In spite of land grab claims brought by the Sustainable DevelopmentInstitute against two of the world's largest Oil Palm plantationcompanies - Malaysian and Indonesian owned Sime Darby and GoldenVeroleum - the Land Commission has trashed the claim.

Speaking to journalists at his office, the Chairman of the Land Commission, Dr. Cecil T. Othello Brandy said land grab claims cannot be of essence anymore, with the new model of Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) process which has been introduced by the Liberian Government with the involvement of authorities of the Malaysian owned Sime Darby oil palm company, as well as citizens of local communities in Grand Cape Mount County.

"We recently concluded or facilitated the conclusion of a MoU between Sime Darby and the people of Zodua for 5, 000 hectares of land consistent with FPIC principles and involving a participatory approach with these communities," he said.

The land Chairman added: "we are very proud of this; and this will provide a model for moving forward. The issue of land grabbing is no longer an issue as far as we are concerned, with regards to concessions acquiring land in Liberia ... precisely, precisely and improved on."

Dr. Brandy's comment followed a recent fact sheet released by Friends of the Earth International, Friends of the Earth Europe in collaboration with a local Liberian partner, the Sustainable Development Institute, in which they blamed the oil palm plantation for land grab in the 3rd world nation.

However, Dr. Brandy added; "Clearly we invite all of our national and international partners to observe what we've done. We think we are trailblazing it in many effects, with regards to this whole issue of land grabbing in Liberia."

The Land Commission recently headed a negotiation in Zodua Clan, Grand Cape Mount County, which led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing Sime Darby to clear and operate 5,000 hectares of land mass.

In the SDI's recent campaign, it holds the diverging view that concession agreements or contracts must be renegotiated in order to enshrine the responsibility to conduct FPIC negotiations, to invalidate the resettlement clause stated within the concession agreement and that the plantation movement doesn't go along with the granting of consent from the villagers, which is contrary from the views that the locals themselves hold.

One of such persons spoken to was Mr. Fakarmou Samukai, Clan Chief of Bomi County's Gobla Clan who said; "First, Sime Darby, I never understood them. I was taking them to be bad people. That's why we came the last time and we stopped them according to the NGO's, because 'da' what they tell us [halting the company's Lofa Estate operation for a relative short period due to NGO's activities alleging that the company is bad and its operations will not benefit the people positively]. I see that Sime Darby, they are good people for us to follow them and they must develop our area. So today, I am willing to work with Sime Darby to give them more land. Because if we don't give them the land, 'da so-so bush' [only bush will remain in the area], and the bush will not develop the area. Now I am standing here my village road is all clean now from Sime Darby... they are good partner for us to work with and for them to help us."

For her part, Madam Siatta Kiawon, Resident of Karnga Town in Grand Cape Mount County's Zodua Clan said "We the Karnga women, men and youth put together and say Sime Darby must come, because we get plenty bush and not use for it. We are tired... the bush is too much.