A recent report has brought to light that the United Nations (UN) has been implicated in the violent eviction of Indigenous people from six World Heritage Sites across Africa and Asia. These sites, often the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples, have been forcibly taken away through intimidation and violence.
Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, an organization responsible for the report, has called on UNESCO to revoke World Heritage Status from any sites where such abuses are occurring. She emphasized the need for greater accountability and action to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples living in or near these sites.
One example highlighted in the report is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania, where the Maasai population has faced arrests, torture, and theft of their cattle. The Maasai have also reported that health services have been cut off by the government as an attempt to force them off their land. Despite UNESCO’s 2010 decision that the Maasai population should remain within the capacity of the property, they continue to be subjected to human rights abuses.
In Kahuzi-Beiga National Park in Congo-Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), UNESCO urged officials to remove illegal occupants resulting in a forced eviction of Indigenous Batwa people. A subsequent report revealed allegations of rape, murder, and brutal treatment against them by Congolese soldiers. The Batwa community expressed their determination to remain in their ancestral forest despite facing violence and threats.
Similar evictions were also reported at Odzala-Kokoua National Park in Gabon (Republic of Congo), Kaziranga National Park in India, Chitwan National Park in Nepal and Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in Thailand. While UNESCO claims it upholds the rights of Indigenous people when managing World Heritage Sites, this report brings attention to ongoing human rights violations faced by Indigenous communities living near or within these sites.
The call for greater accountability and action from organizations like Survival International is crucial as it highlights how important it is not only to protect cultural heritage but also respect human rights equally across all communities worldwide.