If we've become inured to the plight of our own countrymen being kicked out of their own homes by predatory banksters, something tells me not too many Americans rushed to the Tanzanian embassy at 1232 22nd St NW in DC or to the consulate at 201 East 42nd Street in Manhattan to protest the eviction of 40,000 Masai from their ancestral homeland bordering the world-famous Serengeti national park, to make room for a Dubai royal family private hunting preserve. They have until the end of the year to vacate the premises. The Tanzanian government, to make it up to the displaced Masai, have offered around half a million dollars in contributions towards development projects meant to benefit the tribe.
“I feel betrayed,” said Samwel Nangiria, co-ordinator of the local Ngonett civil society group. “One billion is very little and you cannot compare that with land. It’s inherited. Their mothers and grandmothers are buried in that land. There’s nothing you can compare with it.”Nangiria said he believes the government never truly intended to abandon the scheme in the Loliondo district but was wary of global attention. “They had to pretend they were dropping the agenda to fool the international press.”He said it had proved difficult to contact the Ortelo Business Corporation (OBC), a luxury safari company set up by a UAE official close to the royal family. The OBC has operated in Loliondo for more than 20 years with clients reportedly including Prince Andrew.Activists opposing the hunting reserve have been killed by police in the past two years, according to Nangiria, who says he has received threatening calls and text messages. “For me it is dangerous on a personal level. They said: ‘We discovered you are the mastermind, you want to stop the government using the land’. Another said: ‘You have decided to shorten your life. The hands of the government are too long. Put your family ahead of the Masai.’”Nangiria is undeterred. “I will fight for my community. I’m more energetic than I was. The Masai would like to ask the prime minister about the promise. What happened to the promise? Was it a one-year promise or forever? Perhaps he should put the promise in writing.”This will be the last time the Masai settle for talks, he added, before pursuing other methods including a court injunction. They could also be an influential voting bloc in next year’s elections.An international campaign against the hunting reserve was led last year by the online activism site Avaaz.org, whose Stop the Serengeti Sell-off petition attracted more than 1.7 million signatures and led to coordinated email and Twitter protests.Alex Wilks, campaign director for Avaaz, said: “The Masai stare out from every tourism poster, but Tanzania’s government wants to kick them off their land so foreign royalty can hunt elephants there. Almost two million people around the world have backed the Masai’s call for president Jakaya Kikwete to fulfil his promise to let them stay where they’ve always lived. Treating the Masai as the great unwanted would be a disaster for Tanzania’s reputation.”A spokesperson for Tanzania’s natural resources and tourism ministry said : “It’s the first I’ve heard of it. I’m currently out of the office and can’t comment properly.”
As a result of the ensuing media attention, Gulf hunting culture in Africa has been exposed in its starkest, ugliest form. Arabs in their Ray Bans with their new money and shotguns on the one side, and the exploited Masai on the other.
It would be easy to dismiss this as an example of the filthy rich doing what they do best-- trampling over the rights of others in order to have a good time. It’s a little bit more complicated than that, however. None of these expeditions would happen without government sanction and, indeed, encouragement. It’s easy money for cash-strapped African treasuries. And if the hunters seem to have no respect for the traditions of those whose property and way of life they know will be sacrificed, that is only because of the eagerness of Tanzanian politicians to strike a deal; for them, the relocation of a few people (40,000, in this case) is deemed a price worth paying.There is without doubt a “cheque-cutting” relationship between some African countries, specifically those in the east and north of the continent and in the Gulf, where random amounts of money are handed over in dodgy transactions that are neither aid nor debt. And the deals made are usually at the expense of the citizens these governments are supposed to represent.When Osama bin Laden-- incidentally also fond of hunting in Sudan-- sought refuge in Khartoum, it was mistakenly seen as an indication of the Sudanese government’s sympathy with his ideology. In fact, his money was the main attraction. At one point it was reported that bin Laden was the single largest landowner in the country. When he was forced out, the land reverted to the government and he was never compensated. There is a view-- and perhaps this acts as an incentive, who knows?-- that those from the Gulf who choose to do business in Africa are, shall we say, easily parted from their money.As far as local intermediaries are concerned, these hunters are simply the latest bunch of rich eccentrics, coming to or travelling through Africa either to hunt like the white explorers and colonialists, or go on safaris like honeymooners.In countries with few other resources, the land’s natural gifts are one means of earning money. And the Arabian peninsula has a long history of trade with east Africa, just across the Red Sea. The Arabic language as well as Islam travelled with traders to and from the region. Even the word Swahili is derived from the Arabic for coastal. This relationship has always had an exploitive edge, particularly when slaves and material resources have been concerned. There is arguably still a certain sense of entitlement among the Gulf Arabs, not unrelated to racial disdain. But in this case it is as much the greed of the Tanzanian government that perpetuates the anguish of the Masai as it is the desire of Arabs to make a playground out of Africa.
Last week-- entirely unsolicited, I promise-- the new issue of Modern Luxury's Angeleno arrived. I don't allow electronic devises in the bathrooms-- other than shavers; I read magazines that find their way to my doorstep instead, even Angeleno. This one is called "the Philanthropy Issue." Big bold letters across the front cover make that perfectly clear. Inside... less clear.Attempting to navigate between the pages and pages and pages of ads and the articles that are barely discernible from ads, we come to columns about worthy events that seem like an excuse to write about the L.A. jet set:
Among the A-listers who turned out for Operation Smile’s annual gala, held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, were actor David Charvet and his wife (and the event’s emcee), Brooke Burke Charvet, along with honorees Access Hollywood anchor Billy Bush and Days of Our Lives Executive Producer Ken Corday. More than $1 million was raised for the 32-year-old international children’s charity that has performed more than 220,000 free surgical procedures to repair cleft palates and other facial deformities. A silent auction and cocktail reception kicked off the event, which was followed by dinner, the program and a post-dinner raffle, which included gorgeous bespoke diamond jewelry by Le Dragon d’Or. NBC Entertainment’s Jennifer Salke made a touching speech about her son, Henry, who was diagnosed with a cleft palate and made an astounding impact on Operation Smile, raising more than $100,000 through his own initiatives.
Or the party supported by "the culinary world's top talents" for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, hosted by Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne, and David Lentz. They raised $700,000 for childhood cancer research. A live auction for a private dinner prepared by Goin, Giada De Laurentis, April Bloomfield and Nancy Oakes "sold for $40,000-- talk about girl power." So, yes, philanthropy. Someone donated $40,000 for childhood cancer research for that dinner. That is awesome! The readers, one could reasonably suspect, might have more in common with the louche Dubai hunters in Tanzania than with the awesome $40,000 donor. This isn't even an ad per se. Who would pass over a chance to own this $90,000... thing (at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills)?
There’s far more than meets the eye to the Magnipheasant Feathers collar from British jeweler Stephen Webster. The aptly named pièce de résistance pays homage to the glorious game bird. A single glance at the hand-selected marquise-cut amethyst, citrine, blue topaz, rhodolite, red garnet, iolite and peridot gemstones, tipped in black pavé diamonds and set in 18K white gold, confirms that this bauble is every bit as regal and exotic as its muse. And, just like the fine-plumed bird, it flaunts a most alluring tail-- only this one can be removed from the piece and worn separately as a pendant. Now, if that’s not enough to ruffle your feathers, we don’t know what is.
Other non-ads displayed a $640 Interecciato brushed steel dog bowl (from Bottega Veneta), an Egocentrismo umbrella stand for $1,205 by Fornasetti at Barney's, a fair of "fossilized dinosaur bone double pentagonal earrings with 18K recycled oxidized white gold" for just $4,700 at Barney's, and a hand-painted alligator Bloomsbury bag at Burberry for $37,000. Or how about helping welcome Westime's 4th L.A. location to Malibu. Which belongs on the wrist of one of the Dubai hinters-- the MB&F (Maximilian Büsser and Friends) design for $92,000 or this thing from Audemars Piguet?
"There are only 15 of these available in the world," says Ron Groezinger, a Westime sales associate who puts on black gloves to reveal a massive Audemars Piguet tourbillon chronograph ($288,000), proving that the shop's inventory is as impressive as its new views.
