"Socfin is complying with French court rulings, even if they are all being appealed," Mr de Leusse de Syon told AFP. Socfin has now produced the requested documents, said Mr Rilov. (Photos: Hubert Fabri, head of Socfin, and Vincent Bolloré of Bolloré Group. Credits: Okomu and LeSoir/Belga)Le Parisien with AFP | 13 March 2024
(Translated by GRAIN from the original)
Palm oil: a holding company has paid 142,000 euros to Cameroonians opposed to the Bolloré group
Socapalm's exploitation of land is preventing 145 Cameroonians from gaining access to land and burial sites, and is polluting their water. After years of legal proceedings, they have won 142,000 euros from a holding company that they accuse of being controlled by the Bolloré group.
On Wednesday, the Luxembourg holding company Société financière des caoutchoucs (Socfin) paid €142,000 to Cameroonian plaintiffs, a fine imposed by the French courts for failing to produce documents that could establish its links with the French company Bolloré.
"Socfin today paid the 142,000 euros it owed to the 145 Cameroonian plaintiffs," said Fiodor Rilov, the plaintiffs' lawyer, in a statement sent to AFP. This payment was confirmed to AFP by the holding company's counsel, Dominique de Leusse de Syon.
These 145 Cameroonian villagers have been involved for many years in proceedings against Société camerounaise de palmeraies (Socapalm), which they accuse of being controlled by the Bolloré group through Socfin. The case was brought to the fore by La France Insoumise (“France Unbowed”) MP Louis Boyard in November 2022 on the set of the C8 programme "Touche pas à mon poste", provoking the ire of host Cyril Hanouna.
According to the villagers, the exploitation of land near where they live prevents them from accessing land and burial sites, and pollutes the waters on which they depend. In September 2023, the Versailles Court of Appeal granted the 145 plaintiffs an interim injunction against the group and the Luxembourg holding company, subject to a fine.
Infringement of fundamental rights
Already in December 2022, the court ruled that Socapalm's activities were "likely to infringe the fundamental rights" of the plaintiffs, "in particular their right to a healthy environment". The court then requested the production of documents which, according to the plaintiffs, could prove that Socapalm is controlled by the Bolloré group via Socfin, which would subject the French industrial giant to a "duty of vigilance" regarding its activities.
A 2017 law obliges major French companies to prevent serious human rights and environmental abuses by their foreign subcontractors and suppliers. When Socfin failed to produce the requested documents, a judge ordered it to pay the plaintiffs a penalty of €140,000, to which €2,000 in fees have since been added.
"The aim is to secure measures to restore the site"
Then, in February, the Cameroonian farmers seized the holding company's trademark, an action validated by bailiffs to force Socfin to pay, which has now been done. "Socfin is complying with French court rulings, even if they are all being appealed," Mr de Leusse de Syon told AFP. Socfin has now produced the requested documents, said Mr Rilov.
"We are going to use these documents to launch an action on the merits against Bolloré, Socfin and Socapalm on the basis of the duty of vigilance," he explained to AFP. He believes he can "demonstrate that Bolloré has control over Socfin". "The aim is to take steps to restore the living conditions of the Cameroonians," he explains.
Palm oil: a holding company has paid 142,000 euros to Cameroonians opposed to the Bolloré group
Socapalm's exploitation of land is preventing 145 Cameroonians from gaining access to land and burial sites, and is polluting their water. After years of legal proceedings, they have won 142,000 euros from a holding company that they accuse of being controlled by the Bolloré group.
On Wednesday, the Luxembourg holding company Société financière des caoutchoucs (Socfin) paid €142,000 to Cameroonian plaintiffs, a fine imposed by the French courts for failing to produce documents that could establish its links with the French company Bolloré.
"Socfin today paid the 142,000 euros it owed to the 145 Cameroonian plaintiffs," said Fiodor Rilov, the plaintiffs' lawyer, in a statement sent to AFP. This payment was confirmed to AFP by the holding company's counsel, Dominique de Leusse de Syon.
These 145 Cameroonian villagers have been involved for many years in proceedings against Société camerounaise de palmeraies (Socapalm), which they accuse of being controlled by the Bolloré group through Socfin. The case was brought to the fore by La France Insoumise (“France Unbowed”) MP Louis Boyard in November 2022 on the set of the C8 programme "Touche pas à mon poste", provoking the ire of host Cyril Hanouna.
According to the villagers, the exploitation of land near where they live prevents them from accessing land and burial sites, and pollutes the waters on which they depend. In September 2023, the Versailles Court of Appeal granted the 145 plaintiffs an interim injunction against the group and the Luxembourg holding company, subject to a fine.
Infringement of fundamental rights
Already in December 2022, the court ruled that Socapalm's activities were "likely to infringe the fundamental rights" of the plaintiffs, "in particular their right to a healthy environment". The court then requested the production of documents which, according to the plaintiffs, could prove that Socapalm is controlled by the Bolloré group via Socfin, which would subject the French industrial giant to a "duty of vigilance" regarding its activities.
A 2017 law obliges major French companies to prevent serious human rights and environmental abuses by their foreign subcontractors and suppliers. When Socfin failed to produce the requested documents, a judge ordered it to pay the plaintiffs a penalty of €140,000, to which €2,000 in fees have since been added.
"The aim is to secure measures to restore the site"
Then, in February, the Cameroonian farmers seized the holding company's trademark, an action validated by bailiffs to force Socfin to pay, which has now been done. "Socfin is complying with French court rulings, even if they are all being appealed," Mr de Leusse de Syon told AFP. Socfin has now produced the requested documents, said Mr Rilov.
"We are going to use these documents to launch an action on the merits against Bolloré, Socfin and Socapalm on the basis of the duty of vigilance," he explained to AFP. He believes he can "demonstrate that Bolloré has control over Socfin". "The aim is to take steps to restore the living conditions of the Cameroonians," he explains.
