Prince Harry is being urged to quit a conservation charity he helps run after an investigation by The Mail on Sunday revealed it controls an armed militia involved in human rights atrocities in Africa.
Survival International, which fights for the rights of indigenous people, has launched a campaign to get the prince and donors to cut ties with African parks following claims of abuse, rape and torture by some of his guards.
Harry was chairman of the charity for six years before being promoted to the board of directors last year.
The organization, which manages national parks in 12 African countries through government partnerships, was confronted with first-hand testimony that the Baka, an indigenous people, are subjected to disturbing harassment.
It is said that they have been banned from entering the forests where they have foraged, fished, hunted and found medicine for thousands of years.
Prince Harry was president of African Parks for six years until he joined the board of directors last year
African Parks rangers in Kokoua National Park have been accused of widespread rights abuses against the indigenous Baka people
Bernard Mingo, left, and Victor Mayanga claimed they were beaten and handcuffed by African Parks rangers in the northern Republic of Congo
Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, said: ‘What The Mail on Sunday’s investigation has revealed is horrifying. African Parks rangers are accused of abusing the Baka people and committing theft of their rainforest.”
She said it was outrageous that such atrocities were committed while tour companies flew wealthy tourists to the area on gorilla-watching safaris. Ms Pearce urged Harry to distance himself from the charity she said was complicit in ‘horrific abuse’ of innocent people. “As someone who has taken a prominent stand against racism, the prince could help bring about real change for indigenous people,” she said.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry’s foundation, Archewell, said: ‘When the Duke became aware of these serious allegations, he immediately escalated them to the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Parks, the appropriate people to take the next steps to undertake.’
The Baka live in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, which has been managed by African Parks since 2010 – when it signed a 25-year agreement with the government. The charity is funded by the EU, the US government and wealthy philanthropists, including a Swiss billionaire who is part of the consortium that owns Chelsea Football Club. It has also received British aid for other parts of Africa.
Ms Pearce says similar suffering, deprivation and destruction of traditional communities is being caused by other conservation organizations in Africa and Asia.
Survival International wrote a letter to Prince Harry last May about “violent intimidation and torture” that had taken place, including the rape of a young mother by a guard.
The man was dismissed, jailed and ordered to pay compensation of around £1,300 to his victim. She claims she only received around £500. Yesterday, African Parks said it has a “zero tolerance” policy for any form of abuse and is “committed to upholding the rights of local and indigenous people.”
It says it is “aware of the serious allegations” and has launched an investigation through an external law firm after it “became aware of these allegations last year through a board member who received a letter from Survival International.”
African Parks said: ‘We take allegations of human rights abuses very seriously and always investigate such allegations thoroughly.’
The charity also accused Survival International of refusing to cooperate with its investigations. The organization responded by pointing out that it had been raising concerns since 2013.
Colonel Theodore Golo, a former army officer who served as the area’s top government official for almost two years, said: “There are a lot of problems with the guards.”
He added: “Indigenous people are the best guardians of the forest and wildlife. They know everything about the forest. They keep it better than us and better than foreigners.’
The Mail on Sunday investigation highlights ongoing tensions between conservation groups and indigenous peoples in Africa and Asia. While the indigenous population takes care of the forests, armed militias led by organizations fight to save nature from miners, poachers and loggers.