PRESS CONFERENCE IN YAOUNDE
By Ngalame Elias
Residents around the Cameroon Palms Company, SOCAPALM, in Edea have reported the difficulties encountered in the vicinity following some illegal activities by the company.
They are threatening court action since efforts to negotiate with SOCAPALM has not yielded any fruits.
At a press conference organized by Greenpeace Cameroon and the Sustainable Development Actors Network (RADD) that took place November 13, 2024 in Hotel La Falaise Yaounde, representatives of the riverine population caution against continued land rights abuse by SOCAPALM.
The population also accused SOCAPALM of exploiting sacred sites, abusive occupation of people’s homes, dumping wastewater and polluting rivers and their security agents frequently threatening local communities.
The Association of Women Neighbouring SOCAPALM Edéa (AFRISE) last year 2023 launched a petition to STOP the replanting of oil palm monocultures around their homes and vital spaces.
They called for an end to the replanting of oil palm around the homes and on the graves of the ancestors of the communities of Apouh, who live near Socapalm, owned by Socfin/Bolloré in Edea
Chief Bedime Bedime of Koukou village noted that during the press briefing that during the replanting process in 2023, the community pleaded with the agro-industrial company not to plant on their sacred cemetery of Song-Yatjeke for the memory of their late chief.
“I am the grandchild of the first chief of this village, but as you have seen, the palm trees are growing on the graveyard including on the tomb of our late chief,” he stated, adding that “we can’t breathe fresh air because the lagoon where they dump their waste from the factory pollutes the air and also kills all fishes in the river”.
Investigating the story, this reporter visited Apouh, one of the affected villages, and was keen to observe the exploitation of some sacred community sites like Song-Elohe and Song-Yatjeke graveyards.
The Song- Yatjeke graveyard, sacred to the Apouh community, was desecrated by the SOCAPALM replanting activities and barricades erected by security agents to prevent the population from gaining access.
Madam Ngon BISSOU President of women resident around SOCPALM area sounded same alarm of the over stretching of the plantation project into their ancestral land.
“ We have taken the resolve to raise our voice as women and fight to take back our land,” she said.
A study carried out by RADD showed the gravity of the land grabbing challenges faced by the local population. Apart from abusive land grabbing, the study shows other rights violation like torture, sexual harassment and other ills the local population have been subjected to.
Women protesting against landrights abuse. They want their land taken by SOCAPALM back.
