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Charity organisation Survival International has called on Prince Harry to ‘distance himself’ from African Parks and step down from its board, after allegations emerged accusing some of its guards of abuse against Indigenous people
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 01 Feb 2024
Prince Harry has been involved with the African Parks charity since 2016 Credit: African Parks
Prince Harry has been called on to step down from his position as a board member of wildlife charity African Parks following allegations of rape and torture by some of its guards in the Republic of Congo.
Founded in 2000 to protect Africa’s national parks and advance wildlife conservation on the continent and around the world, African Parks manages 22 national parks and protected areas across 12 countries. The organisation is currently conducting an investigation of the “highest priority” after guards managed and paid for by the charity were alleged to have engaged in the beating, rape and torture of Indigenous people in the rainforests of Congo.
First published in the UK’s Mail on Sunday, charity organisation Survival International has said that the investigation uncovered “evidence of countless atrocities committed by African Parks’ ‘armed militia’ against local Baka people”. The charity also said that the organisation has “known for years that the abuses were taking place, but they have continued unabated”.
The Duke of Sussex is a board member for the non-profit, having previously spent six years as its president after joining the organisation in 2016.
Survival International has urged Prince Harry to step down from his role, claiming that the Duke “needs to distance himself from an organisation that is complicit in evictions and the heinous abuse of Indigenous people”.
A statement from the African Parks board and chief executive said there was a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse, and that it was committed to upholding the rights of both local and indigenous people. It added that while an investigation was launched as soon as a board member was alerted to the abuse allegations by Survival International, the group is failing to cooperate with its inquiry.
“We are aware of the serious allegations regarding human rights abuses by eco-guards against local people living adjacent to Odzala-Kokoua national park in the Republic of Congo, which have recently received media attention,” said the statement.
“We immediately launched an investigation through an external law firm based on the information we had available, while also urging Survival International to provide any and all facts they had. It’s unfortunate that they have chosen not to cooperate, despite repeated requests, and we continue to ask for their assistance.
“We encourage anyone with knowledge of any abuses to report them to us or to the Congolese law enforcement authorities, which will assist with the investigation and ensure that the perpetrators of any abuses are brought to justice.”
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