Prince Harry warned to stand down after his wildlife charity hit by vile torture claims, says royal expert
PRINCE Harry is being urged to stand down from his wildlife charity after it was again hit with horror claims.
African Parks was on Friday accused of torturing suspected poachers and raping tribes people.
The vile allegations came just weeks after the Duke of Sussex was warned he should walk away from the organisation over similar claims.
Harry, 39, is on the board of African Parks – and had been the president for six terms until last year.
But royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams says the prince needs to consider his future with the charity – which works to rehabilitate and manage national parks.
He said there was “absolutely no question” that Harry needs to speak up – or stand down.
The organisation was last May hit with sick claims of Baka women being raped and men having their heads put under river water in the Republic of Congo.
In the wake of that, Harry’s Archewell Foundation said he had escalated the allegations to the CEO and board chairman.
Now dozens of alleged witnesses have come forward with fresh claims.
The latest allegations emerged in a new book Entrepreneurs in the Wild by Dutch journalist Olivier van Beemen, who spent three years investigating the charity.
He collected first-hand testimonies from victims, abuse perpetrators, as well as former and present rangers at African Parks.
Royal commentator Fitzwilliams said now is the time Harry should speak up – or stand down.
He told The Sun: “There are further allegations, allegations of tortures, and so forth, that, again will increase pressure on Prince Harry to stand down from the board at least while these investigations continue.
“There’s no doubt also that if he doesn’t stand down, he should stand aside.
“There should undoubtedly be a response especially since Harry is so keen on conservation and so keen on this particular issue.”
Richard added: “There should be some action on Harry’s part.
“There’s absolutely no question that there should now be a response from him.”
Among new allegations is the use of “the swing” method.
It allegedly involves hogtying a victim, suspending them in the air and spinning them as they’re beaten with sticks.
What is African Parks?
Its website says: “African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities.
“We currently manage 22 national parks and protected areas in 12 countries covering over 20 million hectares in: Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“The organisation was founded in 2000 in response to the dramatic decline of protected areas due to poor management and lack of funding.
“African Parks utilises a clear business approach to conserving Africa’s wildlife and remaining wild areas, securing vast landscapes and carrying out the necessary activities needed to protect the parks and their wildlife.
“African Parks maintains a strong focus on economic development and poverty alleviation of surrounding communities to ensure that each park is ecologically, socially, and financially sustainable in the long-term.
“Our goal is to manage 30 parks by 2030, the geographic spread of protected areas and representation of different ecoregions makes this the largest and most ecologically diverse portfolio of parks under management by any one NGO on the continent.”
The method, known as ‘kampelwa’, forces people to speak, it is claimed.
Foster Kalunga, a charity ranger in Zambia for five years until 2022, said of “the swing” method in Liuwa Plain national park: “It doesn’t last long because it hurts a lot.
“When he hangs there he says everything you want, even things he doesn’t know.”
African Parks is based in South Africa but works across the continent.
The charity, funded by British aid, celebs and American billionaires, works to rehabilitate and manage national parks in partnership with governments and local communities.
Etienne Koliwa, an ex-employee at Garamba park in the DRC, said an aggressive military approach to protecting wildlife is installed by instructors.
They are usually from Israel, France or South Africa and a poacher is “the enemy” who must be “neutralised”, claimed Mr Koliwa.
There’s no doubt also that if he doesn’t stand down, he should stand aside.
Richard Fitzwilliams
African Parks said that Koliwa was dismissed for poaching a buffalo and a warthog while on patrol.
Responding to the claims, African Parks said the author was biased and said his book was “deeply flawed”.
The charity added: “African Parks has been in operation for more than 20 years, with long-term agreements with 12 different sovereign governments and numerous traditional authorities.
“We have received funding from most of the global institutions … all of which require detailed vetting processes, as well as intermittent grant audits.”
In January there were calls for Harry to walk away from the organisation.
It came after one Baka man claimed: “African Parks are killing us slowly.
“We’re suffering so much that we might as well be dead.”
Another said: “The past was far better for us – and the reason is all down to African Parks.”
At the time, African Parks said investigating the claims was its “highest priority”.
Caroline Pearce, of charity Survival International, said: “We’re calling on him to step down.”
Harry, through the Archewell Foundation, said: “When the Duke became aware of these serious allegations, he immediately escalated them to the CEO and chairman of the board of African Parks, the appropriate people to handle next steps.”
Prince Harry has nothing left in UK, says expert
By Morgan Johnson & Matt Wilkinson
PRINCE Harry has no link left to the UK as his relationship with William becomes irreparable, says a royal expert.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, has severed all remaining ties with Britain – and seemingly his family – as he declares “New Country/State Usually Resident” on US docs.
Simon Vigar has told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show there is no going back when it comes to Harry’s relationship with big brother Wills – following years of twisted digs and remarks thrown at the royals by the Duke.
Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson, Vigar also claims Harry’s lack of royal duty input is down to the estrangement.
He said: “Prince Harry doesn’t have a pigeon hole or a desk at St James’ Palace for correspondence but I think that reflects the estrangement.
“The very big estrangement with William, there doesn’t seem to be any repair to that relationship, sadly.
“And with the King, obviously he saw him briefly, very very briefly in February, and not since then.
“But you know hopefully they are in touch by phone.”
Simon went on to say the rift between Harry and his now-distant family was “completely avoidable” however, “too much” has happened now to rebuild bridges.
He added: “It’s a shame. I think the whole thing is really sad and was completely avoidable.
“But too much has been said and done now. It happens in lots of families but not on this sort of public scale.
“I think with William and Harry in particular, too much has been said for it to ever go back to the way it was sadly.”