity about the legal status of the land and the relative powers and responsibilities of the central government and the village authorities regarding the management of access to the land for purposes of conservation related investments. A key example is OBC in 1992 was granted the land without people’s consultation and District council signed on behalf of villages. The above act of District councils amounts to violation of constitutional rights. The situation is further complicated by the multiplicity of policy, legal and institutional mandates surrounding the Loliondo Game Controlled Area.Loss of Land though Government acquisition and creation of conservation areas and game reserves have deprived people’s Land. Such measurers have created Land less mobile pastoralists and farmers. Lack of community participation in land use planning and zoning for different use is the main source of conflicts in Ngorongoro.The central focus of the community complaints is that they are not considered (hatushirikishwi).Many land laws reforms have been made since colonial time through independence up to now, without any positive concern to improve pastoral land tenure. Tanzania 1990’s land laws reforms and 2009 Wild Life Act have been noted to have negative implication on pastoral land tenure. Pastoralism needs a vast chunk of land to practice rotational grazing. The new land law is silent on the question of pastoral land rights. The pastoral livelihood and lifestyle have been forced to change to meet the requirement of the new land laws. Copping mechanism like migrations to cities and economic diversification have been the best options for pastoralist to secure their lives. Pastoralist land has been named as No man’s land and categorized into group of general land. Encroachment of the pastoral lands to allow huge investment and expansions of the protected areas has been and order of the day and leave pastoralist as internally displaced people. The National Land Policy condemns pastoralist as unfriendly to environment. The given process of certification of the village land by the new land laws to secure their village lands is cumbersome, prohibitive and bureaucratic.
By Onesmo Olengurumwa Vice President Ngorongoro Elites Association (NDUSA)
Ndusa2008@gmail.com

MALI ASILI YAGEUKA LAANA LOLIONDO

MALIASILI YA YAGEUKA LAANA LOLIONDO
Na Onesmo Olengurumwa.
Loliondo
Kwa ufafanuzi wa haraka haraka mali asili inaweza kutafsiriwa kama rasilimali ambazo Mungu amewajalia wanadamu kulingana na maeneo na mazingira yao. Unapozungumzia mali asili unazungumzia vitu kama mafuta ambayo upatikana zaidi katika nchi za kiarabu, uoto wa asili kama vile mapori na mbuga,wanyama pori ambao upatikana zaidi maeneo yenye wafugaji kama Tanzania na madini ambayo Tanzania imebarikwa kwa kuwa na madini mbalimbali kama dhahabu na Tanzanite.

Tafiti zangu nying zinaonyesha katika sayari yetu hii mali asili badala ya kuwa Baraka kwa jamii zilizotunza na zinazoishi na rasilimali hizo imegeuka kuwa laana kwao.Hii inakuwa laana kutokan na utaratibu mbovu wa usimamizi wa rasilimali hizi, pia inatokan na haki za msingi za wananchi hao kupuuzwa na kuvunjwa na serikali kuwakumbatia wachache kw maslahi ya wachache.Hatimaye mazingira kama haya huwafanya wanachi wazidi kufukarika zaidi huku wachache wakineemeka na rasilimali za nchi.Mwishowe tumeona umwagaji wa damu na machafuko mengi baada ya wananchi kuamua kupigania haki zao za msingi.

Dunia Kuna maeneo mengi ambayo mali asili kama mafuta, madini , misitu na ardhi yamegeuka kuwa laana badala ya Baraka kwa wananchi kwa sababu mbamlimbali.Sababu moja kubwa ni wananch waliotunnza na wanaozunguka rasilimali hizo kuupuzwa na pengine kutengwa kabisa na neema hizo.Eneo la Mto Delta huko nchini Nigeria ni mfano mzuri kuutumia kama sehemu ambayo mali asili imegeuka kuwa laana badala ya Baraka.Damu nyingi umwagika kwa kile kinachoitwa kupigania haki ya kumiliki mali na kunufaika na mali zao zitokanazo na mto Delta.Nchini Sudan hali si shwari pale Darfur au kusini mwa Sudan, pia hapa napo ni laana itokanyo na mali asili.Kujiridhisha zaidi tembelea Jamhuri ya watu wa Kongo uone jinsi mali asili ilivyogeuka kuwa laana na maafa kwa taifa lile lenye utajiri wa madini ya kila aina.Kwa udadisi zaidi angalia mashariki ya kati na jaribu kuchnguza kwa undani nini hasa chanzo cha migorogoro isiyokwisha.

Hapa hapa kwetu katika migodi ya madini, jaribu kupiga picha za haraka haraka katika migodi kama ya North Mara alafu jipe jibu tuna Baraka au laana.Wananchi wa Tarime wametunza milima ya dhahabu kwa miaka mingi lakini kwa sasa wamevamiwa na kufanywa kuwa maskini wa kutupwa, wamegeuka kuwa kama fisi waliobahatika kumkamata pundamlia mnono na baadaye simba kutokea na kuwanyaganya windo lao na kuwageuza kuwa walamizoga.Hali iliyopo kwenye migodi na maeneo yetu ya mali asili haina tofauti na mfano huo wa simba na fisi.Wananchi wamenyang’anywa rasimali zao na kutupwa pembeni wakikodolea macho na mate yakitiririka midomoni mwao mithili ya fisi anayesuburi mzoga toka kwa simba.
Wananchi wanyonge wamefanyiwa kila aina ya udhalimu, wamefyatuliwa risasi kama wanyama pori wengine wakafa na wengine kuwa vilema.Migodi ya Tanzania watanzania wengi wanauwa kinyamela. Zadi zaidi nyumba zoa zimechomwa moto na kuwafanya wageuke kuwa watu wasion na makazi kwa kile kinachoitwa wanambughuzi mwekezaji, mifano tuliyonayo ni ya Kijiji cha Nyamuma Serengeti na vijij vya Loliondo.
Miaka ya 1950 wananchi wa Ngongoro waliokuwa wakiishi maeneo ya Serengeti ambao kwa sasa ni Hifadhi ya Taifa walirubuniwa na wakoloni na kuhamishiwa maeneo ya bonde la crater na maeneo ya loliondo.Kwa Mujibu wa wazee wa enzi hizo wananchi wa ngorongoro waliahidiwa hawatabuguziwa tena kutokana na kwamba maeneo yao yameshakuwa finyu zaidi.Waliadiwa watapata maendeleo mengi kwa kupitia mchango utokanao na maliasili. Lakini hali ilivyo sasa ni tofauti kabisa, wanachi wanaendelea kufukuzwa kwenye maeneo yao bila kufahamu watakapokwenda, wananchi wananyimwa kuchunga mifugo kweneye maeneo yao ya malisho ili kutoa fursa kwa miungu watu kuendelea kunufaika na rasilimali walizopewa watanzania na Muumba wao.Wananchi hawana maisha bora kabisa, bado asililmia 90 hawana elimu na hawana uhakika wa maisha baada ya mifogo yao kuawawa na ukame.
Wafugaji wanapakaziwa kuwa ndio waharibifu wa mazingira, ilhali ndio watunzaji wazuri wa misitu, mbuga, mito, milima na wanyama katika hifadhi na mbuga zetu.Wamasai wanaheshimu sana mazingira kwa sababu asilimia 90 ya maisha yao hutegemea rasilimali hizo.Sasa iweje leo aharibu rasilimali zinazomfanya aishi.Wamasai hawaitaji kula wanyamapori, hawajengi magorofa, hawachomi mkaa pia hawalimi mashamba makubwa zaidi ya vibustani.Mfano tamaduni hazirusu kukata mti mbichi kwani kufanya hivyo ni kuuwa maisha na malisho ya mifugo.Kwa hali kama hiyo nani mwenye akili timamu atathubutu kuwaita wafugaji wa loliondo waharibifu wa mazingira zaidi ya vibaraka wa mafisadi wanaofaidika na rasilimali za Ngorongoro.

Ni mwendazawazimu gani huyo mwenye njaa kali hadi kuamua kununuliwa ili aeleze umma kuwa kengele za mifugo ndio hufukuza wanyama?Je kati ya kengele za ngo’mbe na madege makubwa yenye uwezo wa kubeba magari zaidi ya kumi na yanayotoa mlio mkuwa unaosafiri umbali wa kilometa 100 yanayotua katikati ya pori tengefu la loliondo ni ipi huleta hofu kwa wanyama na viumbe wengine wakiwemo wanadamu? Bila shaka hata mwanafunzi wa shule ya awali atajibu mingurumo ya midege hiyo mikubwa ndio hufukuza wanyama lakini vibaraka wa wachache wanaonufaika na rasilimali za Ngorongoro watasema ni kengele za ngo’mbe ndio huaa Loliondo.Kwanza sheria za nchi haziruhusu madege makubwa kutua karibu na wnayama lakin suala la loliondo limekuwa juu ya sheria.Watu kama hawa ni walarushwa, wabinafsi, wababaishaji, wauaji,wasio na hata chembe ya huruma na vipandikizi vilivyowekwa kwa ajili ya mapepari wachache.Watu kama hawa hawafai kwenye jamii wanapaswa kusulibishwa kwa lengo la kuinusuru jamii.
Haitoshi vibaraka hao wakaendelea kuzungumzia wasichokijua kwa kusema makundi ya mifugo loliondo hufukuza wanyama.Ngoma isiyo kuhusu husiicheze, je mnajua kuwa wanyama na mifugo ni marafiki(They coexist) , je mnajua wanyama kama pundamilia na wengine wanaowindwa na wanyama wakali hupenda kwenda sambamba na makundi ya mifugo kama njia ya kuimarisha ulinzi wao.Je anajua kuwa mida ya ijioni wanyama wote kama tembo, twiga na punda hupenda kuja kulala karibu na maboma ya wamasai kwa usalama zaidi.Je anajua kuwa wanyama kama nyumbu huwa hawazaalii kwenye mapori bali mbugani kwa ajili ya usalama dhidi ya wanyama wakali.Sasa inakuaje leo mseme wafugaji katika pori tengefu la loliondo huaribu mazalia ya nyumbu.Hakika hakuna lolote mnalowaeleza umma zaidi ya umbumbumbu wa mila na desturi za wafugaji, rudini kwa waliowatuma waambieni kwa sasa hakuna aliyewaelewa, pengine tafuteni hoja nyingine.Inakuwaje leo hii tu ndio wafugaji wawe waharibifu na si huko nyuma.
Asilimia zaidi ya 80 ya ardhi ya Ngorongoro ni ama mbuga.hifadhi au mapito na malisho ya wanyama.Na kwa miaka ming sasa wanyama na mifugo wamekuwa wakila, kunywa na kulala pamoja.Hakuna majangili masaini maana wamasai hawana desturi ya ujangili na wala si wafanya biashara, sasa inakuwaje mseme kuwa wamekuwa majangili wa kuua tembo, je faru wanaoua huko hifadhi ya Serengeti ni wamasai ndio wanausika.Na kama ni majangili leo kingekuwa na mnyama hata mmoja katika maeneo ya wafugaji? Na je wanyama wangethubutu kwenda kula na mifugo au kulala karibu na maboma.
Wafugaji wa Ngorongoro wametunza haina zote za wanyama hata wale hadimu kama faru, lakini baada ya shughuli za utaalii na uwindaji kushika hatamu wanyama wanazidi kupungua na wengine wametoweka kabisa kama faru na mbwa mwitu.Je hii sio laana ya mali asili itokanoyo na dhuluma dhidi ya wenye mali hizi.Hivi kati ya mwekezaji katika pori la loliondo na mfugaji nani kamvamia mwenzake au nani anaiua Loliondo? Eneo la pori tengefu la loliondo lipo ndani ya ardhi ya vijiji, je nani ana ubavu wa kumnyima mwanakijiji asitumie ardhi yake. Je uwindaji na uchungaji kipi hufukuza na kumaliza wanyama, jibu lake watanzania wazalendo watanisaidia kuwajibu.
Mmeona haitoshi tu kupora rasilimali za wanangorongoro sasa mmeona mwaite si watanzania bali wakenya.Roria kuna wajaluo ambao pia wapo Kenya,Tarime kuna wakuria ambao pia wapo Kenya, kigoma na maeneo mengine ya mipakani ni hivyo hivyo pia, sasa inakuwaje wamasai wa loliondo muwaite wakenya? Au kuna mipango ya kuwanyaganya ardhi yao yote na hatimaya kuwafukuzia Kenya.
Wanangorongoro wamebakia kuwa maskini wakutupwa, huku wilaya ya Ngorongoro ikiikusanya zaidi ya billion 50 kila mwaka kutokana na mali asili zilizosheheni wilayani hapa.Je hali kama hi si laana ya mali asili?Wafugaji hawa hawana tofauti na Fisi alienyang’anywa windo lake na Simba, na kila akijaribu walau kumega hata mguu simba hucharuka na kuwararuaraua.Mbaya zaidi mifugo karibu robo tatu ya wanangorongoro mwaka jana ilikufa na maboma kugeuka makaburi kutokana na ukame baada ya kufukuzwa katika maeneo ya kuchungia kipindi cha ukame kwa lengo la kumfurahisha mwekezaji.
Rasilimali za Ngorongoro zinawanufaisha wachache tu, wananchi hawapati fursa yoyote itokanyo uwepo wa rasilimali hizo.Watu wachache wamehodhi hata fursa za ajira katika shughuli za kitalii. Mfano Katika kambi ya mwarabu mabasi na malori siku huchukua watu toka miji ya mbali kabisa kwenda kufanya kazi katika makambi ya wawekezaji na kuwaachaa wanangorongoro bila fursa yoyote.Hii ni tofauti na henzi zile tulipokuwa tunasombwa na malori ya mwarabu kwenda kufanya kazi huko makambani, utaratibu ulitoa ajira kwa vijana wengi wa wilaya hii.Kwa sasa Wanaofanya kazi maeneo hayo ni jamaa, rafiki, wajomba na ndugu wengine wa mabosi na mabenager amboa pia nao wametoka mbali..Wananchi hawapati fursa yoyote hata katika taasisi za serikali kama vile Mamlaka ya Hifadhi ya Ngorongoro, ajira na fursa zingine zimekuwa zikitolewa bila kutoa vipaumbele kwa wanangorongoro wenye taaluma hizo.
Ni wachache wamepeta fursa hizo na hao pia ni kutoka sehemu ndogo ya wilaya na si wilaya nzima kwani ni vigumu kumkuta mkaazi wa tarafa za Loliondo na Sale wakifanya kazi katika mamlaka ya Ngongoro.Eneo linguine la kutazamwa zaidi ni Mamlaka hii ya Ngorongoro ambayo imekuwa ikipata fedha nyingi zaid ya biliion 40 kwa mwaka lakini halmshauri ya Nogorongoro haiambulii chochote.Je hii Baraka au laana.Matumizi ya uendeshaji wa Mamlaka ni makubwa mno.Wananchi wanalalamika kuona magari ya kifahari yakitumika kwa wingi ndani ya mamlaka.Mbaya zaidi hata lilie fungu lillokuwa likisomesha sehemu ndogo ya wafugaji wa ngorongoro bila pia kuwagusa wananchi wa tarafa za Loliondo na Sale nazo wamezifuta.Kwa sasa Halmashauri ya wilaya ya Ngorongoro haina tena mapato yatokanoyo na mali asili baada ya serikali kuu kupokonya vyanzo vyote wakidai watatuma 20%.Je kweli ni haki hii kwa halmashauri iliyopo ndani ya wilaya tajiri inayo ingiza zaidi ya 50 billion kuwa na mapato yatokanayo na mali asili yasiyofika hata million 20.
Je hii ni Baraka au laana, mmewafukuza toka Serengeti, mmewafukuza katika pori la loliondo, mnaendelea taratibu kuwafukuza toka bonde la crater na maeneo ya Tarafa ya Ngorobgoro,mnampango wa kumega ardhi yao ya vijiji kumtengea mwekezaji ardhi, huko soit sambu mmeuza shamba waliloazimwa TBL kwa makampuni ya utalii na pia mnajiandaa kuuteka mlima lengai na ziwa lake.Je wananchi hawa watiifu na wanyonge waende wapi na wale nini? Kwa hali kama hii ni rahisi kupata jibu kwa nini wanawaita wakenya.
Hakika wanachi wa Ngorongoro ni wavumilivu sana na wanahitaji pongezi.Hawana uhakika wa maisha kwani hawana tena maeneo ya malisho, ukame pia unaendelea kutafuna mifugo yao, hawajasoma na hawawezi kufanya biashara, wanaambiwa wajaribu kulima, lakini watalima wapi kila wakilima vibustani wanaambiwa wanaharibu mazingira.Ama kweli hiki ni kiama cha wafugaji, na ndo maana wengi wao wameamia mijijini kukaa milangoni mwa matajiri na kuwalinda wao na mali zao.Maisha yao nayo mijini ni ya kusikitiksha sana hawana pa kulala zaidi ya barazani na magetini.Je ni nani atajitokeza na kuwaokoa wanyonge hawa kabla hawajafia na kutokomea mikononi mwa wachache wenye roho za chuma na macho ya kikatili yenye kuangalia ni wapi pana shilingi bila kujali roho za wanyonge kama wamasai.Wanataka kuzifuta NGO’s zinazojitokeza kuwaelimisha wananchi kujua haki zao, lengo lao ni kundelea kuona wananchi wanabaki kuwa vipofu wa haki zao ili waendelee kuwanyanyasa zaidi.Lakini tunawakikishieni kuwa hakuna shirika lolote lile litakalo futwa au kupata msuko suko wowote ilmradi wanatambulika kisheria.
Naandika haya nikiwa kama sehemu ya jamii hii inayoelekea kutokomea, wanaopata matatizo ni jamaa na ndugu zetu, Mwalimu Nyerere alitufundisha tuitane ndugu, nami naamini watanzania wote ni ndugu zangu na lazima tujitoe muanga kuwasaidia ndugu zetu.Nayosema sijahadithiwa na wala sijapewa ili nilipwe la hasha, ni ya kweli na mengine nimeashuudia.Baadhi ya wawekazi nilishafanya kazi nao kama kibarua katika pori tengefu la lolionndo.Hivyo tunawajua fika na baadha ya watawala wanaoshrikianao nao kila kukicha pia tumewaona mara kwa mara wakija chikua mafao yao katika viikulu vya kifalme vilivyoko ndani ya pori la Loliondo.Tunahitaji wazalendo wote tusimame na kuikoa jaamii hii nyonge inayoelekea kutoweka katika ardhi waliopewa na mola.
Asante kwa kusoma
Imeandaliwa na Onesmo Olengurumwa Makamu Raisi Umoja wa Wasomi Ngorongoro (NDUSA). Email ndusa2008@gmail.com

Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Tanzania

Prepared by; Onesmo Olengurumwa
Research Officer Legal and Human Rights Centre
10th December, 2010 Presented at Karimjee Hall
Organized by CHRAGG
1.0 who is human rights defender

Human rights defender” is a term used to describe people who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights,

Human rights defenders are identified above all by what they do and it is through a description of their actions,

Human rights defenders are individuals and groups, such as non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Workers, lawyers, journalists, University students leaders, and private individuals, political activists who criticise government policies, Trade Union, workers Associations and judicial activists who stands boldly to defend the rights of people and raise awareness of human rights.

2.0 What Do they Do?

Monitor and report Human Rights violations such as witchcraft killings, extra judicial killings, arbitral use of power etc.)
Stand for the rights and freedom of minority and indigenous groups
Expose corruption
Fight against harmful traditional practices ( eg FGM, Children abuse, women discrimination etc)
Rise Public awareness on human rights issues
Document all sorts of human rights violations
Helping to draft appropriate legislation, and in helping to draw up national plans and strategies on human rights.

2.1HRD,s Most at Risk
Investigative journalist
HRD’s from indigenous /minority groups
Human Rights NGO’s
University Students leaders
Political activists
Human Rights lawyers
HRD’s in Rural areas
3.0 Challenges of HR Defenders

Defenders themselves have increasingly become targets of attacks and their rights are violated in many ways as follows:
Threats from the government officials, harassment, detention, ill-treatment, illegal arrest, torture, fabricated cases, selected judicial proceedings,
Lack of legal protection at national level
Access to information,
lack of national unity and solidarity among HRD’s
Restrictions on their freedoms of movement, expression, association and assembly
Lack of organizational/institutional security plans,
Financial problems
Corruptions
Perception that Tz is peaceful country and Tanzania’s human rights record is the best,
Lack of clear collaboration between media and HR organizations
Low level of Human Rights awareness
Intimidation to active diplomatic missions