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FARWHENTA \u2013 A community forest in Gbarpolu wants to cancel its logging contract with Indo Africa Plantations<\/a>, a Singaporean-owned company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bondi Mandingo Community Forest signed a 15-year agreement with Indo Africa in 2018 in anticipation of development in their area. However, five years on, the company has not honored the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It owes Bondi Mandingo over US$400,000 in land rental and harvesting fees, and mandatory development projects, barely exploiting the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are now pushing to cancel the contract,\u201d said Darkanel Gbarto, the chairman of the Bondi Mandingo forest executive committee. \u201cThere has been no progress on the side of the company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bondi Mandingo\u2019s contract covers 37,222 hectares with Indo Africa, one of four contracts held by a Singaporean family, the Guptas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company agreed to pay the community US$46,527 as annual land rental fees. It promised to make an annual payment of US$35,000 as a scholarship fund and US$25,000 for yearly support to community healthcare. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, Indo Africa promised to recondition roads, construct modern latrines, a youth center and a paramount chief office in affected communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Indo Africa did not live up to the agreement. It only began work in late 2021, nearly three years after the agreement, a violation that is a ground for termination. It harvested 7,183 logs, according to the company\u2019s production records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protest<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In late 2021, after several failed efforts to get their benefits, Bondi Mandingo youth protested, setting up roadblocks in the contract area. They demanded the company settle all of its debts to the community. They called off the protest after local authorities intervened and the company paid US$5,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In early 2022, Bondi Mandingo passed a resolution, calling Indo Africa to pay 60 percent of their social benefits before transporting logs out of the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indo Africa paid US$65,000 for land rental and harvesting fees and promised to make regular payments as of April 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But that would be the last time the community received a payment from Indo Africa. Bondi Mandingo has exerted several unsuccessful efforts for its benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As it stands, Indo Africa owes Bondi Mandingo over US$400,000 in harvesting fees, scholarships and medical funds. It also failed to provide any of over a dozen mandatory projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It informed the FDA about their plight. The agency requested a breakdown of the debt, which locals did. \u201cThe company failed all of the social responsibilities. Therefore, we are kindly asking you to give us your technical advice…,\u201d the community wrote the FDA in a June 2023 letter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Indo Africa shut down, with Mukesh Gupta, its CEO and owner, leaving Liberia and has not returned for nearly two years now. The family also owns Sing Africa and Starwood, which have contracts with Bluyeama and Matro Kpogblen community forests in Lofa, and Grand Bassa respectively. Another community is Korninga B which cancelled its contract with Indo Africa last year over non-compliance issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All community contracts are subject to a five-year review under the forestry reform law of Liberia. Bondi Mandingo forest contract with Indo Africa was expected to be reviewed last December but failed due to the absence of representatives of the company in Liberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gupta did not respond to questions The DayLight sent to him. However, in a previous communication, Indo Africa blamed the delay in its payment on the coronavirus pandemic. Those comments are not backed by facts. None of the Guptas\u2019 companies, including Indo Africa, declared a force majeure during the pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sing Africa was active as the pandemic took its toll. Between 2019 and 2021, Sing Africa produced 2,166 logs in Bluyeama, according to the FDA\u2019s records. The DayLight saw WhatsApp message exchanges between Mukesh Gupta, CEO of Indo Africa, and Mark Dennis, the chief officer of Bondi Mandingo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last September, who runs the business of Bondi Mandingo, sent Gupta a citation for a meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMark Dennis\u2026 I will be coming back after the elections in Liberia. I will settle community dues and other obligations,\u201d Gupta replied. \u201cRequesting you to have a meeting after the election. Thanks.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChairman, we have waited for so long and never [heard] from you,\u201d Dennis said. \u201cPresently, we have embarked on court actions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In October 2023, Gupta replied to Dennis saying, \u201cWe are ready to pay land rental. I will be coming back to Liberia after Christmas.\u201d Gupta, however, did not return up to writing time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The agreement between the parties calls for the process of arbitration before cancellation in a dispute arising from performance and other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To cancel their agreement, Bondi Mandingo must inform Indo Africa about its decision, according to the document. Then both parties are required to present one arbitrator each, with another from the FDA. The three arbitrators will preside over the exercise, hear both sides and make a final decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gbarto told The DayLight that the community started the arbitration but the process did not go through as Indo Africa \u201ccannot be found.\u201d He said there were issues with the FDA arbitrator and the venue of the process. The FDA did not respond to queries for this story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gbarto said the community would consult a lawyer on the way forward with the cancelation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other communities have embarked upon terminating their contracts with Guptas. Bluyeama in Zozor, Lofa and Matro Kpogblen<\/a> in District Number 4, Grand Bassa, have also considered cancelation of their contracts with Sing Africa and Starwood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last year, Korninga B<\/a>, a neighboring community, terminated<\/a> its contract with Indo Africa over non-compliance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Given their experiences with Indo Africa, locals now prefer conservation to commercial logging. The Community Rights Law… gives them the right to make that choice with the approval of the FDA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe community has now shifted its initial plan from logging to conservation,\u201d Dennis said. \u201cThey are looking at the benefits of conservation to the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bondi Mandingo has decided to distribute US$65,000 they received from Indo Africa among all six affected communities for projects, according to documents seen by The DayLight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Totoquellie and Farwhenta selected a maternity center and auditorium, while Sappima, Loloma, Guyanta, Gbarquoita chose a guesthouse each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stage.thedaylight.org\/wp68\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Bondi-Mandingo.png\")
\u201cThe global economic slowdown and lockdown of the markets declared by several countries have adversely affected our cash flow situation,\u201d the company said at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stage.thedaylight.org\/wp68\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_1314.jpg\")
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