The long-awaited report on the allegations, backed by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), found violence in many countries, including murder, which has complicated the organization’s staff, but criticized it for serious shortcomings in its oversight.
But even though the report was released, tribal rights activists – including Survival International, a longtime critic of the WWF – point out that the report failed to address some of the most serious issues and that it was only two days before the U.S. Was released. Thanksgiving holiday in an attempt to bury the news.
The review panel was chaired by Judge Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chairman John Knox, the first UN Special Rapper on Human Rights and the Environment, and the chairman of the IUCN World Commission, Dr. Former Lead Biodiversity Specialist for Protected Areas (WCPA) and for the World Bank.
The panel was formed in 2019 after reports surfaced in BuzzFeed, confirming earlier investigations by the Rainforest Foundation (UK) and Survival International that the accused tribesmen had been beaten, tortured and imprisoned in the wake of the anti-poaching campaign. Was and was killed.
The report concludes that WWF personnel, including senior staff from several countries, including Nepal, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo, were aware of the violations committed by Rangers but failed to intervene effectively or in a timely manner.
Announcing new measures to prevent future abuse, the WWF said in a statement: “The reported abuse by some government rangers makes us horrible, and goes against the values we stand for. We feel deep and insecure grief for those who have suffered. We are committed to doing more to listen to the voices of communities, respect their rights and continue to advocate for their human rights obligations by governments.
“We are confident that the steps we take will help protect communities and their dependent nature, and as a result we and our partners will provide more lasting protection.”
A 19-month independent review concluded that the Rangers involved in the abuse were employed and operated by individual governments, not by the WWF. It also found no evidence that personnel “directed, participated in or encouraged” any alleged abuse, or that the WWFA “purchased or purchased weapons for the Rangers.”
The report looks at allegations of serious human rights violations in the embedding Human Rights in Conservation, Central Africa, India and Nepal, some of which were reported on the BuzzFeed news site in 2019.
The report also denied allegations that the WWFA provided weapons to Rangers in the Central African Republic (CAR), although it did find staff. Lobbied for unspecified devices. “It was alleged that the WWF CARA helped the Ecoguards. [rangers] Buying weapons from the military and concealing purchases from donors, ”the report said.
“The panel found no evidence that WWF CARA provided or obtained weapons for the Ecoguards. It was clear that the WWF’s policies prohibit the organization from supplying weapons to ecoguards but that it is pursuing the Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fisheries to ensure that ecoguards are properly equipped for anti-poaching activities.
The report criticizes the organization’s inconsistent approach to human rights issues. “The panel found that the implementation of its social policies and human rights commitments by the WWF is inconsistent in the countries concerned with this report, and in particular in the Congo Basin countries.
“From the country’s reviews, it is clear that some WWF program offices have been more successful in implementing WWF’s social policies, responding to alleged abuses by state partners, and establishing methods and procedures to prevent further abuses.”
The report adds: “Home Office Fees WWF International and WWF U.S. Or the WWF network as a whole, they have not provided clear guidance to program offices on how to implement the WWF’s human rights commitments. For example, there are no network-wide standards on law enforcement and rangers. “
Referring to the abuse in the DRC’s Salonga National Park, the report specifically condemned the WWF as “aware of the potential for human rights violations by ecoguards, but has not carefully assessed human rights risks or developed effective measures to prevent and prevent abuse.”
“In December 2001, WWF field staff reported allegations of human rights violations against WWF DRC officials. The WWFA should have been able to develop and implement an appropriate response as soon as possible after the allegations were made.
“Unfortunately, the WWF DRC’s senior management team never implemented the decision in March 2017 to start a study with a national NGO to investigate the allegations and investigate the park’s relationship with local communities. [the Congolese national conservation body] ICCN
“The desire to avoid conflict with the government cannot excuse the WWF from fulfilling its obligation to respect human rights.”
The report also found that “there is no formal formality for the WWF to report alleged abuse to the WWF”, despite allegations of torture, rape and murder since the beginning of the year 2000.
Survival in a statement suggested that the report sought to remove the faults from the WWF. The report focused on, “The WWF is aware of the alleged abuse by Rangers … but … continued their support and cooperation, and … effective in preventing, responding to and preventing alleged abuse.” Failed to take action.
“The report echoes previous WWF responses to being funded by the WWF and passing the blame for the trained ‘Government Rangers’.”
