A prominent conservation charity affiliated with Prince Harry has admitted to human rights abuses by its rangers in Congo-Brazzaville following allegations by the Baka community. The accusations, which include beatings, waterboarding, and rape, were made against the rangers of African Parks, who manage the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
These claims were first reported by the Mail on Sunday last year, where community members accused the rangers of using violence to prevent access to their ancestral forests, now part of a protected conservation area. Despite commissioning an independent review into the matter, African Parks has not disclosed the full findings.
The review, conducted by Omnia Strategy LLP, a London-based law firm, was presented directly to African Parks but its contents remain private. In a statement, Omnia confirmed the investigation has been ongoing since December 2023, but refrained from sharing the results, citing confidentiality.
Prince Harry has been a member of African Parks’ board since 2023, following a six-year tenure as president. The charity has stated that it has enhanced its safeguarding measures in response to these events, including appointing an anthropologist to better support the Baka communities and collaborating with local human rights organizations.
However, the charity’s decision to keep the findings confidential has drawn criticism. Survival International, an NGO advocating for indigenous rights, condemned the lack of transparency, stating that African Parks’ previous efforts, such as increased staff and additional guidelines, have failed to prevent such abuses over the past decade.
The controversy dates back to 2013 when African Parks was first made aware of the alleged abuses. At the time, Survival International claimed that African Parks had been uncooperative in investigating the matter, citing concerns for the safety of their local sources.
African Parks, based in Johannesburg, manages 23 protected areas across 13 African countries. It receives significant financial backing from prominent donors, including the European Union, Walmart heir Rob Walton, and Howard Buffett, son of billionaire Warren Buffett.
The charity reported that its funders contributed over $500,000 annually in its 2023 report.
