(Nov 04, 2013, (The Hindu))--All land in Ethiopia belongs to the state, giving the government unusual leverage in its dealings with local communities. A violent attack on a tea plantation leased by Indian-owned Verdanta Harvest Plc, a subsidiary of the Noida-based Lucky Group, has renewed concerns over Ethiopia’s policy of leasing out large tracts of land to international investors.
On October 20, unidentified individuals destroyed buildings and machinery worth approximately $140,000, according to Verdanta officials. Media reported that locals set the plantation on fire “on account of destroying the rich forest resources”, a claim denied by the company.
Community leaders in Gambella did not comment on the attack, but rights groups have warned that a policy of leasing out 42 per cent of Gambella’s land and resettling over 30,000 agro-pastoral communities is the likely cause of the unrest.
In 2011, for instance, armed gunmen killed five workers on a farm developed by a Saudi Arabian company. All land in Ethiopia belongs to the state, giving the government unusual leverage in its dealings with local communities.
Rights groups like the Oakland Institute claim Indian companies have acquired 6,28,000 hectares of agricultural land under a government programme to lease 3.6 million hectares for export-oriented agriculture. Read more from The Hindu »
On October 20, unidentified individuals destroyed buildings and machinery worth approximately $140,000, according to Verdanta officials. Media reported that locals set the plantation on fire “on account of destroying the rich forest resources”, a claim denied by the company.
Community leaders in Gambella did not comment on the attack, but rights groups have warned that a policy of leasing out 42 per cent of Gambella’s land and resettling over 30,000 agro-pastoral communities is the likely cause of the unrest.
In 2011, for instance, armed gunmen killed five workers on a farm developed by a Saudi Arabian company. All land in Ethiopia belongs to the state, giving the government unusual leverage in its dealings with local communities.
Rights groups like the Oakland Institute claim Indian companies have acquired 6,28,000 hectares of agricultural land under a government programme to lease 3.6 million hectares for export-oriented agriculture. Read more from The Hindu »
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