Why Tanzania should be on investigation list
The youth participate in a march to protest against poaching in Tanzania. PHOTO | FILE
By Telesphor Magobe,The Citizen Reporter
- Tanzania has entered the world’s record of shame and of the nations that commit atrocities, but pretend they are for democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law
The report states that flagrant human rights
violations were committed in various parts of the country in the name of
the crackdown on poaching. Sadly, the operation itself lacked proper
legal procedures and was discriminatory in nature for it targeted a
certain group of people and there appears to have been communication to
exclude politicians at all levels perhaps for fear that they could have
made noise, while ordinary people could easily be silenced. But as the
old adage says “facts are hard things,” so ordinary people made noise!
What was supposed to go unreported has been disclosed for it is possible
to repress people for some time, but not all times. The Home Affairs
minister, Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi (before resignation), according to Mr
James Lembeli, admitted that “although the operation’s objective was
good, some challenges like cruelty to livestock and violence against
suspects was caused by some operation team members. While some suspects
were brutally tortured, others were made to suffer permanent
disabilities or death”.
Thus, anti-poaching turned into an anti-civilian
operation. The use of excessive force against civilians, however, has
often been criticised, but the government has not taken the trouble to
look into it and rectify it. Instead, excessive force has been used as a
means to achieve an end and make the country look peaceful!
“... some villagers, local leaders and government
officers were arrested and humiliated in public. The whereabouts of some
of the arrested suspected illegal ivory dealers are unknown even as the
Committee visited operation areas. (To date) the whereabouts of three
Osteti young men in Kiteto, Nyafuka Ng’onja, Ng’onja Kipana and Mswaya
Karani, are unknown,” reads part of the report in section 6.2(i).
Some of the suspects were in their birthday suit,
meaning naked,they were humiliated in public and some women were
sexually abused. “Ali Nyenge, 38, from Iputi Ward in Ulanga District
alleged he had his clothes removed, salty water poured on his body and
then whipped in front of his son aged 11. He further alleged he was also
forced to draw a python’s picture on his thigh using a razor-blade.
Neema Moses alleged she had her clothes removed and forced to have sex
with her in-laws and later she had a bottle inserted and pressed into
her private parts,” reads part of the report in section 6.2(ii).
It further says, some women alleged to have been
raped and sodomised. One woman alleged she was raped by two soldiers at
night. Another woman from Matango Ward in Bariadi District alleged to
have been raped by three soldiers at gunpoint.
Sakasaka councillor in Meatu District Peter Samuel
alleged to have been humiliated and tortured while naked with his body
tied upside-down and was forced (to do the impossible, that is) to make
love to a tree. “Following unbearable torture, some of the operation
interrogation camps were nicknamed Guantanamo (Ruaha), Golgotha
(Ngorongoro), Duma and Andajega (Serengeti),” reads part of the report
in section 6.2(iv).
According to Arusha Urban MP Godbless Lema
(Chadema), who said he had some photos he was going to submit to Speaker
Anne Makinda, one suspect had a screw driver inserted in his urethra
and forced to admit he was a poacher and another had a six-inch nail
hammered through his ear lobe in Tarime District, Mara Region. Mafia MP
Abdulkarim Shah (CCM) said some of the suspects were forced to have sex
with carcasses to force them admit they were poachers.
The report also shows that some head of cattle
found grazing in national parks were shot if the owner failed to pay a
fine and if the fine was paid, the amount was often higher than what
appeared on the receipt. For instance, a livestock keeper was fined Sh10
million, but the receipt showed only Sh1 million, implying Sh9 million
would have been pocketed.
Some of the suspects’ houses were set ablaze and
their crops destroyed. Consequently, hundreds of households are now
facing food shortages and have no shelter. There were also testimonies
that, some livestock keepers, who were able to give bribes had their
cattle allowed to freely graze in national parks and the operation did
not touch them. Thus, the entire operation smelt of corruption,
according to the report and testimonies of some MPs and villagers.
Wegesa Kirigiti from Remagwe Village and Peter
Masea from Mrito Village (Tarime), Mohamed Buto (Masasi) and Gervas
Nzoya (Kasulu) are among the suspects, who lost their lives during the
operation.
Although the operation aimed at cracking down on
poachers, the atrocities committed in my opinion amount to crimes
against humanity, as stipulated in Article 7(1)(a), (f), (g) and (k) and
7(2)(a) and (e) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
(ICC). Therefore, all law enforcers and their collaborators, who
participated in this ugly operation should be investigated and the
guilty ones prosecuted. This would be the only way to ensure justice is
seen as being done and the government restores public trust.
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