On a cold and tense morning, on Friday January 17, 2025, *Eric Mathias (not real name) and a dozen of youth in Campo, Ocean Division of the South Region, hatched a plan to protest against a group of agro-industries and forestry companies over the non-respect of the terms of reference they had promised to respect.
“We are tired of all these. They have pushed us to the wall and we have reached a point where we cannot look behind anymore,” Eric says.
Their strategy was simple, daring and effective-block the Campo-Kribi road to cripple the company’s operations and bring national and international intention to their plight. The protest occurred in Biba village and for hours prevented trucks belonging to the company from circulating.
The population carried placards bearing their grievances such as nonpayment of royalties and ‘the non-compliance with the specifications’ signed between the agro-industries and communities.
As the passengers blocked the roads, the number at the scene of the protest swelled. The situation quickly escalated after the Brigade Commander, whose name could not immediately get, was injured in the protest. Following an order from the Division Officer (D.O) of Campo, Bamock Francis Igor, the aggrieved youths were arrested. They were detained at the Campo Gendarmerie Brigade where they spent several hours.
They were only released after the Divisional Officer of Campo Subdivision, coerced by municipal councillors demanded for their release before they could attend a council session, planned for that day.
Tensions between local communities and the industrial companies, notably palm production and processing company, CAMVERT SA, and logging companies, SOPHONY and BOISCAM, have been running high in the area and disputes over royalties and respect of terms of reference have increased over the years. What happened last month was only one of many.
The local population of Campo has been locked in an intractable conflict with these companies. And despite several promises and measures promised, the situation continues to push the population on the brink of poverty and despair.
Speaking to CamerToday in an interview, His Majesty Ondo Pie Parfait, 3rd class traditional ruler of Bitandé-Assok village, one of the 19 affected villages, the indigenous population continues to be fiercely opposed to the companies because their rights are not respected but they are continuously denied and even threatened.
“…I was summoned to the SDO’s office in Kribi, where I was threatened and intimidated. Are we strangers in Cameroon or are we Cameroonian citizens? I believe that every Cameroonian citizen has the possibility of claiming his rights. The claim should not be a threat…” the traditional ruler said.
The traditional ruler further explained to CamerToday that the population has received several promises but for years have remained in the dark.
“Out of more than 300 projects that we requested, there was only one drilling project in Mabiogo. The rest is nothing to report. Even the monthly salary provided for in the convention, so far no one has received 100 FCFA of that…our salary is intimidation at the SDO’s office,” the traditional authority insisted.
The 3rd class traditional ruler of Malaba village, His Majesty Mette Dieudonné, was not indifferent to the plight of the population. In an interview with CamerToday at his residence, a few kilometers from Campo, he urged the companies, especially CAMVERT, to work more. He said there has been a stark contrast to what used to be in the past. A situation he said was indescribable.
“CAMVERT at the beginning was very good with us chiefs. After a while they let us down. It is about three years now that we do not even see CAMVERT officials anymore,” he recounted.
It is important to mention that the riparian population of Canton Mvae-Mabi, in Campo Subdivision, Ocean Division of the South Region, had petitioned the government to take immediate actions against agro-industries and forestry companies operating in the area, citing widespread human rights abuses and environmental degradation among other issues.
The petition is contained in a letter, the embattled community addressed to the Divisional Officer of Campo.
The two-page document, signed by some 18 identified members of the community, decried the activities of agricultural production company Cameroun Vert Sarl , best known by its French acronym as CAMVERT, as well as two forestry companies they identified as BIOSCAM and SOFONI.
In the tear-provoking letter, the riparian population of the Canton-Mvae-Mabi accused CAMVERT of violating the rights of the host community, non-compliance with pre-established obligations in specifications and influence on traditional authorities.
They also cited the gross irresponsibility in handling work-related accidents and ecosystem degradation following the destruction of village fields by rampaging elephants.
The forestry companies on the part, BOISCAM and SOFONI, the community said in the letter, have been accused of violating the rights of the riparian community, plundering forest outside the logging zone, non-existence of a conventional policy and non-payment of land royalties amongst other activities.
According to the community, the presence of these companies “have become a source of misery and ongoing poverty” in the area.
They have urged the administrative authority to ensure that “all the actors, stakeholders and managers of these companies urgently review the conditions of collaboration for resolving this catastrophic situation”.
They have also called for what they have described as “the urgent implementation of an exchange platform as soon as possible”.