Prince Harry ‘urged’ to step down from charity amid shocking claims
Prince Harry has found himself at the center of controversy as his wildlife charity, African Parks, faces disturbing allegations from indigenous communities. The Duke of Sussex, who has been actively involved with the non-profit organization for several years, currently serves as a board member and has held the role of president for a six-year tenure.
African Parks, a renowned entity responsible for managing 22 national parks and protected areas across 12 different countries, is now under scrutiny following reports published in The Guardian. These reports suggest that Prince Harry has been urged to step down from his position within the organization due to allegations of rape and abuse involving its eco-guards in the Republic of the Congo, told Mirror.
Survival International, a London-based human rights organization, revealed that they had reached out to Prince Harry in May to express their concerns regarding the violent mistreatment of the Baka people by armed guards employed by African Parks during his presidency. While Prince Harry responded to their letter within two weeks, pledging to address the concerns raised, his response was met with disappointment by Fiore Longo, the campaigns director at Survival International.
Presently, Survival International is calling for Prince Harry to resign from his role within African Parks, believing that such a move would send a powerful message that human rights violations in the name of conservation are no longer acceptable.
In response to the allegations, African Parks’ board and chief executive have announced the initiation of an internal investigation into the conduct of their eco-guards. A report by The Mail further shed light on the situation, revealing instances of abuse inflicted upon the Baka people by African Parks guards, including a woman who claims to have been raped by a guard three years ago. Her assailant was allegedly dismissed after an internal investigation and subsequently jailed for two months.