New report accuses Brazil palm oil producers of rights abuses

By Bala Chambers

LONDON (AA) - A new report published Monday by a prominent NGO accused Brazil's biggest palm oil producers supplying international companies of committing human rights abuses.

Global Witness called for "immediate action" from Cargill, Hershey’s, Kellogg, Nestle and PepsiCo sourcing palm oil from BBF and Agropalma and from EU lawmakers to prevent alleged human rights and land rights abuses against indigenous communities in the Amazon.

The report alleged the companies are "embroiled in long-standing conflict with local communities".

"BBF are accused of waging violent campaigns to silence Indigenous and traditional communities defending their ancestral lands with little or no accountability or State intervention, while Agropalma are linked to fraudulent land grabs and stranding or evicting communities."

Both companies deny the accusations.

It found "violence, illegal land grabbing and the forced eviction of Indigenous Quilombola, Riverine and Campesino communities in the Amazon has escalated to life threatening severity under the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro."

Indigenous people living the area have experienced "a sustained campaign of intimidation, torture and physical abuse from armed security guards and militia allegedly hired by BBF," who have sought to criminalize and silence them and made death threats.

The report said armed men contracted by BFF have "allegedly tortured and detained members of a Quilombola community by spilling burning plastic over their backs and shot and injured at least one Indigenous community member."

The NGO said BBF acknowledged the ongoing conflict and is trying to "solve" it and alleged it is "the victim of criminal actions against its employees," informing the police and denying committing violence against community members.

Agropalma, part of Brazil's banking conglomerate Alfa Group, reportedly controls "the size of 150,000 football pitches" in Tailandia that allegedly "overlaps lands claimed by the Quilombola communities."

Agropalma stands accused of having "illegal" land titles where thousands of Indigenous and Quilombola peoples once lived and were forcibly removed from" and "has been allowed to remain occupying these areas despite Brazil’s court recently finding Agropalma has acquired them through false property titles."

Residents alleged Agropalma prevents them from "planting, hunting and fishing, leaving them without means to survive" and have restricted their movement and prevented from entering there sacred cemetery.

Agropalma denies the land disputes, insisting it forbids actions inhibiting legal and regular activities of Human Rights Defenders and protects its employees and assets.