US tycoon faces claims of rights abuse in Rukwa

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Aug 2, 2010
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By MIKE MANDE

Posted Saturday, July 7 2012 at 14:32

The farming tycoon Bruce Rastetter, who is investing $100 million in leasing over 800,000 acres of land in Rukwa region, southwestern Tanzania, is being accused of human rights abuses by a US lobby.

In a new report to be published this Monday, July 9, Rastetter is accused of evicting more than 160,000 residents of Katumba and Mishamo in the Southern Highland of the country.

The report, Lives on Hold, by the Oakland Institute, is being released in co-ordination with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI). CCI members say they have filed an official conflict of interest complaint against Rastetter with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

They are lobbying for the investor to be removed as Iowa Board of Regents president pro tem.

Ross Grooters, CCI member from Pleasant Hill, Iowa told The EastAfrican that the new investigation report shows that Iowa regent Bruce Rastetter is responsible for ongoing human rights abuses in Tanzania and is another black eye to the international reputation of the state of Iowa.

Mr Grooters said the tycoon must resign from the Board of Regents or be removed from public office immediately.

According to the report, the residents will be moved from the area without public debate or consent and are now facing an uncertain future as they remain in the dark over compensation and relocation plans.

"Caught in the crossfire of this egregious land deal are more than 160,000 newly naturalised Tanzanians - former Burundian refugees who fled civil war more than 40 years ago," said Mr Grooters.

Rastetter is leasing the land through the Iowa-based AgriSol Energy LLC, of which he is a co-founder.

The AgriSol land deal is part of Kilimo Kwanza or Agriculture First, a government scheme to promote agricultural development through public-private partnerships.

In the report, the Oakland Institute exposes the involvement of Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to provide legitimacy to a land grab in Tanzania.

Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, says the project in Tanzania was initially masquerading as responsible agricultural investment. The university withdrew any support or association with the project in February 2012 under growing public pressure.


Ms Mittal, who is a co-author of the report, says that while AgriSol claims to have halted operations in Katumba and Mishamo until the refugees have been relocated, Lives on Hold depicts how the relocation is to be accomplished.


The Oakland Institute is an independent policy think tank with a focus on social, economic, and environmental issues.




 

I did not know KILIMO KWANZA we invited foreign investors to take over our lands; so what happened to the tractors

the President did buy for our local farmers?

Any Capitalist Abuse their workers for profit Maximization; We will soon realize Nyerere spoils Tanzanian Farmers and

Workers
 
Kama kawaida, hata mambo yanayowahusu wazawa wa nchi hii, ni mashirika na vyombo vya habari vya nje vinavyoyafichua wakati serikali yetu tukufu, serikali iliyochaguliwa na watu kwa ajili kuwatumikia watu,serikali ambayo raisi wake aliahidi kuilinda katiba na kuwatumikia Watanzania,serikali iliyoahidi "Maisha bora kwa kila Mtanzania" imenyamaza kimya.

Hapa nakumbuka wimbo wa kuomboleza kifo cha marehemu Mwalim Julius K. Nyeyere:
"Sasa twende wapi tukapate ushauri,
Kiza kimetanda hatujui pa kukamata."
 
UTAIFA TUMEUPOTEZA SASA UNATEGEMEA NINI.....Aya sasa kama serikali yetu hii ikijaribu tu kumfanya huyu bepari kinyume na matakwa yake basi SENETA mmoja atamuandikia RAIS barua ya either imuachie huyo bepari au kuface sanction au kunyimwa misaada hizo ndo sera zao na sisi tunashangilia kwa uonevu km huu.....umasikini ni mbaya ila umasikini wa akili hasa wakutotambua jema na baya huo ndo umasikini mkubwa kiliko
 
KilimoKwanza=landgrab.
There should be zero tolerance for land grabbers in Tanzania!! The land is all you got! Keep it people!! Protect it!!! Someone needs to check on the Kilimo Kwanza $50M contract on tractors. DID the tractors ever arrive and how much did they cost?
 
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