Open Letter from CEO of Herakles Farms in Response to Report On ...
Open Letter from CEO of Herakles Farms in Response to Report On ...
Open Letter from CEO of Herakles Farms in Response to Report On ...
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All the Bassosi villages (11) under the umbrella <strong>of</strong> Mboum Nsuanse (Bassosi Cultural and Development<br />
Association) have vowed never <strong>to</strong> cede an <strong>in</strong>ch <strong>of</strong> its lands <strong>to</strong> HF. That notwithstand<strong>in</strong>g, HF has planted<br />
its beacons and marks through their farmlands and forests. The chiefs <strong>of</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g Bassosi villages<br />
number<strong>in</strong>g over 18,000 people spread out through the villages <strong>of</strong> 1)Ntale, 2) Bombe Konye, 3) Mungo<br />
Ndor, 4) New Konye, 5) Babensi I, 6) Babensi II, 7) Ekita, 8) Ediango, 9) Ekenge, 10) Ofrikpabi, 11)<br />
Mboka, have vowed <strong>to</strong> face HF with their machetes and traditional gadgets if HF pursued its trespass and<br />
sacrilege <strong>of</strong> its holy and sacred sites <strong>in</strong> the forest.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g compla<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>from</strong> the communities about the falsehood and bad faith <strong>of</strong> HF and its agents and<br />
assigns, some Bassosi elites and associations have petitioned the Head <strong>of</strong> State <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong><br />
Cameroon not <strong>to</strong> grant any portion <strong>of</strong> their land <strong>to</strong> HF.<br />
It is true that after many years <strong>of</strong> a traditional lifestyle <strong>of</strong> farm<strong>in</strong>g and hunt<strong>in</strong>g, the people <strong>of</strong> Nguti were<br />
excited <strong>to</strong> welcome a company that will create jobs. With that enthusiasm some <strong>of</strong> them put their<br />
signatures <strong>to</strong> a draft Memorandum <strong>of</strong> Understand<strong>in</strong>g (MOU) that still had <strong>to</strong> be discussed with all<br />
stakeholders. <strong>On</strong> 31 January 2009, some chiefs and elites <strong>of</strong> Nguti signed a proposed MOU. They were<br />
expect<strong>in</strong>g a discussion <strong>of</strong> the po<strong>in</strong>ts at subsequent meet<strong>in</strong>gs and as it never happened, the National<br />
President <strong>of</strong> the Nguti Sub-divisional cultural and Development Association (NGUSCUDA) wrote <strong>to</strong><br />
Bruce Wrobel, <strong>CEO</strong> <strong>of</strong> HF on 18 August 2009, compla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g about HF’s disregard for the conditions laid<br />
down for any cooperation with the Bassosi. The same petition ordered HF <strong>to</strong> suspend all its activities and<br />
discuss with this important stakeholder. HF did not only ignore this <strong>in</strong>junction but it went ahead <strong>to</strong><br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ue its illegal activities.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g this, a renunciation <strong>of</strong> the MOU was sent <strong>to</strong> your <strong>of</strong>fices captioned RE. RENOUNCING OF<br />
THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF NGUTI SUB<br />
DIVISION AND SUSTAINABLE OILS CAMEROON (SGSOC) PLC This document raised the<br />
follow<strong>in</strong>g issues;<br />
a) Till 2010 SGSOC refused <strong>to</strong> return a signed copy <strong>of</strong> the MOU <strong>to</strong> the people <strong>of</strong> Nguti.<br />
b) HF refused <strong>to</strong> meet as stipulated <strong>in</strong> MOU <strong>to</strong> demarcate and agree on the parcel <strong>of</strong> land <strong>to</strong> be<br />
surrendered <strong>to</strong> SGSOC PLC for the plantation. But HF had gone ahead <strong>to</strong> demarcate and plant<br />
beacons trespass<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> local farmlands.<br />
c) We had never <strong>in</strong>tended <strong>to</strong> give SGSOC PLC a blanket authorization <strong>to</strong> exploit our land, but we<br />
are prepared <strong>to</strong> release portions <strong>of</strong> such land as we would jo<strong>in</strong>tly demarcate ensur<strong>in</strong>g sufficient<br />
farmland and a buffer land for the <strong>in</strong>digenous populations.<br />
d) The chiefs and populations <strong>of</strong> Nguti sub Division on 25 November 2009 addressed a list <strong>of</strong><br />
specific demands <strong>to</strong> the Management <strong>of</strong> SG SOC PLC for them <strong>to</strong> address and further discuss<br />
with the population and chiefs. SGSOC PLC has not responded <strong>to</strong> these demands <strong>to</strong> this day<br />
ignor<strong>in</strong>g the body (Th<strong>in</strong>k Tank) that was set up <strong>to</strong> play the role <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>termediary between SGSOC<br />
PLC and the local stakeholders.<br />
e) SGSOC has systematically demonstrated <strong>to</strong>tal disregard for the future <strong>of</strong> our population.<br />
They therefore ruled that<br />
1. Consider<strong>in</strong>g the persistent refusal <strong>of</strong> SGSOC PLC <strong>to</strong> come back and dialogue with the local<br />
stakeholders as <strong>to</strong> the specific surface area <strong>to</strong> be surrendered <strong>to</strong> the plantation project.<br />
2. Consider<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>s<strong>in</strong>cerity <strong>of</strong> the representative <strong>of</strong> SGSOC PLC <strong>in</strong> the handl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> negotiations<br />
with the population.