-As They Demand FDA Intervention
By Shallon S. Gonlor |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — Residents and traditional landowners in Boe-Quellah Administrative District, Lower Nimba County, are calling on the Government of Liberia to intervene promptly in an ongoing forest dispute involving access to farmland, forest management, and the influx of Burkinabé nationals in the Gio National Forest.
The residents, including youths, women, men, local landowners, and traditional chiefs, have warned that failure to address the situation could lead to cross border crisis, escalating land disputes, and potential chaos.
They expressed frustration over what they describe as unfair treatment, intimidation, and restrictions on their access to forestland traditionally used to support their livelihoods.
In a press statement, the group called on the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, lawmakers of Nimba County, county authorities, traditional leaders, and other relevant stakeholders to urgently address the dispute and ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in forest management.
The residents said they could no longer remain silent while, according to their allegations, community members were being prevented from farming in the forest while Burkinabé nationals were reportedly cultivating cocoa, rice, pepper, and other crops in the same area.
They questioned how local families could sustain themselves, feed their children, and meet educational expenses if they continued to face restrictions on access to farmland.
“Our people are suffering in their own community,” the group stated, alleging that some residents had faced arrest or imprisonment when attempting to farm, clear land, or maintain their plantain farms.
According to the residents, the FDA, through the USAID-funded People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER) project, conducted a forest demarcation exercise in the area in 2016.
However, disagreements reportedly emerged over the process, prompting protests by residents of Sarlay area. The group said the exercise subsequently stopped between Marlay and Sar Youlay, leaving the demarcation process incomplete.
During the same period, a Community Forest Management Body was reportedly established following awareness activities conducted by the FDA.
The residents claimed that the FDA had not returned with a survey team to complete the demarcation exercise, resolve outstanding disagreements, and clarify the boundaries and management arrangements involving Boe-Quellah and Kparblee administrative districts.
They argued that the failure to resolve the matter had contributed to confusion, hardship, and tensions among affected communities.
The group is now demanding that the FDA return to the area to complete the demarcation process and provide a transparent explanation of the legal status of the disputed forestland.
Residents Demand Answers
The residents raised several questions about customary land rights, forest management, and the enforcement of restrictions on farming activities.
They want the government to clarify which communities hold legitimate customary rights to the disputed forestland, the legal basis for allowing or prohibiting farming activities, and the measures being taken to protect the livelihoods of affected residents.
They also questioned why community members were allegedly facing arrest or imprisonment for farming or maintaining their plantain farms while other individuals were reportedly cultivating crops in the same forest area.
The group further called on the government to explain why the demarcation exercise initiated in 2016 had not been completed and what concrete steps would be taken to resolve the dispute.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We are demanding fairness, transparency, accountability, and equal protection under the law,” the residents stated.
Residents Challenge CFMB’s Authority
The group also expressed dissatisfaction with the role of the Community Forest Management Body, saying it no longer wanted the CFMB to continue exercising authority over the community’s forest affairs under the current arrangements.
The residents acknowledged the community’s role in establishing the body but insisted that its mandate, accountability, and relationship with local landowners should be reviewed.
They called for an assessment of the CFMB’s authority and the lawful procedures for replacing it or establishing a management structure that genuinely represents the interests of the affected communities.
According to the residents, any community-based forest management institution should remain accountable to the people it is mandated to serve.
They are urging the FDA and other relevant authorities to investigate the CFMB’s operations, the circumstances surrounding restrictions on farming, and the legal basis for the different treatment allegedly experienced by local residents and other farmers.
Wider Concerns Over Burkinabé Farmers
The dispute comes amid broader concerns about the presence of Burkinabé nationals engaged in cocoa farming in forested areas of northern and southeastern Liberia.
Since approximately 2015, Burkinabé nationals have reportedly entered parts of Liberia from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, with some engaging in agricultural activities through arrangements with local landowners.
In Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties, such arrangements have reportedly involved the use or leasing of customary forestland for cocoa cultivation.
The Gio National Forest, which extends across areas associated with Boe-Quellah, Kparblee, and Doe administrative districts, has become a focal point of concerns involving land rights, farming activities, forest conservation, and the enforcement of forestry regulations.
While some local farmers may view agricultural arrangements with Burkinabé nationals as economically beneficial, others have raised concerns about alleged encroachment into protected forest areas, the protection of customary land rights, and the long-term implications for local livelihoods.
These competing interests underscore the need for clear land-use arrangements, effective enforcement of forestry laws, and transparent consultation with affected communities.
However, the presence of foreign nationals or their participation in farming does not, by itself, establish that they are farming illegally. The legality of specific activities depends on the applicable laws, the status of the land, and any valid customary, contractual, or statutory rights.
Call for Government Intervention
The Boe-Quellah residents are calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the forest demarcation process, current farming arrangements, the treatment of community members, and the authority under which individuals are permitted or prohibited from using the disputed land.
They want the FDA, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Nimba County lawmakers, county authorities, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations to work together to resolve the matter.
The group maintains that a timely resolution is necessary to protect community livelihoods, reduce tensions, clarify land rights, and ensure that forest management decisions are implemented fairly and in accordance with Liberian law.
The residents say they are seeking justice, accountability, and equal protection under the law, while urging the government to prevent the dispute from escalating further.
