The Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project was set up to improve management of natural resources and tourist sites in southern Tanzania, according to the World Bank. But the Oakland Institute, a US-based think tank, last year made accusations of forced evictions and human rights abuses against communities living near Ruaha National Park, which the government plans to expand as part of the project. The World Bank said it was "deeply concerned by allegations of abuse and injustice" related to REGROW. "The projects we finance are designed to support the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable, and we have strong policies in place to identify and avoid adverse impacts," a spokesperson wrote in an email to AFP. "We recently received information suggesting a breach of our policy in the implementation of the REGROW project. We have therefore decided to suspend all further disbursements with immediate effect," the spokesperson said. The Oakland Institute said in a statement that the project had affected tens of thousands of Tanzanians and that World Bank funding had "facilitated large-scale human rights violations" in communities around Ruaha. According to the think tank, the Tanzanian government plans to forcibly relocate more than 20,000 people to expand the park, and there have been documented cases of "widespread violence and livestock confiscation" by park rangers. "The World Bank's belated decision to suspend this abusive project is a crucial step towards accountability and justice," Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, said in the statement. "It sends a strong message to the Tanzanian government that there are consequences for its repeated human rights violations across the country in the name of tourism," she added. The East African country is famed for its wildlife-rich national parks, including the Serengeti, and is also home to Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Indian Ocean islands including Zanzibar. The tourism sector generated $3.37 billion (3.14 billion euros) in 2023, with foreign arrivals increasing by 24 percent, according to official figures. Read Also: At least 66 dead in Tanzania in April due to heavy rains (Portuguese version)