Prince Harry's Conservation Charity Admits Human Rights Violations in Congo

A major conservation charity affiliated with Prince Harry, African Parks, has admitted to human rights abuses by its rangers in Congo-Brazzaville. The organization faces criticism for not disclosing detailed findings from an independent review into the allegations, raising concerns about accountability and the treatment of indigenous communities.

A significant conservation charity linked to Prince Harry, African Parks, has publicly acknowledged that human rights abuses were indeed committed by its rangers in Congo-Brazzaville. This admission follows an independent review prompted by serious allegations from the Baka community, which accused the rangers of heinous acts including physical assaults, waterboarding, and sexual violence to restrict their access to ancestral lands now designated as a conservation area.

The Mail on Sunday published a damning report last year narrating the accusations from community members. In response, African Parks commissioned an independent review, which was executed by Omnia Strategy LLP, a London law firm led by Cherie Blair. However, instead of disclosing the review’s full findings, African Parks merely issued a statement confirming that abuses occurred within the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, which it administers, while omitting any specifics regarding the nature of the abuses.

Omnia had been conducting its investigation since December 2023, but no details have been shared publicly. Recent inquiries from the BBC to both Omnia and affiliated barristers for the investigation were met with a refusal to comment outside their initial statement. Efforts by BBC to reach Prince Harry for remarks also saw no response.

In light of the serious allegations, African Parks claims it has bolstered its safeguarding protocols over the past five years within the national park and across its operations. Among the new measures, the organization has appointed an anthropologist to better support Baka communities and plans to collaborate with local human rights NGOs for further assistance along with an independent human rights impact assessment.

Survival International, an advocacy group for indigenous people, has criticized African Parks for the lack of transparency regarding the investigation’s results. The organization contends that despite African Parks' stated commitment to enhancing practices and guidelines, such strategies have historically failed to prevent grave human rights violations and abuses that have persisted for over a decade.

The allegations against African Parks first came to light in 2013, with the organization asserting that it had attempted to engage with Survival International for further details at the time, which Survival claims it could not disclose for fear of retribution against its sources in the community.

Headquartered in Johannesburg, African Parks is one of Africa’s largest conservation organizations, managing 23 protected areas across 13 countries. Prince Harry has been involved with the charity since 2016, achieving a position on its Board of Directors in 2023 after previously serving as president.

The charity lists several prominent donors including the European Union and major philanthropists, highlighting an annual funding provision exceeding $500,000 (£375,000). As widespread scrutiny mounts over the treatment of the Baka people, the need for accountability and transparency from African Parks remains a pressing concern within conservation and human rights dialogues.