LHRC ALARMED BY SAFETY CONCERNS FACING ITS STAFF AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST JOSEPH MOSES OLESHANGAY.

We, Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), are concerned about the safety of our staff, Joseph Moses Oleshangay, a long-serving employee who has worked in various capacities and is currently serving as a lawyer under the land unit in the Arusha Branch office. 

Joseph is a Maasai by origin and was born and raised in the Endulen Ward, Ngorongoro district in the Arusha region. Due to his profession and position, he has provided legal assistance and advice to his Maasai community, especially those residing within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCAA), where he lives.  

Since 2022, the Government has been conducting what it calls a ‘voluntary relocation’ exercise of residents from the Ngorongoro area. Joseph assisted his community in the process, earning him a local and international following, include winning the Weimar Human Rights Award in Germany in December 2023.  

Additionally, Joseph was named Human Rights Defender of the Month by Defend Defenders, an organisation that promotes and protects human rights defenders in the East and Horn of Africa. However, since 2023, Joseph's safety has been at risk, as he has been under surveillance, including receiving calls from individuals claiming to be police officers. On the afternoon of March 14th, for example, Joseph received information that he was being followed by individuals believed to be state agents, prompting him to take precautionary measures for his safety.  

On the night of March 15th, individuals claiming to be police officers arrived at his home, questioning his wife about Joseph's whereabouts without providing any explanation.  

In addition to Joseph's absence, these individuals camped outside his home from March 15th to March 18th, 2024. Joseph and his close relatives are still determining who is following him and for what reasons.  

It is worth noting that a few days before Joseph began to be followed, a message circulated on social media warning the government to take action against him, branding him a dangerous individual.  

The threatening message mentioned LHRC, the Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization's Forum (PINGO's Forum), the Pastoral Women's Council (PWC), and Susanna Nordlund, an activist, as institutions and individuals supporting Joseph. Although we were alarmed by this message, we did not ignore it.  

All these events have caused fear for Joseph and his family, as he has been hunted for a long time. These threats restrict Joseph's freedom to work as a lawyer and serve his community.