World Heritage Sites: A Violation of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

A recent report has brought to light the violent eviction of Indigenous people from six World Heritage Sites in Africa and Asia, with the United Nations (UN) being implicated in these abuses. These sites are often the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples that have been forcibly taken from them through intimidation and violence.

Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, has called for UNESCO to revoke World Heritage Status from any sites where such abuses are occurring. The organization has investigated numerous cases of human rights violations against Indigenous communities 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 the government has cut off health services in an attempt to force them off the land. Despite UNESCO’s 2010 decision that the Maasai population should remain within the capacity of the property, the Indigenous community continues to be subjected to human rights abuses.

In addition to Tanzania, similar evictions have occurred at Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, Kaziranga National Park in India, Chitwan National Park in Nepal, and Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in Thailand. UNESCO has responded to these reports by stating that it upholds the rights of Indigenous people in managing World Heritage Sites. However, Survival International’s report calls for greater accountability and action to protect