An African conservation organisation has admitted that some of its park rangers committed serious human rights violations against indigenous communities at a national park in the Republic of Congo.
African Parks, which manages protected areas across the continent and counts Prince Harry among its board members, acknowledged on Thursday that an independent investigation had verified allegations of abuse at the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in northern Congo.
“African Parks acknowledges that, in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred, and we deeply regret the pain and suffering these have caused to the victims,” the group, headquartered in Johannesburg, said in a statement.
Though it did not specify the details, international media reports—including Britain’s Mail on Sunday and Germany’s Tagesschau—revealed disturbing allegations from members of the Baka community, an indigenous group living near the park. These included claims of rape, beatings, torture, and even unlawful killings, allegedly perpetrated by rangers employed by African Parks.
One particularly harrowing account described by Tagesschau said that a local man was subjected to waterboarding by rangers after entering a highly protected area of the park. While foraging is allowed on the outskirts, deeper zones are off-limits to local communities.
The charity said it became aware of the allegations in mid-2023 and tasked the London-based law firm Omnia Strategy with carrying out an independent investigation. Over 16 months, the firm reviewed 21 specific claims involving various forms of abuse, including physical and sexual violence.
While African Parks admitted that the probe uncovered systemic failures, it did not release the full findings or the recommendations from the investigation.
In response to the revelations, the organisation said it would create an independent oversight panel to handle future investigations into serious complaints and ensure disciplinary action is taken against staff involved in previously unaddressed or unknown incidents.
Prince Harry, who previously served as the charity’s president, joined its board of directors in 2023. African Parks currently operates 22 protected areas in 12 African nations.
The Odzala-Kokoua park, located in the Congo Basin—the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest—is known for its unique biodiversity, including critically endangered gorillas and forest elephants.
