Published on August 6, 2024, Amnesty International's new report, entitled 'Business as usual in bloodied land? The role of businesses in forced evictions in Loliondo, Tanzania', reveals that Ortello Business Corporation (OBC), a private company that offers trophy hunts and linked to the UAE royal family, is involved in the forced eviction of the Maasai. OBC accompanies the Tanzanian security forces and allows the authorities to set up camps on its properties during all evictions. At a minimum, this indicates that OBC is aware of the involvement of security forces in these operations. As much as possible, that the company is not only aware, but also facilitates the participation of security forces. Other tourism companies, such as TAASA Lodge and &BEYOND, also operate in the region from which the Masai are expelled.

“Since 2009, the Tanzanian authorities have used mistreatment, excessive force, arbitrary arrests and detentions in an effort to expel the Maasai, while leasing their land to private companies. Most worryingly, they are carrying out these evictions citing the need for "conservation", when in reality they are allowing OBC to engage in abusive or illegal trophy hunting activities, in blatant violation of Tanzania's wildlife conservation laws," said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International's East and Southern Africa Program Director. [...]

Business and Human Rights Resource Centre reached out to the company for a response. The company did not respond