Across India, the Mau Forest and Lake Bogoria in Kenya, and Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Indigenous communities are being evicted, harassed, and cut off from their ancestral lands—all in the name of “conservation.” These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a global crisis. In these powerful video testimonials, Indigenous people speak out about the violence and injustice they face under fortress conservation. Their stories demand attention—and action.
Voices from the frontlines
Mau Forest, Kenya
Ogiek community members share their ongoing struggle against displacement and their deep connection to the forest.
Leina talks about the Ogiek’s attempts to resist eviction from Kenya’s Mau Forest.
Samuel, an Ogiek from the Mau Forest, talks about how the Ogiek are the most qualified to protect the forest.
Joseph, an Ogiek from Mau Forest in Kenya.
Samuel Mengwari, talks about the Ogiek’s eviction from the Mau Forest in Kenya.
Jenu Kuruba, India
Jenu Kuruba representatives Choudamma and Shivu speak about the role of the Wildlife Conservation Society in their community's relocation from protected areas.
Shivu, a Jenu Kuruba youth leader, talks about his tribes eviction from their ancestral land. Credit: Melanie Nielsen Emonet
Choudamma, a Jenu Kuruba, explains how the Wildlife Conservation Society aides the Indian government in the relocation of Indigenous Peoples.
Ngorongoro Conservation area, tanzania
Maasai leader Joseph Ole Simel recounts the eviction of his community to make way for tourism-driven conservation efforts.
Lake Bogoria, Kenya
Kiptoo of the Endorois people discusses the loss of their homeland due to the establishment of a game reserve.