‘Rights abuses’ halt World Bank funding of Tanzania project
THE World Bank has suspended funding for a $150m (£120m) tourism project in Tanzania that a human rights group says caused the suffering of tens of thousands of villagers.
The Oakland Institute, a California-based human rights watchdog whose work focuses on marginalised communities, led calls for years for the World Bank to stop funding the Regrow project, documenting serious rights abuses suffered by indigenous communities in the area.
In November, the group accused the World Bank of failing to hold Tanzanian authorities accountable for extrajudicial killings and sexual assaults relating to the expansion of Ruaha National Park in a remote part of southern Tanzania.
The report said the Tanzanian government’s tactics to force communities away and increase tourism in Ruaha National Park were “inextricably tied to its financing by the World Bank”.
The World Bank said it “has zero tolerance for violence in the projects it finances”, adding that a panel of inspectors was reviewing a complaint related to Regrow “to determine whether a compliance audit into the concerns raised is warranted”.
In recent correspondence between the World Bank and the Oakland Institute seen by The Associated Press, the lender confirmed the suspension of further disbursements to Regrow “until we are confident that the project is upholding our environmental and social standards”.
At least $100m (£80m) has already been disbursed for the project, which started in 2017. The suspension of World Bank financing took effect on April 18.
The World Bank’s decision to suspend the project was “long overdue”, the Oakland Institute said. It claims the bank’s “failure to take immediate action resulted in serious harms for the local communities”.
Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, said the World Bank’s decision to suspend funding for “a dangerous project” was a victory for marginalised communities in the east African country.
“It sends a resounding message to the Tanzanian government that there are consequences for its rampant rights abuses taking place across the country to boost tourism,” Ms Mittal said. It was not immediately possible to obtain a comment from Tanzanian authorities.