SiLNoRF hosts experience sharing session for land users

SiLNoRF hosts experience sharing for affected land users

By Theophilus Sahr Gbenda

The Sierra Leone Network on the Right to Food (SiLNoRF) has held a one-day interactive and experience sharing session for affected land users from Bombali, Tonkolili, Port Loko and Kono Districts, at the Makeni City Hall.

In his opening remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Abdulia Yola Bangura who happens to be the Northern Region Human Rights Officer of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, said the main objective of his organization is to protect the rights of the citizenry of the country.

He referred to land as a source of pride and warned that companies investing in it for agricultural and other purposes do so without infringing on the economic and social rights of the affected owners and users.

Giving an overview of SiLNoRF, the National Coordinator, Mohamed Sorie Conteh, said the organization is part and parcel of the African Network on the Right to Food headquartered in Benin, and has as its main objective the effective realization of the right to food which he said is fundamental.

Mr. Mohamed S. Conteh said SiLNoRF came into being following widespread consultation with various civil society organizations across the country and has recently been officially launched.

The methodologies employed by SiLNoRF, Mr. Conteh said, include advocacy, monitoring and engagement with all relevant stakeholders including policy makers and corporate entities including Addax Bioenergy Limited which is currently operating in the Bombali and Tonkolili Districts.

According to him, SiLNoRF has so far established 14 affected land users associations in the Addax operational districts and expressed optimism that the experience sharing session will create a better understanding among participants of the problems affected their respective communities in terms of land right and the right to food and safe drinking water.

Mr. Conteh also stated that SiLNoRF is building the capacities of various stakeholders including policy makers and at the same time raising awareness on the need to actualize the right to food.

SiLNoRF, Mr. Conteh went on, is not against the operations of multilateral companies investing in land, noting however that the organization will not sit by and watch helplessly while its main objection which is to increase access to food is being overtly endangered.

Mr. Conteh ended by stating that SiLNoRF’s intervention in the sector is to enhance the positive effects of the Addax project for instance and to seek the mitigation of the negative effects to the bearest minimum, adding that for a long time now, preference has been given to issues relating to civil and political rights, thereby neglecting the economic, social and cultural rights of the people.

In his remarks, Derek Higgo, the HSSE Manager of Addax Bioenergy Limited, said “We share the concerns of SiLNoRF and are doing everything possible to mitigate the negative effects of our project”.

Emmanuel Conteh (Pa Massim), the Speaker of Bombali Shebora Chiefdom representing Paramount Chief Bai Shebora Kassagha 11, said “For the Addax project to be considered sustainable the people affected need to see the benefits”, adding that  “The role of the media and civil society is crucial if only to get the company to behave responsibly”.

Chief Emmanuel Conteh thanked SiLNoRF for serving as an eye opener and assured of the fullest support of the chiefdom authorities.

The session which was facilitated by Sheku James from the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) and Barrister Walter Neba from Cameroon, ended with the signing of a communiqué calling on the government to treat with caution issues relating to large scale land lease to multilateral companies and to get owners of the lands directly involved in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, SiLNoRF has held its first board meeting in Makeni, during which Raymond Senesie of Defence for Children International (DCI) was unanimously elected board chairman, while Mohamed S. Conteh of the Mankind’s Activities for Development Accreditation Movement (MADAM) was overwhelmingly endorsed as national coordinator of the network and secretary to the board.