JEETY BANS FARMING AND COAL BURNING NEAR SRC DEPRIVING THOUSANDS OF LIVELIHOODS AMID LEGAL BATTLE
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April 8, 2025
By Jeremiah Sackie Cooper
Weala, Margibi County: Tensions are rising in communities surrounding the Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) in Margibi County after the company, managed by Indian investor Upjit Singh, wildly known as Jeety, reportedly banned residents from engaging in farming and charcoal production near the plantation area.
Residents of the neighboring towns and villages told the Alliance for Rural Democracy, a network of community-based organizations who are working to address challenges faced by rural communities and growing concern among locals who depend on traditional livelihoods for survival.
According to community sources, Jetty’s security personnel were instructed to deliver a directive that no farming activities would be allowed in the swamp lands adjacent the SRC property, a space that residents have used for years to cultivate rice and vegetables.
Those who had already cleared their swamp land in preparation for the planting season were stopped in their tracks, their names were reportedly recorded, with security officials indicating that these individuals would be the first contacted if any bushfire were to occur in the area.
Among those listed were Samuel James, Yah Boakai, and Musu Cooper from Dedee-ta 1, along with Satta Bolay and Miatta Sackie from Jorkpolosue. These residents, like many others, rely heavily on subsistence farming to feed their families. Send their children to school and generate income.
A similar restriction has been imposed on charcoal producers in the area. Community members involved in coal burning were told to cease operations around the SRC plantation. This directive struck a nerve, especially in places like Gorgbor Town, where residents are known for their small-scale charcoal production. An incident in Gorgbor Town has drawn particular attention.
A woman identified as Jartu Moses had a charcoal oven burning at the back of the town when SRC authorities reportedly intervened. A team, including an Indian national from Jeety’s delegation, arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire an act captured in a photo submitted to Women’s TV Liberia by locals. The ban has left many community members frustrated and uncertain about their future.
“We don’t know how we’ll survive if we can’t farm or make coal,” one resident lamented during a phone interview. “This is how we’ve lived for generations.” The ban comes amid an ongoing legal battle between the Salala Rubber Corporation and surrounding towns and villages. Towns and villages surrounding the SRC have accused the company of land grabbing, destruction of cultural sites, and sexual and gender-based violence, with the case before the court since September 2022.
With the latest restriction on farming and coal-burning activities, critics describe the management of SRC actions as a strategy to undermine the ongoing legal battle with the affected communities.
As the conflict continues, locals are calling for engagement between the company and community leaders to find a solution that respects both environmental concerns and the right of residents to maintain their traditional livelihoods. Community stakeholders and civil society organizations are also urging government intervention to mediate the issue and ensure that development does not come at the cost of displacing the very people it is meant to benefit.
