Indigenous organisations outraged by Ethiopian government’s new land deal with iconic land grabber Karuturi by Anywaa Survival Organisation | 7 May 2018 Ethiopia | land grabbing The Anywaa Survival Organisation (ASO) is outraged by recent news reports that the Ethiopian government is providing a new lease of lands to disgraced land grabber Karuturi Global Ltd. The Anywaa Survival Organisation (ASO) is outraged by recent news reports that the Ethiopian government is providing a new lease of lands to disgraced land grabber Karuturi Global Ltd.
Free at last: charges against indigenous land rights defender & former World Bank inspection panel translator dropped by Anywaa Survival, Bread for All, GRAIN, Inclusive Development International, Oakland Institute | 3 Apr 2018 Ethiopia | land grabbing Today, charges against Pastor Omot Agwa, an indigenous land rights defender from the Gambella region of Ethiopia, were finally dropped by an Ethiopian court. Today, charges against Pastor Omot Agwa, an indigenous land rights defender from the Gambella region of Ethiopia, were finally dropped by an Ethiopian court.
Cerrado: US investment spurs land theft and deforestation in Brazil by Alicia Prager and Flávia Milhorance | 29 Mar 2018 Brazil | United States | land grabbing Excellent investigative article, which shows how Harvard’s endowment fund in involved in a massvie land grab in Brazil Excellent investigative article, which shows how Harvard’s endowment fund in involved in a massvie land grab in Brazil
With vigor of the youth, intensify the struggle for land and life! by PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP), the Asian Peasant Coalition and People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty and grassroots movements | 29 Mar 2018 land grabbing | actions We mark the Day of the Landless this year amid ever pervasive landlessness and land grabbing, driven by the competition of global powers and local elites to control the world’s resources at the expense of small food producers and the food sovereignty of poor countries. This is accompanied by rising militarism and violent repression of rural communities. Among those worst affected by deepening poverty and hunger as well as increasing human rights violations are the rural youth. We mark the Day of the Landless this year amid ever pervasive landlessness and land grabbing, driven by the competition of global powers and local elites to control the world’s resources at the expense of small food producers and the food sovereignty of poor countries. This is accompanied by rising militarism and violent repression of rural communities. Among those worst affected by deepening poverty and hunger as well as increasing human rights violations are the rural youth.
The World Bank’s land program in the State of Piauí, Brazil, is a license for land grabbing by Campanha Nacional em Defesa do Cerrado | 21 Mar 2018 Brazil | land grabbing The World Bank is financing a land titling, or “regularization” program in the Brazilian State of Piauí, where large areas of land have been grabbed from local communities and illegally occupied by agribusiness. Local communities, including communities of descendants of runaway slaves (quilombolas) as well as indigenous peoples, are being violently displaced from their traditional lands and face contamination of water and soils, increasing violence against community leaders, deforestation and loss of biodiversity. The World Bank is financing a land titling, or “regularization” program in the Brazilian State of Piauí, where large areas of land have been grabbed from local communities and illegally occupied by agribusiness. Local communities, including communities of descendants of runaway slaves (quilombolas) as well as indigenous peoples, are being violently displaced from their traditional lands and face contamination of water and soils, increasing violence against community leaders, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
Press release: Women demand that oil palm companies stop violence and give back community land by Civil society organisations | 8 Mar 2018 Cameroon | Congo | Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | Gabon | Guinea | Liberia | Sierra Leone | land grabbing On 8 March, International Women’s Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals demand an end to the violence against women living in and around large-scale oil palm plantations expansion. On 8 March, International Women’s Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals demand an end to the violence against women living in and around large-scale oil palm plantations expansion.
Anuak condemn attempts to delay Karuturi’s exit from Ethiopia by Anywaa Survival Organisation et al | 15 Dec 2017 Ethiopia | land grabbing Anuak organisations, with the strong support of international civil society, call on the governments of Ethiopia and India to cease negotiations with Karuturi Global Ltd and to ensure that the company fully exits Gambela and other parts of Ethiopia. Anuak organisations, with the strong support of international civil society, call on the governments of Ethiopia and India to cease negotiations with Karuturi Global Ltd and to ensure that the company fully exits Gambela and other parts of Ethiopia.
A land grab for pulp: Environmental Paper Network exposes problems with a new pulp project in Mozambique by Environmental Paper Network | 29 Nov 2017 Mozambique | Norway | land grabbing A report released by the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) today highlights the environmental and social impacts of a new pulp mill project in Mozambique. Portucel Moçambique (a Mozambican company controlled by The Navigator Company, previously known as Portucel Soporcel) will build a pulp mill in Zambézia, Mozambique. The mill will have a production capacity of 1,500,000 tonnes per year and a biomass power generation plant.The new mill, located onthe shore of the Indian Ocean, will mostly provide pulp to the Asian paper industry. A report released by the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) today highlights the environmental and social impacts of a new pulp mill project in Mozambique. Portucel Moçambique (a Mozambican company controlled by The Navigator Company, previously known as Portucel Soporcel) will build a pulp mill in Zambézia, Mozambique. The mill will have a production capacity of 1,500,000 tonnes per year and a biomass power generation plant.The new mill, located onthe shore of the Indian Ocean, will mostly provide pulp to the Asian paper industry.
Territories of solidarity: letter from Quebec (Canada) by Civil society organisations | 20 Nov 2017 Brazil | Canada | land grabbing On this November 20, when Brazil celebrates the Day of Black Consciousness, the institutions and organizations that sign this letter come to express their solidarity with the social movements of Brazil, especially the peoples and communities of the country, waters and forests. On this November 20, when Brazil celebrates the Day of Black Consciousness, the institutions and organizations that sign this letter come to express their solidarity with the social movements of Brazil, especially the peoples and communities of the country, waters and forests.
Karuturi demands compensation from Ethiopia for failed land deal by Bloomberg | 5 Oct 2017 Ethiopia | India | land grabbing Karuturi Global Ltd., an Indian flower grower, demanded compensation from the Ethiopian government for a series of failed land deals as it prepares to exit the Horn of Africa nation. Karuturi Global Ltd., an Indian flower grower, demanded compensation from the Ethiopian government for a series of failed land deals as it prepares to exit the Horn of Africa nation.
Fighting violence against women: communities affected by SOCAPALM expose cases of rape and abuse by Cameroon-Info.Net | 29 Sep 2017 Cameroon | land grabbing Women living in areas bordering SOCAPALM plantations (Société Camerounaise de Palmeraies or Cameroon society of palm plantations) gave a press briefing on Wednesday 27 September 2017 in Yaoundé to condemn the French company’s failure to respect its contractual obligations, sexual assaults by male security personnel, and land grabbing. Women living in areas bordering SOCAPALM plantations (Société Camerounaise de Palmeraies or Cameroon society of palm plantations) gave a press briefing on Wednesday 27 September 2017 in Yaoundé to condemn the French company’s failure to respect its contractual obligations, sexual assaults by male security personnel, and land grabbing.
Police block peaceful action by women affected by SOCFIN oil palm plantation in Sierra Leone by MALOA, SILNORF, WRM, Bread for All and GRAIN | 28 Sep 2017 Luxembourg | Sierra Leone | land grabbing On September 21, 2017 about 150 to 200 women were stopped by police on their way to Pujehun to urge local authorities to take action against the Luxembourg-based oil palm plantation company SOCFIN for grabbing their lands and committing other related human rights abuses. The women were travelling from Malen Chiefdom and were stopped by road blocks set up by the police at Benga Junction, about 4 km outside of Pujehun, the capital of Pujehun District, Sierra Leone. On September 21, 2017 about 150 to 200 women were stopped by police on their way to Pujehun to urge local authorities to take action against the Luxembourg-based oil palm plantation company SOCFIN for grabbing their lands and committing other related human rights abuses. The women were travelling from Malen Chiefdom and were stopped by road blocks set up by the police at Benga Junction, about 4 km outside of Pujehun, the capital of Pujehun District, Sierra Leone.
Cameroonian environmental activist arrested by Synchronicity Earth | 26 Sep 2017 Cameroon | land grabbing Cameroonian environmental activist Nasako Besingi was arrested on Monday morning (25th September) in Mundemba, southwest Cameroon, at the headquarters of his NGO, SEFE (Struggle to Economize the Future Environment). The premises are reported to have been ransacked and Nasako arrested by a large group of police and soldiers and taken away in the back of a gendarmerie pick-up. We do not know where Nasako is being held and the authorities are yet to give a reason for his arrest. Cameroonian environmental activist Nasako Besingi was arrested on Monday morning (25th September) in Mundemba, southwest Cameroon, at the headquarters of his NGO, SEFE (Struggle to Economize the Future Environment). The premises are reported to have been ransacked and Nasako arrested by a large group of police and soldiers and taken away in the back of a gendarmerie pick-up. We do not know where Nasako is being held and the authorities are yet to give a reason for his arrest.
Petition: Stop all forms of abuse against women in large monoculture tree plantations by Civil society organisations | 25 Sep 2017 Cameroon | Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | Gabon | Guinea | Liberia | Sierra Leone | land grabbing On occasion of September 21st, International day of Struggle against Tree Plantations, women from several countries from West and Central Africa have taken the initiative to release simultaneously the petition we enclose below. On occasion of September 21st, International day of Struggle against Tree Plantations, women from several countries from West and Central Africa have taken the initiative to release simultaneously the petition we enclose below.
Feronia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Harassment, violence and oppression by RIAO-RDC, GRAIN and WRM | 25 Sep 2017 Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | land grabbing Oil palm plantations managed by the Canadian-based agribusiness company FERONIA Inc have been opposed by local residents ever since they were established by the previous owner of the plantations, multinational food company Unilever. Incidents of violent abuse and conflict arising from the company’s oil palm plantations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been a regular occurrence. In 2015, seven children were left orphaned after police killed both indigenous pygmy parents for taking some oil palm fruits from the plantations to feed their children. Oil palm plantations managed by the Canadian-based agribusiness company FERONIA Inc have been opposed by local residents ever since they were established by the previous owner of the plantations, multinational food company Unilever. Incidents of violent abuse and conflict arising from the company’s oil palm plantations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been a regular occurrence. In 2015, seven children were left orphaned after police killed both indigenous pygmy parents for taking some oil palm fruits from the plantations to feed their children.