Global Witness today posted a press release highlighting community protests over impending land seizures in Liberia: UK-listed company Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) is named as “threatening to seize land owned by Liberians in defiance of commitments by Liberia’s President,” and will apparently get a visit today from “affected communities.”

Members of the Jogbahn Clan, together with representatives from Liberian and international NGOs, will deliver a petition with over 90,000 signatures to the effect that EPO has no community consent to expand onto their lands, and “that doing so could escalate violence.” 

Put that way, that sounds a lot like a threat against the company, but it’s probably (one hopes) awkward phrasing - because the press release goes on to infer that the violence would be the fault of the company, because “EPO’s past operations in Liberia have triggered allegations of conflict and human rights abuses.” 

The company maintains any planned expansion is legal, and that it has had no role in any violence to date. It says it has been “falsely accused”, and does not “condone or encourage such described behaviour," and “never instructed or directed any of its staff or PSU officers to intimidate Jogbahn community members in September or at any time.” 

There’s a definite clash of viewpoints here, but even the quickest Google search confirms Global Witness aren’t the only ones taking aim at EPO; civil society is up in arms more widely about Liberian “land grabs.” As usual Global Witness have referenced their press release, providing some useful context: that can be found here. Here’s hoping this conflict moves toward resolution without further violence.

ENDS

https://www.globalwitness.org/library/communities-protest-uk%E2%80%99s-eq...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=equatorial+palm+oil+global+witness&oq=...