Recording Our Voices: OBC and the Maasai of Loliondo
I was born here, grew up here, and I am now 60 years old. Are we not the owners of this land? And why do we have no voice?
Sianta Ole Nainyo, Ilusien/Loliondo resident
There is no justice here... OBC treats us like criminals in our own traditional lands.
Siamanta ene Nonkiito, Ilusien/Loliondo resident
Is this what you call civilization? Killing innocent animals?
Well, nature will have to judge you by your actions.
Kailol Ole Pere, Olosira Lukunya/Loliondo resident
These are the voices of the Maasai of Loliondo, speaking for themselves and for their wildlife.
Seven associates of the Maasai Environmental Resource Coalition, all but one of whom are Maasai, interviewed over 300 Maasai in various villages in Loliondo. Fieldwork took place from July 20 to September 15, 2001. MERC representatives also interviewed church personnel, local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), officials from Serengeti and Maasai Mara parks, wildlife conservationists, consumptive and non-consumptive tour operators, present and former OBC employees, and Maasai residing across the Kenyan border.
The main concerns expressed by the majority of the people interviewed by MERC were:
The government of Tanzania does not recognize Maasai traditional land rights nor their right to full access and control of the natural resources therein.
The Maasai of Loliondo have for a long time accused OBC of grave human rights abuses and environmental violations. They have described acts of intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention, and even torture by OBC officials and security forces, as well as by Tanzanian police and military in the name of OBC; brazen violations of grazing and land rights; and wanton environmental destruction and imminent extermination of wildlife. They have seen leaders who once opposed OBC’s practices corrupted and bought-off. They have witnessed OBC officials trying to convert them to Islam, with further instruction to abandon Maasai culture. This exploitation of the Maasai’s lack of sophistication and impoverished situation to abandon their faith, culture, and lifestyle for a religion they do not understand has been a source of serious concern for traditional and religious leaders in the area. One church, which has been in Loliondo for over 20 years, Kanisa Kitakatifu ya Kiinjilisti ya Kilutherani (the Holy Lutheran Evangelical Church) has continued to express not only concerns over the "the senseless and indiscriminate killing of wildlife" but also decried the "long-term negative impacts" of OBC’s activities on the traditional belief system and religious faith of the Maasai people. "The act of buying people into a faith defies the teachings of any religion and is a deliberate act to destroy the Maasai people," said one church leader we spoke to in Loliondo. The church has already raised the matter with its headquarters in Dar es Salaam, and at the time of compiling this report a plan of action was under consideration.
It was clear from these interviews that government institutions such as TANAPA, which has a clear mandate to deal with OBC, nongovernmental organizations, political leaders and business interests, were intimidated by the thought of questioning OBC’s operations. One ecotourism operator in Loliondo wrote: "…we cannot provide you with more information concerning OBC. We hope you will understand that it is imperative that we remain on good terms with the government for the sake of our business."
Not surprisingly, therefore, many Maasai were hesitant to talk with MERC about OBC for fear of retribution. They said OBC operates like a separate arm of the central government. Many in Loliondo believe OBC is even more powerful than the government. The Maa word for "the Arab", Olarrabui, is often used to refer Brigadier Al Ali, and by extension OBC. Whether referring Brigadier Al Ali personally, his proxies in the area or OBC, the word Olarrabui has become synonymous with power, authority, brutality, fear, and entities larger than life. The psychological implications of this situation on the local people are summed in the words of one Maasai elder we spoke to at Olopiri village, 12 miles from OBC’s main camp in Loliondo: "Those with power use it to dominate and oppress those without. Power is like poison; it blinds the lenses of justice and corrupts wisdom."
Before going further with the experiences of the Maasai at the hands of OBC, it is useful to first look at the destructive "hunting" practices Loliondo residents and others described repeatedly to MERC, as well as their overt environmental impacts.