“This complaint seeks to ensure that oil palm companies operate within the confines of the Liberian laws and international standards on human rights and the environment,” said James Otto, SDI’s lead campaigner over the complaint. GVL was slammed for human rights violations and forest degradation last year by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the global watchdog for the oil palm sector. “The objective is to bring parties to agreement on possible improvements of ING’s due diligence policies and practices regarding oil palm,” it said, adding all parties had agreed on a dialogue. Otto said the complaint another reminder for the government of Liberia to hold oil palm companies accountable for breaching the country’s laws. He said, “Our government must take very seriously these abuses and take actions, not just to address these abuses but to ensure that oil palm investments comply with Liberian laws, respect its people and fulfill promises made to communities.”

Source: Front Page Africa February 19, 2020 03:56 UTC