The World Bank has halted funding for tourism development in southern Tanzania following reports of murder, sexual assault, and forced evictions of the locals, the Western media reported on Tuesday.
"The World Bank is deeply concerned about the allegations of abuse and injustice related to the Resilient Natural Resources Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project in Tanzania," a World Bank spokesperson was quoted in the report as saying. "We have recently received information that suggests breaches of our policies in the implementation of the REGROW project. We have therefore decided to suspend further disbursement of funds with immediate effect."
The suspension of the financing reportedly took effect on April 18.
Tanzania was scheduled to receive an additional $50 million after already receiving $100 million of the funding. Developments encompass the construction of roads, building viewing areas and visitor centers, as well as improving animal monitoring and enhancing security measures.
Last September, the US-based think tank the Oakland Institute reported on the various instances of abuse by police and US-based safari company Thomson Safaris towards villagers who were accused of encroaching on the national park. These abuses included the killing of cattle herders and fishermen, confiscation of livestock, and sexual assault against women.
The institute welcomed the "long overdue" decision, calling it "a crucial step towards accountability and justice." However, it claimed that the bank's "failure to take immediate action resulted in serious harms for the local communities," which continue to happen, according to the think tank's recent report.
The REGROW project was approved in September 2017. According to the World Bank, its primary goal is to strengthen the management of natural resources and tourism assets in specific regions of southern Tanzania. Additionally, the project aims to enhance the availability of alternative forms of income for local communities.