In the Democratic Republic of Congo, communities are demanding access to land claimed by palm oil giant PHC, alleging illegal land grabs and violations.
Didier Makal reports for Mongabay.
In short:
- Communities in the DRC are contesting palm oil giant PHC's control of 58,000 hectares of land for palm oil plantations.
- The communities accuse several European banks, like Germany's DEG, of backing illegal land acquisitions through $150 million in loans.
- the organization RIAO-RDC, supported by NGOs, urges a halt to the mediation led by DEG's Independent Complaints Mechanism, demanding transparency in land titles and financial records.
- PHC faces accusations of human rights abuses, financial misconduct and environmental damage, exacerbating tensions with local communities.
Key quote:
"There can be no fair and effective mediation in this land dispute without communities at least having access to official land concession documents and independent legal support."
— Devlin Kuyek, researcher at GRAIN, a nonprofit that advocates for small farmers rights.
Why this matters:
The conflict highlights ongoing colonial legacy issues and raises concerns about the role of foreign investment in perpetuating land disputes and rights violations. The outcome of this mediation could set a precedent for corporate accountability and land rights in the region.
