Citizens reject Sime Darby’s request for another 15,000 hectares

Daily Observer    | 26 August 2011
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Flags of Liberia and Malaysia at the Sime Darby palm oil plantation in Bomi, Liberia (Photo: Nick Fraser).

Grand Cape Mount County citizens have registered and documented their opposition to the provision of additional 15, 000 hectares to Sime Darby for cultivation of oil palms in Garwular and Golakonneh Districts.

Sime Darby had requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to grant it permit to cultivate additional 15, 000 in Garwular and Golakonneh districts, Grand Cape County to grow oil palms.

The request was contained in an environmental and social impact assessment report submitted to EPA in May 2011.

The environmental and social impact assessment was conducted by Green Consultancy Inc or GreenCons on behalf of Sime Darby.

However, Grand Cape Mount County citizens, in a letter to the (EPA) Executive Director, Anyaa Vohiri, said “resettlement or relocation or rejection from the lands of our ancestors (in Grand Cape Mount County) has never been, and is still not, an option or alternative and that, through this communication, you have our support to completely reject the granting of any environmental permit to Sime Darby to commence cultivation of palm oil, over 15, 000 hectares, in Garwular and Golakonneh Districts, Grand Cape Mount County.”

The letter, signed by nine town chiefs and several other citizens, noted that “by granting the permit, the EPA, knowingly or unknowingly, will be ordering forceful eviction of our population, an act which violates the Liberian Constitution as well as fundamental human rights principles to which Liberia is a party.”

They noted that their decision to request a rejection and non-granting of the proposed Environmental Permit to Sime Darby is informed by a number of challenges facing the population of the county.

They claimed that allowing Sime Darby to take their land will render them unable to feed themselves and their generation “because 90 percent of our population survives on farming.

“We recommended that the Government of Liberia should consult with us before signing the agreement with Sime Darby. No consultations have yet been held with anyone, not even Sime Darby. So, from the result of us, no agreement can be signed until these consultations are held and our voices included and respected in the final agreement,” the citizens said in their communication to the EPA Boss.

They also alleged that the special conclusions of the Consultant, Green Consultancy Inc, contradict the findings at the consultative meetings.

“These findings are separately captured by the Consultant (in several pages of ESIA including page 135) but we are surprised over their omission in the final conclusions. Here, the consultant found one thing and then decided to report something entirely different,” they added.

Speaking further, the Grand Cape Mount citizens observed that their land is not a public land and is, therefore, not subject to concession lease in the manners presented by Sime Darby.

“The Socio-Economic Survey Data, in Appendix F, of the ESIA, the Consultant clearly confirmed that the nature of the land tenure is “tribal land”, and “community land,” land which is 100% privately owned.”

They also indicated that they are legally entitled to prior-informed consent with the full power to reject or accept proposals to invest on their property; and that they are completely unaware of any resettlement plans or agreement, with the Government of Liberia and Sime Darby, including the establishment of a resettlement committee for the purpose of supervising or advising on resettlement efforts which should include local leaders of their appointees.

The Grand Cape Mount citizens want to also know the definition of areas to be resettled; determination of a compensation scale for resettlement costs; and creation of escrow account for said funds.

“Finally, we remain open to Sime Darby for discussion about her investment. During the discussion we will decide, following consultations, and the fruitfulness of the discussions, to set aside portions of our lands for said investment,” the noted

The citizens indicated that the discussions will not be about resettlement or relocation of their population from the lands of our ancestors because “we will not be resettled or relocated.”

“Additionally ahead of any such discussion(s), we encourage Sime Darby to demonstrate good corporate citizenship by improving the livelihood of affected communities under her control-communities affected by the seizure of 10,000 hectares to commence the cultivation of her palm oil. We wish to emphasize that the scrupulous respect for economic, social and cultural rights of communities affected by Sime Darby will greatly inform any discussion (s) with other communities targeted for her investment,” the Grand Cape Mount Citizens concluded.
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