A flagship conservation park in the Republic of the Congo—co-managed by a global wildlife group with Prince Harry on its board—has formally acknowledged that its rangers committed grave human rights violations against Indigenous populations displaced by the park’s creation.
In a joint statement released on Thursday, African Parks, a prominent non-profit conservation organization based in South Africa, admitted that some of its guards at Odzala-Kokoua National Park were involved in incidents of rape, torture, and forced evictions of Indigenous people, many of whom lived on the land long before the park’s establishment.
“We acknowledge that human rights abuses have occurred in certain incidents, and we deeply regret the pain and suffering inflicted on the victims,” the statement read, issued in collaboration with UK-based law firm Omnia Strategy.
The park, which covers vast tracts of rainforest in northern Congo, has long been hailed as a success story in African conservation efforts. However, an internal investigation initiated by African Parks following pressure from Survival International, a global Indigenous rights watchdog, revealed troubling practices by park rangers reportedly under the group’s direct management.
While the final report remains classified, early findings reportedly confirm allegations raised as far back as 2023—including beatings, sexual violence, and displacements carried out during anti-poaching patrols. Survival International also accused African Parks of being aware of such incidents as early as 2013, based on testimony from former researchers.
“This is not a one-off case. African Parks has been made aware of these abuses for over a decade, yet very little action was taken until public pressure mounted,” said Jonathan Mazower, a spokesperson for Survival International.
The controversy has also placed renewed scrutiny on Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who joined the Board of Directors of African Parks in 2017 and has championed conservation across the continent. Though there is no evidence to suggest Prince Harry was personally involved in the park’s day-to-day operations, his high-profile association with the group has sparked concern among human rights organizations.
“As a board member and a global humanitarian figure, Prince Harry has a responsibility to demand full transparency and accountability from African Parks,” Mazower added.
Founded in 2000, African Parks has gained a reputation for taking over troubled conservation areas across Africa, often bringing in strict paramilitary-style management to curb poaching and environmental degradation. In exchange, host governments grant the organization wide latitude to manage staff and enforcement procedures, while retaining nominal ownership of the land.
While this approach has shown results in biodiversity protection, critics argue it often sidelines or endangers Indigenous populations who rely on these lands for cultural and subsistence purposes.
“Conservation must not come at the cost of human dignity and rights,” said a Congolese human rights advocate who requested anonymity due to safety concerns.
Calls for Transparency and Reform
The acknowledgment by African Parks is seen as a rare moment of accountability in the conservation world, where alleged abuses often go undocumented or ignored. Yet the full findings of the internal investigation have not been released, and victims’ testimonies remain underrepresented in the public record.
Survival International has called for an independent, publicly accessible inquiry and full reparations for affected communities.
As of press time, no official comment has been issued by the Congolese government regarding the matter. Prince Harry’s office has also not responded to media inquiries.
What Lies Ahead?
The Odzala-Kokoua revelations have reignited debate over how conservation projects are implemented in Africa—and who truly benefits from them.
For now, the Indigenous communities once evicted from their ancestral lands wait for more than just an apology—they wait for justice.
