LEAT Releases 2002-2003 Biennial Report

LEAT has released its 2002-2003 Biennial Report [PDF, 740KB], which is available from this website in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF).

The Report contains statements from the Board of Directors and the Executive Director, and four major content sections:

• Background infromation on LEAT
• The performance of the organization, including projects and research activities
• Achievements of the organization
• List of funders

Download the LEAT 2002-2003 Biennial Report [PDF, 740KB]

Statement from the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Since its founding in April 1994 LEAT has tirelessly campaigned for the sound management of our country’s environment, and protection of Tanzania’s unrivaled natural resources. The past 2 years (i.e. 2002 and 2003) saw LEAT in the forefront in taking action to ensure that our country’s natural resources are well managed and utilized in a manner that will not prejudice the livelihood and the rights of the Tanzanian people.

As part of implementing this objective, in late July and early August 2003, LEAT submitted two complaints related to human rights abuses at two gold mines (in Nzega and Tarime districts respectively) to the Tanzania Human Rights and Good Governance Commission. The complaints were filed on behalf of thousands of affected persons from Nyabigena and Nyabirama in Tarime and Nzega districts. The complaints are asking the Commission to order the concerned mining companies to pay compensation as mandated by domestic and international human rights law.

LEAT also continued to expand its regional focus by collaborating with its long time partners, ACODE and GreenWatch of Uganda and RECONCILE of Kenya in carrying out groundbreaking research on an institutional and legal framework for trans-boundary natural resources management and its impact on food security in the East Africa Region. The three East Africa countries share many natural resources yet a coherent institutional and legal framework for its management is lacking. The three research report and the proposed regional protocol to harmonize management will be the key outcomes of this project and these will be submitted to the East Africa Community.

LEAT also continue to offer legal advice to many communities around the country about their environmental rights. It offered legal rights training to Rufiji Delta communities about their right to manage natural resources found in their areas including making of by-laws. This enabled the villagers to prevent illegal or over logging in their areas. LEAT conducted similar training in Musoma, Loliondo, Same and Mwanga Districts to communities around the threatened Lake Jipe. LEAT also continued offering legal aid to Vingunguti residents who in 2000, filed a case against Dar es Salaam City Council and Ilala Municipal Council in the High Court of Tanzania. In October 2001, the High Court of Tanzania issued an injunction against the Dar es Salaam City Council and the Ilala Municipal Council to stop dumping the wastes in Vingunguti. This has marked the end of dumping activities in Vingunguti. LEAT and the residents are now engaged in settlement discussion with the two councils to settle the case out of Court and ensure that dumping site is closed scientifically. LEAT is also offering the same legal aid to the Buhongwa ward residents in Mwanza who are facing similar problems whereby the Mwanza City Council is dumping wastes in Buhongwa village which has caused substantial environmental degradation.

As we look forward the year 2004 we at LEAT want to commit ourselves to protecting our country’s environment and to this end we will continue to campaign for the enactment of the environmental law which is our number one strategic objective in our Strategic Plan of 2002-2006. LEAT will also tirelessly continue to campaign for the amendment of the Mining Act of 1998 and attendant financial and tax laws, which have paved the way for massive exploitation of Tanzania’s mineral resources without substantial benefits to the country and its people. The Mining Act, 1998, Financial Laws Miscellaneous Amendment Act are in total violation of Article 27 of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977 which requires that the country’s natural resources must be assiduously utilized. LEAT will continue to fight for the rights of small scale miners and also encourage them to apply environmentally friendly technologies.

Many donors have funded and supported LEAT’s work over the years and we wish to thank them for their financial support. The Ford Foundation, USAID/Tanzania through the World Resources Institute, USAID/REDSO through Pact Kenya, Blacksmith Institute of USA, ELAW-US, NOVIB of Netherlands, Friends Foundation, and European Union through the African Resources Trust of Zimbabwe. Their support has helped to propel LEAT to become the premier environmental law organization in the East Africa region. To all of them on behalf of all of us at LEAT I say Asante sana!

Lastly, I would like to ask all of you, our esteemed readers, to continue supporting LEAT so as to enable it to continue protecting Tanzania’s unique and unparalleled environment.

Vincent Shauri
Executive Director 10th Jan. 2004