Latest news with #AfricanParks
Newsweek
12-05-2025
- Newsweek
Prince Harry Urged to Quit Charity Where Abuse Allegations Were Upheld
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Prince Harry should "step down" from the board of a conservation charity after a law firm found evidence human rights abuses had taken place. African Parks manages Odzala-Kokoua National Park but the Baka tribespeople, who have lived in the area for generations, say its rangers have abused them. Allegations included the rape of a mother as she clutched her baby, as well as torture, and triggered an investigation by Omnia Strategy. The law firm has now reported its findings to the NGO, which confirmed in an online statement that human rights abuses by guards did take place. Prince Harry is seen at the Concordia Summit, in New York City, on September 23, 2024. During the trip he attended an African Parks event. Prince Harry is seen at the Concordia Summit, in New York City, on September 23, 2024. During the trip he attended an African Parks Mazower, communications director at Survival International, told Newsweek: "We think that Prince Harry and anyone else involved in African Parks should either commit the organization to a completely new way of doing business or step down." Survival wants the organization to pursue conservation in a fundamentally different way. African Parks Acknowledges Abuses The organization's statement, published online, read: "African Parks acknowledges that, in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred, and we deeply regret the pain and suffering that these have caused to the victims. "Omnia's process also highlighted several failures of our systems and processes that were insufficient for the level of responsibility given to us, particularly in the early years of our management of Odzala. "We are committed to addressing the shortcomings that have been identified. Further, where sufficient evidence is available, we will take action against staff members implicated in incidents not yet known about, or that had not been adequately dealt with. "The Board is confident that the institutional improvements implemented over the past five years, along with those planned for the coming months—incorporating valuable recommendations from Omnia—will mitigate risks in the future." The statement, however, did not confirm which abuses were admitted by the organization, meaning it remains unclear whether they are acknowledging that Baka people were allegedly raped by African Parks guards. "There's a moral obligation on them to make the results of the investigation public," Mazower said, "and I think it's shameful that they haven't." "We would hope that anyone who is funding African Parks will think again," he added. Newsweek reached out to African Parks for comment. African Parks and 'Fortress Conservation' Currently, rangers are required to keep the Baka out of areas of the park that are considered protected, which the tribespeople say prevents them hunting and foraging for food in keeping with their culture dating back centuries. The charity says this is necessary to protect the park as a natural resource for future generations but Survival call it "fortress conservation" and say it is leaving the Baka starving. "It's a whole model of conservation which is based around taking indigenous people's land, turning them into protected areas, evicting the indigenous people and keeping them out through force," Mazower said. "They've been living with this treatment, as have many other indigenous communities, for years and years. This is not a one off thing or an isolated incident. "There have been countless confirmed reports of similar abuses by armed rangers against indigenous people who have been evicted from their lands after their lands were turned into national parks across the Congo basin for years. "You only have to go there and talk to the Baka people and stories start pouring out of people, so I doubt very much that they have any expectation that anything significant will change. And I don't think it will change unless the Baka are allowed to go back to their lands." Prince Harry's New York Visit Harry has not sought to distance himself from the organization since the allegations of rape and torture first emerged publicly in January 2024. In fact, he attended an African Parks event during a visit to New York in September and his staff posted a write up on the Sussex website talking about it. "He [Harry] expressed how this pivotal moment further fueled his commitment to the continent as well as his passion for Africa's rich biodiversity and cultural heritage," the website reads. "The Duke connected African Parks' mission to his broader philanthropic vision, highlighting how their strategic approach aligns with his goals for sustainable change. "He emphasized the importance of collaboration and investment in conservation efforts, noting that protecting Africa's natural resources is essential for both the environment and the livelihoods of local communities. "The event served not only as a celebration of African Parks' impactful work across 22 protected areas in 12 countries but also as a rallying call to join this vital mission. The Duke's participation underscored the urgency of the conservation challenges facing the continent and the need for collective action." Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prince Harry's charity tied to ‘human rights abuses': Report
(NewsNation) — An investigation has found that a charity Prince Harry is connected to admitted its rangers commit human rights abuses against those in Republic of Congo Indigenous communities, according to reports. Prince Harry serves on the board of directors for African Parks, which currently manages over 20 national parks and protected areas in nearly 15 countries across Africa. The charity conducted an independent investigation that found 'in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred.' According to People magazine, Prince Harry has been with the organization since 2016. He served as president before he became a member of the board of directors. That investigation, conducted by Omnia Strategy LLP, was not fully released to the public. A group called Survival International, which was one of the first to raise these concerns, criticized African Parks for not releasing all details. Director Caroline Pearce said in a statement, 'Baka men and women have been beaten, tortured and raped … by rangers who are managed and paid for by African Parks. The charity has known this for many years, but it was only after Survival complained to Prince Harry and the ensuing global media story, that the charity finally commissioned this 'independent investigation.'' Bill Belichick's girlfriend Jordon Hudson not banned from facilities: UNC African Parks released a statement, saying, in part, 'We deeply regret the pain and suffering that these have caused to the victims. … Omnia's process also highlighted several failures of our systems and processes that were insufficient for the level of responsibility given to us.' The charity's statement also said: 'We are committed to addressing the shortcomings that have been identified. Further, where sufficient evidence is available, we will take action against staff members implicated in incidents not yet known about, or that had not been adequately dealt with. The Board is confident that the institutional improvements implemented over the past five years, along with those planned for the coming months — incorporating valuable recommendations from Omnia — will mitigate risks in the future.' Prince Harry has made many visits to Africa since he was a child. He even reportedly co-founded Sentebale back in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The organization's goal is to help young individuals in Southern Africa. However, now, sources tell NewsNation's Paula Froelich that Prince Harry is 'deeply depressed and embarrassed' by the Sentebale charity scandal he is enmeshed in and devastated that the charity he founded has been 'ripped away' from him. Lainey Wilson rules the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards once again, Alan Jackson is honored Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso both released a joint statement in April, stating: 'With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation… These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.' 'He loves his charities — this is what he wants to spend his life doing and now, one of them is gone … and in the most horrible way,' the source said. On March 31, The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry allegedly sent a chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, an 'unpleasant' and 'imperious' message after she declined to defend Meghan Markle, whom Chandauka claims showed up unannounced and caused an awkward scene during the trophy presentation. The U.K.-based Charity Commission has confirmed that they are investigating the Sentebale charity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Times
09-05-2025
- Times
Prince Harry's Africa charity acknowledges ‘human rights abuses'
Cherie Blair has said that she hoped her firm's investigation into a charity linked to the Duke of Sussex would 'contribute positively to ongoing human rights efforts' in one of Africa's oldest national parks. The comment came as her firm, Omnia Strategy LLP, concluded its investigation into African Parks in the Republic of Congo, following accusations of human rights abuses against the indigenous population including rape and torture. While the full report has not been made public, African Parks, of which Prince Harry is a board member, has now acknowledged that 'human rights abuses have occurred'. In a six-page statement, African Parks said: 'We deeply regret the pain and suffering that these caused to these victims. Omnia's process also highlighted several failures of our systems
09-05-2025
- Politics
Congo national park associated with Prince Harry acknowledges human rights abuses
DAKAR, Senegal -- A national park associated with Prince Harry in the Republic of the Congo has acknowledged that its guards committed human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples who were displaced when the park was constructed. An internal investigation by African Parks, a South African-based wildlife parks consortium, uncovered cases of torture, rape and forced displacement of Indigenous people who used to inhabit the land now occupied by the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. Prince Harry sits on the board of African Parks. 'African Parks acknowledges that, in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred, and we deeply regret the pain and suffering that these have caused to the victims,' read a statement released Thursday by the group and London-based law firm Omnia Strategy. The initial reports of the abuse, which allegedly took place in 2023, were raised by international rights group Survival International. The allegations were investigated, but the final report of the abuse remains confidential and many details remain unclear. The rights group said Thursday in a statement that men and women were beaten, tortured or raped 'by rangers who are managed and paid for by African Parks.' It did not provide details. Jonathan Mazower, a spokesperson for Survival International, alleged that African Parks has known since at 'least 2013' of cases of abuse when a researcher raised the issue with them. 'This is not a particularly isolated case,' he said. Founded in 2000, African Parks established a hard-nosed reputation by going into seriously degraded places armed with the right to hire and fire from governments, which retained broad authority but respected a clear separation of roles. The group assumes day-to-day management of countries' wildlife areas, seeking more efficiency and accountability in the campaign to protect flora and fauna from poaching and habitat depletion. Many partner nations struggle to run parks on their own, challenged by poverty, corruption and conflict. ___
Washington Post
09-05-2025
- Washington Post
Congo national park associated with Prince Harry acknowledges human rights abuses
DAKAR, Senegal — A national park associated with Prince Harry in the Republic of the Congo has acknowledged that its guards committed human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples who were displaced when the park was constructed. An internal investigation by African Parks, a South African-based wildlife parks consortium, uncovered cases of torture, rape and forced displacement of Indigenous people who used to inhabit the land now occupied by the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
