Newsletter / Blog
2011-10-24 Death threats received by opponent of a Jatropha project in Tana Delta
It is now apparent that private companies are using threats to silence
those who are opposed to massive developments in Tana Delta in Kenya. In
the last month, Mr. Hajj Idris Bakero, a religious leader in Garsen
Division, received death threats, presumably for his opposition to a
jatropha project in the area.
On September 9th 2011, his wife
Hamida Kori found a black plastic bag at the main gate to her compound,
in it was petrol in a small plastic bag, four rounds of ammunition for
an M16 Gun, and a warning note.
Translated, the note warned the
cleric not to continue "barking "about the project or else "these four
bullets will get into your body, we will burn your wife and children
with petrol so that your name disappears forever." This threat has now
been reported to the Kenyan Police.
The previous week, officials
of Bedford Biofuel, a foreign investor planning to grow Jatropha
plantations on local group ranches, held a meeting at Hamesa estate in
Garsen Township to collect views from the public. These meetings were
meant to convince the local people that there is value in Jatropha
growing. It was at this meeting that Mr. Bakero raised concerns that the
project might affect future generations.
Bedford Biofuels, a
Canadian Company was granted a licence by the government agency in Kenya
to plant Jatropha on 10,000 hectares of the Delta. However, there was
intense opposition to this move by Nature Kenya (BirdLife in Kenya) and
other environmental organisations. It is now widely expected that the
Bedford licence will be revoked and hence these frantic efforts.
In
the recent past, many studies have shown that growing of Jatropha has
failed in a massive scale in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It has also
been shown that the proliferation of Jatropha and other biofuels is
contributing to food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
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