East African court upholds controversial Maasai evictions

A regional court has dismissed a case brought by Maasai pastoralists to stop the Tanzanian government from evicting them from their ancestral land.

The East African Court of Justice upheld the government’s decision to cordon off 1,500 sq km (580 sq miles) of land in the Ngorongoro conservation area in order to protect wildlife.

The judges said no compensation was owed to the Maasai because nobody had been injured and no property lost during the evictions.

Tanzania has traditionally allowed indigenous communities to live in national parks but the authorities say population growth is disturbing wildlife habitats.

By BBC