Chronology of the plantation

  • 2008

    • 2008

      SITHE GLOBAL turned to the Cameroonian government to be granted building land for the construction of a palm oil plantation. At that time Sithe Global had already been owned approximately 80% by the hedge fund Blackstone.

  • 2009

    • 26th January 2009

      Establishment of a branch office of the plantation in Buea, Cameroon. All shares of the plantation belong to SGSO Cameroon Holdings Ltd., with registered office in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands. Blackstone subsidiary Sithe Global sold 100% of his shares to sGsOC to Herakles Capital. Bruce Wrobel is the Managing Director of Sithe Global and the company Herakles.

    • 17th September 2009

      The signing of a contract between the Republic of Cameroon and SGSOC. The latter are represented by Carmine Farman, who also is deputy managing director of Sithe Global Power. This contract authorizes SGSOC to grow oil palms in the planned area.

  • 2010

  • 2011

    • Beginning of 2011

      The population of Cameroon draws SAVE attention to the project; start of the protest campaign. Letter of protest to Blackstone by SAVE and other NGO's

    • June 2011

      The delivery of a worldwide petition (over 18,000) against the construction of the plantation at Blackstone Germany (manager Axel Herberg) in Düsseldorf

    • 6th July 2011

      Letter to Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF)

    • 4th August 2011

      Meeting of stakeholders, village leaders and operators of the plant in Mundemba within the BICUD meetings.

    • 7th August 2011

      Legal steps are initiated by a local Cameroonian NGO called SEFE.

    • 26th August 2011

      Report of Ngolo, Batanga and the Bima communities, supporting SAVE and others after convention of an open meeting.

    • 31st August 2011

      Building freezes as a preliminary injunction turns out to be effective.

    • 3rd October 2011

      Court proceedings stemming from illegal construction activities in discord with the arrangement.
      Proceedings, the construction work was continued despite the court orders. SG-SOC does not follow court order.

    • 16th October 2011

      Nursery manager arrested for continuation of plantation works in Cameroon

  • 2012

    • February 2012

      The judge who imposed the injunction is dismissed because of the SG-SOC petition. At the same time Herakles announces the publication of an improved and additional environmental impact study.

    • 15th Februar 2012

      Herakles submitted summarized versions of studys conducted last year to the RSPO

    • 14th March 2012

      SAVE and other NGO's officially write a complain to the RSPO against the SG-SOC plantation

    • 20th March 2012

      Announcement of Herakles Farms: A Response to Inquiries Regarding the Sustainability and Intentions of the Herakles Farms SG Sustainable Oils Project in Southwest Cameroon

    • 27th March 2012

      Open Scientific Letter about the Environmental and Social Impacts of a Massive Oil Palm Development in Cameroon to Herakles Farms

    • 20th March 2012

      Statement of the Cameroonian lawyer Malle Adolf

    • 30th March 2012

      Response to SG Sustainable Oils Cameroon Oil Palm Project Responses to Comments Received by RSPO Thomas Struhsaker Comments of 1 March 2012

    • 17th April 2012

      Press release: NGOs get supporting of the justice system and international scientistsy

    • 27th April 2012

      Documentations by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (Republic of Cameroon) -REGIONAL DELEGATION OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE SOUTH WEST

    • May 2012

      SAVE supports the collection of signatures of the affected communities against the plantation in Cameroony

    • 04th May.2012

      Lawsuit in Cameroon supreme court

    • 30th May 2012

      Oil Palm Project: Responses to the responses by RSPO on the 26. April 2012 SAVE Wildlife Conservation Fund, 11.05.2012

    • 23rd May 2012

      Peer-Review of “Assessment of High Conservation Value on the SGSOC concession for oil palm development in south-west Cameroon” by HCV Resource Network Charter

    • 26th June 2012

      Press Release: Kameruner protestieren gegen die Herakles-Tochterfirma SGSOC (only in German)

    • July 2012

      RSPO choose WILD Asia as mediator

    • 10th July .2012

      HF Way Forward Proposal by Wild Asia

    • 12th July 2012

      Response letter – WILMERHALE Response Comments of SAVE and SEFE to RSPO regarding Herakles Farms Complaint

    • 25th July 2012

      Letter from SAVE and the other complainants to the director general RSPO

    • July 2012

      RSPO-complaints were published on the RSPO-website

    • 23rd August 2012

      Press release: RSPO blasted over palm oil plantation in Africa

    • 29th August 2012

      The German investor Acazis AG signs memorandum of understanding with Herakles Farms, USA

    • 30th August 2012

      Letter from SAVE and other complaints to the Director General and RSPO Grievance panel

    • 31st August 2012

      SAVE receives 2000 signatures against the plantation of the affected local residents

    • 4th September 2012

      Herakles withdrew its membership application to the RSPO

    • 05th September 2012

      Press release: International opposition was successful- Herakles withdrew its membership application to the RSPO

    • 22th September 2012

      Illegal deforestation of 80 hectares of forest area for the planting of oil palm seedlings