Public Statements

President John Magufuli SLP 9120 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Re: An Open Letter to the Tanzanian government with regard to its response to the Oakland Institute’s report, Losing the Serengeti Dear President Magufuli, On May 10, 2018, the Oakland Institute released Losing the Serengeti: The Maasai Land that was to Run Forever.

The Oakland Institute applauds the passage of House Resolution 128, Supporting respect for human rights and encouraging inclusive governance in Ethiopia. Introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the bill was co-sponsored by at least 108 members of Congress.

Today, the Oakland Institute urges Congress to pass House Resolution 128, Supporting respect for human rights and encouraging inclusive governance in Ethiopia.

We write to you regarding Green Resources plantation forestry and carbon credit project in Kachung, Uganda. As CEO of Green Resources, we are sure you are aware that in 2015, the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA), your sole carbon credit buyer, suspended payments because of the direct adverse impact of your forestry project upon local populations. We write to draw your attention to some key information related to this matter.

Over the past weeks, we have been humbled by the leadership of young people across the US, demanding that our country finally take action on gun control. Youth have always been at the forefront of social movements. From the Birmingham Children's Crusade and the Little Rock Nine, to the youth who led protests after the murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO, to the DACA protesters, who have fearlessly come forward to demand their rights to thrive in the US — youth have so often envisioned a more just world, and effectively mobilized masses to demand change.

Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director, The Oakland Institute Congressman Ellison & Congressman Coffman, Congressional staffers, and the Ethiopian diaspora, thank you for this opportunity to share Oakland Institute’s experience and our concerns about land rights and the human rights situation in Ethiopia. Ethiopia was the world’s second largest recipient of development aid, having received $4.1 billion in aid in 2016. United States is the largest bilateral donor to Ethiopia — giving $865.65 million in 2016, the highest since 2010.

Att: Erik Brandsma, Caroline Asserup, Christina Ljunggren and Kenneth Möllersten, Swedish Energy Agency Subject: Green Resources’ non-compliance to Swedish Energy Agency’s demands Dear Erik Brandsma, Caroline Asserup, Christina Ljunggren and Kenneth Möllersten, Given the Swedish Energy Agency’s decision in 2015 to suspend payments for carbon credit from Green Resources’ plantations in Uganda, we are writing to bring to your attention the following information.

L’Anywaa Survival Organisation, l’Ethiopian Anuak Development Foundation et l’Anuak Community Association in North America, forts du soutien de la société civile internationale et des leaders de la communauté anuak du monde entier, exhortent les gouvernements éthiopien et indien à arrêter leurs négociations avec Karuturi Global Ltd et à faire en sorte que l’entreprise quitte définitivement Gambela et les autres régions d’Éthiopie.

Anywaa Survival Organisation, Ethiopian Anuak Development Foundation and Anuak Community Association in North America, with the strong support of international civil society and Anuak community leaders worldwide, call on the governments of Ethiopia and India to cease negotiations with Karuturi Global Ltd and to ensure that the company fully exits Gambela and other parts of Ethiopia. The governments of both these countries must hold the company accountable for the destruction to local peoples’ livelihoods, environment, bio-diversity and eco-system.

Manuela Ferro Vice President of Operations Policy and Country Services World Bank 1818 H St. NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Re: Environmental and Social Standards Guidance Notes Dear Ms. Ferro, We wish to express our deep concerns with the current draft Guidance Notes for Borrowers recently released by the World Bank for public comment. While we appreciate the opportunity to finally review and comment on these Notes, our understanding of their aim and scope has not been realized.