Violent tensions at Feronia's oil palm plantations in the DR Congo by RIAO-RDC et al. | 21 Mar 2019 Land | Media releases This Saturday military forces fired live bullets at villagers within the Lokutu oil palm plantation concession area of the Canadian company Feronia Inc, following weeks of growing tension between communities and the company. This Saturday military forces fired live bullets at villagers within the Lokutu oil palm plantation concession area of the Canadian company Feronia Inc, following weeks of growing tension between communities and the company.
“Seeds in resistance” comic by Colectivo de Semillas de América Latina | 14 Mar 2019 Seeds | Multimedia We share Seeds in resistance, a comic made from the animation documentary “Semillas, ¿Bien común o propiedad corporativa? [Seeds: common good or corporate property] published in 2017 by a collective of Latin-American organisations who work through all the continent in defence of native and indigenous seeds seeking a food sovereignty for the peoples. We share Seeds in resistance, a comic made from the animation documentary “Semillas, ¿Bien común o propiedad corporativa? [Seeds: common good or corporate property] published in 2017 by a collective of Latin-American organisations who work through all the continent in defence of native and indigenous seeds seeking a food sovereignty for the peoples.
Breaking the silence: Industrial oil palm and rubber plantations bring harassment, sexual violence and abuse against women by GRAIN, WRM, Muyissi Environnment and Natural Resource Women Platform | 8 Mar 2019 Land On the 8th of March - International Women's Day – we join women across the world who are affected by the violent expansion of industrial oil palm and rubber plantations and who are calling for action to stop the harassment, sexual violence and abuse against women in and around industrial oil palm and rubber plantations IMMEDIATELY! On the 8th of March - International Women's Day – we join women across the world who are affected by the violent expansion of industrial oil palm and rubber plantations and who are calling for action to stop the harassment, sexual violence and abuse against women in and around industrial oil palm and rubber plantations IMMEDIATELY!
Supermarkets and convenience stores: the unflinching plastic polluters by GRAIN | 1 Mar 2019 Supermarket Watch | Corporations In the past few years, the growing problem of plastic pollution has reached a tipping point in public awareness. China and the United States stand as the top plastic waste generators in the world. But poor waste management has put Asia in the spotlight of the global fight against plastic pollution. Inadequate waste disposal in open and uncontrolled landfills has led China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined. In the past few years, the growing problem of plastic pollution has reached a tipping point in public awareness. China and the United States stand as the top plastic waste generators in the world. But poor waste management has put Asia in the spotlight of the global fight against plastic pollution. Inadequate waste disposal in open and uncontrolled landfills has led China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined.
Stop land grabbing by SOCFIN in Sierra Leone! Stop the criminalisation of land rights defenders! by Civil society organisations | 22 Feb 2019 Media releases | Land One month after violent incidents in the SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone leading to brutal repression by security forces, the death of two people and 15 people arrested, Sierra Leonean and international civil society organisations urge the government of Sierra Leone and the company to immediately end the repression of land rights defenders and the human rights violations and abuses suffered by local communities. One month after violent incidents in the SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone leading to brutal repression by security forces, the death of two people and 15 people arrested, Sierra Leonean and international civil society organisations urge the government of Sierra Leone and the company to immediately end the repression of land rights defenders and the human rights violations and abuses suffered by local communities.
Land grabbing for palm oil in Sierra Leone by FIAN Belgium | 21 Feb 2019 Sierra Leone | land grabbing Since the arrival of multinational agribusiness company SOCFIN in 2011 as part of a large-scale investment in palm oil in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, social conflict has raged in the Malen Chiefdom. SOCFIN is controlled by a Belgian businessman (Hubert Fabri) and the French group Bolloré, which has developed a business empire in many parts of Africa. FIAN Belgium publishes a new report "Land Grabbing for Palm Oil in Sierra Leone : Analysis of the SOCFIN Case from a Human Rights Perspective". Since the arrival of multinational agribusiness company SOCFIN in 2011 as part of a large-scale investment in palm oil in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, social conflict has raged in the Malen Chiefdom. SOCFIN is controlled by a Belgian businessman (Hubert Fabri) and the French group Bolloré, which has developed a business empire in many parts of Africa. FIAN Belgium publishes a new report "Land Grabbing for Palm Oil in Sierra Leone : Analysis of the SOCFIN Case from a Human Rights Perspective".
Rubber group ousts farmers in Liberia by Bread for all | 21 Feb 2019 land grabbing | Liberia | Switzerland Land rights violations, expulsions, violence: According to a report by the development organization Bread for all, the Luxembourg-based Socfin plantation group and its Swiss subsidiaries are involved in serious human rights violations in Liberia. Food security and access to water and education have also deteriorated in the villages surrounding the rubber plantations. This example demonstrates the urgency of the Responsible Business Initiative, which is currently being discussed in the Swiss parliament. Land rights violations, expulsions, violence: According to a report by the development organization Bread for all, the Luxembourg-based Socfin plantation group and its Swiss subsidiaries are involved in serious human rights violations in Liberia. Food security and access to water and education have also deteriorated in the villages surrounding the rubber plantations. This example demonstrates the urgency of the Responsible Business Initiative, which is currently being discussed in the Swiss parliament.
The Belt and Road Initiative: Chinese agribusiness going global by GRAIN | 18 Feb 2019 Corporations China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the largest infrastructure project ever embarked upon in world history. Launched in 2013 to better connect China with the rest of the world, the project currently involves some 90 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, and is expected to cost more than US$1 trillion. BRI will also increase the concentration of global food production and distribution, potentially pushing small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, forest peoples and rural communities further to the margins. This report looks at some of the key issues that are beginning to emerge from BRI-related projects in different Asian and African countries. These revolve around debt and threats to national sovereignty, land grabbing, displacement, human rights abuses in conflict zones, environmental impacts, public health concerns and labour violations. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the largest infrastructure project ever embarked upon in world history. Launched in 2013 to better connect China with the rest of the world, the project currently involves some 90 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, and is expected to cost more than US$1 trillion. BRI will also increase the concentration of global food production and distribution, potentially pushing small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, forest peoples and rural communities further to the margins. This report looks at some of the key issues that are beginning to emerge from BRI-related projects in different Asian and African countries. These revolve around debt and threats to national sovereignty, land grabbing, displacement, human rights abuses in conflict zones, environmental impacts, public health concerns and labour violations.
EU trade with Trump would undermine international climate commitments by Civil society organisations | 18 Feb 2019 United States | EU | climate crisis Three years ago, widespread protests took place across Europe against a planned trade deal between the EU and the US. It was eventually halted. In order to avoid President Trump slapping tariffs on imports of EU-made cars, EU governments are now planning to agree terms to start negotiating a new transatlantic trade deal. Three years ago, widespread protests took place across Europe against a planned trade deal between the EU and the US. It was eventually halted. In order to avoid President Trump slapping tariffs on imports of EU-made cars, EU governments are now planning to agree terms to start negotiating a new transatlantic trade deal.
Rally in Bangladesh against the release of Golden Rice by Labour Resource Center | 13 Feb 2019 Bangladesh | seeds & biodiversity Today, on February 13, 2019, Wednesday, 11.00 pm organized by Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Bangladesh Bhumiheen Samity, Labour Resource Center, Bangladesh Kishani Sabha and Bangladesh Adivasi Samity organizing rally and human chain to protest and "Resist GM Golden Rice! Protect Local Variety of Seed!" in front of the National Press Club. Today, on February 13, 2019, Wednesday, 11.00 pm organized by Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Bangladesh Bhumiheen Samity, Labour Resource Center, Bangladesh Kishani Sabha and Bangladesh Adivasi Samity organizing rally and human chain to protest and "Resist GM Golden Rice! Protect Local Variety of Seed!" in front of the National Press Club.
When Bt brinjal is a failure, why Golden rice? by Farida Akhter, New Age | 11 Feb 2019 Bangladesh | seeds & biodiversity Introduction of genetically modified crop is a highly risky venture, particularly in a country like Bangladesh that is rich in biodiversity and bio-geographically known as the origin of diversity spot. Despite the known risks, Bangladesh has been targeted for experiment and field trials of GM transgenic crops such as Bt brinjal. This has been done despite the resistance from the farmers, scientists and environmental activists. Introduction of genetically modified crop is a highly risky venture, particularly in a country like Bangladesh that is rich in biodiversity and bio-geographically known as the origin of diversity spot. Despite the known risks, Bangladesh has been targeted for experiment and field trials of GM transgenic crops such as Bt brinjal. This has been done despite the resistance from the farmers, scientists and environmental activists.
Ethiopia gets its teff back by Jerry Chifamba | 8 Feb 2019 Ethiopia | seeds & biodiversity Ethiopia is celebrating a major victory in a long-running dispute over who owns the patent for products made from teff - an ancient grain that forms the basis of Ethiopia's staple food, injera. The country has been in a legal tussle with a Dutchman owning a patent on the production of Teff flour. Teff, famed for yielding white flour of good quality is used in injera and other traditional Ethiopian food. Ethiopia is celebrating a major victory in a long-running dispute over who owns the patent for products made from teff - an ancient grain that forms the basis of Ethiopia's staple food, injera. The country has been in a legal tussle with a Dutchman owning a patent on the production of Teff flour. Teff, famed for yielding white flour of good quality is used in injera and other traditional Ethiopian food.
In Sierra Leone, land rights defenders under attack by SILNORF et al. | 24 Jan 2019 Media releases | Land At least two villagers have been killed and dozens of others are in hiding or being held by police in Malen, Sierra Leone following a brutal intervention by police and military to suppress local protests against SOCFIN's oil palm plantation operations. At least two villagers have been killed and dozens of others are in hiding or being held by police in Malen, Sierra Leone following a brutal intervention by police and military to suppress local protests against SOCFIN's oil palm plantation operations.
Industrial agriculture and climate chaos by The Climate Collective | 21 Jan 2019 corporations | climate crisis The Climate Collective produced a great 20 page booklet called "Industrial agriculture and the climate chaos" Rich with data and illustrations, it is a good tool to use in awareness raising and capacity building activities. It can be downloaded here You can find English, German and Danish versions on the "Free the Soil" website The Climate Collective produced a great 20 page booklet called "Industrial agriculture and the climate chaos" Rich with data and illustrations, it is a good tool to use in awareness raising and capacity building activities. It can be downloaded here You can find English, German and Danish versions on the "Free the Soil" website
Civil society groups welcome decision of development bank complaints panel to proceed with complaint from DR Congo communities against palm oil company by RIAO-RDC et al. | 15 Jan 2019 Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | Germany | land grabbing | Land | Media releases The panel of the complaints mechanism for the German, Dutch and French development banks has ruled that a complaint submitted on 5 November 2018 by nine communities in the DR Congo is admissible. This means that the complaints mechanism will now begin a preliminary review process before initiating the mediation process requested by the communities to resolve their long-standing land conflict with Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), a subsidiary of Canadian company, Feronia Inc. The panel of the complaints mechanism for the German, Dutch and French development banks has ruled that a complaint submitted on 5 November 2018 by nine communities in the DR Congo is admissible. This means that the complaints mechanism will now begin a preliminary review process before initiating the mediation process requested by the communities to resolve their long-standing land conflict with Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), a subsidiary of Canadian company, Feronia Inc.