[Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Thomson Safaris to respond to the book, Indigenous Peoples' Experiences with Access to Remedy - Case Studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America.  In response, we received the response below & attached by Tanzania Conservation Limited.]

You asked us to respond to the concerns raised in this book... We are happy to respond as follows –
...[At] the time TBL sought land for Barley...Sukenya was a sub-village under the Soit Sambu Village...[The] Soit Sambu Village Council was the authority that governed Sukenya... Sukenya Sub-Village had 3 seats on the council, but the huge majority of the seats were taken by Soit Sambu Village Councillors... When TBL came seeking land...the Soit Sambu Village Council chose to use Laitayok land for TBL rather than to use Purko land...Naturally the Laitayok were not happy about this outcome and went to court claiming the process was not legal.... They lost because the Soit Sambu Council followed procedure... The Laitayok had to accept the situation... Tanzania is a country governed by laws and a court system.  While Tanzania invites foreign investment, the process has rules and regulations that are required to be followed.  There are repeated mentions of “alleged” and “allegations of” human rights abuses.  This is hearsay.  

Sukenya Village is now a Village in its own right, it has its own council and can control its future.  The Laitayok Clan is happy to have tourism in its village...and seek other investors.  To date our Community Tourism Project has had great success and has managed to complete the following list of buildings that have all been handed over to community, all funded with donations from tourism.  By far the longest list of completed buildings of any NGO or other entity working in the region, something we are very proud of.  These projects were requested by community. [list of schools and other community buildings follows]