The World Bank has halted the allocation of new funds from a $150 million pool designated for the expansion of a national park in southern Tanzania, as disclosed by a spokesperson on Wednesday.

This action comes in response to allegations received by the lender concerning incidents of killings and forced displacements by park rangers during the previous year.

According to the World Bank’s independent complaints mechanism, two unidentified individuals have leveled accusations against rangers operating in Ruaha National Park, citing instances of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, evictions, torture, and confiscation of livestock perpetrated against local residents.

Expressing deep concern over these allegations of misconduct and injustice associated with the Tanzania project, a spokesperson stated, “We have thus made the decision to suspend any further allocation of funds immediately.”

In response, government spokesperson Mobhare Matinyi has refuted the allegations, asserting their falsity. However, he acknowledged that the government is conducting an investigation “to ascertain if any staff engaged in misconduct, warranting appropriate action.” Matinyi mentioned that the suspended final installment of the loan amounts to $25 million.

Numerous endeavors by the Tanzanian government to bolster tourism have encountered criticism from human rights advocates. Particularly in the northern regions, where thousands of Maasai people have been displaced from their ancestral lands.

A report issued last year by the Oakland Institute, a think tank based in California, accused Ruaha park rangers of engaging in sexual violence. Additionally, it highlighted the burdens borne by local communities across Tanzania in facilitating tourism revenue under the pretext of environmental conservation.

Expanding The Tourism Sector Crucial for Economic Advancement

Despite this, the government maintains that expanding the tourism sector is crucial for economic advancement and contends that it has fairly compensated individuals displaced from their residences.

The World Bank project received approval from its board in 2017 and is slated to conclude in February 2025.

Meanwhile, Tanzania had been scheduled to receive an additional $50 million, having already obtained $100 million from the funding.

The allocated resources were intended for various projects, including the construction of roads, viewing areas, and visitor centers, along with investments in wildlife monitoring and enhanced security measures.

In September 2023, The Guardian reported on findings from the US-based think tank, the Oakland Institute, which documented a series of abuses committed by Tanzanian rangers against villagers accused of encroaching on the national park. These abuses included the killing of cattle herders and fishermen, confiscation of livestock, and sexual assault against women.

The decision by the World Bank to suspend further disbursements was welcomed by the Oakland Institute as “long overdue,” coming a year after the lender was initially informed of potential violations of its safeguarding policies in April 2023.

Anuradha Mittal, the executive director of the think tank, remarked, “It sends a clear message to the Tanzanian government that there are consequences for the widespread rights abuses occurring across the country in the pursuit of tourism. The era of impunity is finally drawing to a close.”

Despite the World Bank’s announcement of an investigation, the Tanzanian government proceeded in October with plans to redefine the boundaries of the national park, which would result in the eviction of 21,000 people. The institute asserted that their research indicated ongoing abuses, including the killing of a 21-year-old cattle herder in October and the seizure and sale of thousands of cattle this year.

Mittal emphasized, “The government’s proposal to expand the park cannot proceed without the consent of local communities, who stand to lose everything from such an expansion. In addition to preventing forced evictions, the bank must address how to redress the harm inflicted on villagers who have suffered losses due to ranger violence or livelihood restrictions.”