The travel industry of German has warned Kenya that its image as a tourist destination will be affected if it does not find a quick solution for the current evictions of the Samburu tribe. A number of brutal evictions by the Kenya police have forced a big number of people that belong to the tribe from Eland Downs. Their houses have been burnt, livestock stolen and people have been beaten. Land has also been bought by The Nature Conservancy and the African Wildlife foundation. 17,100 hectares of land has been endorsed so that the Kenyans can create a new national park to boost tourism.
DRV’s President Jürgen Büchy in German said the Germans have always considered Kenya as a very important tourist destination. When the tourism is developed at the cost of human rights and local communities, the German travel industry does not support it.
The DRV represents 80% of the Germany tour operators and travel agents and in 2010; the Germans spent $600 billion Euros on foreign trips compared to other countries. The president of DRV has told the governments of Kenya to allow the Samburu go back to Eland Downs and to let them contribute in the preservation of the wildlife in Laikipia.
The government has not yet said anything about the above to the German Travel Association and Stephen Cory a director said it has been wonderful for the German travel industry to take the issue of human rights in Kenya very seriously. So the government does not have to abuse human rights in the name of tourism so the Samburu should be allowed to resettle on their land and any tourism that may happen on the land should be with their permission.
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