Violation : mauvais traitements brutaux et menaces contre les travailleurs, et harcèlement sexuel des travailleuses, par BIDCO, une plantation industrielle d’huile de palme .
opens in a new windowBIDCO, an agro-industry giant, has been in existence since 2002. The company is owned by the transnational corporation Wilmar, its subsidiary Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) and the Government of opens in a new windowUganda with support from the World Bank. The company came into the Kalangala Islands full of promises of employment, prosperity and improving livelihoods. The cultivation of oil palms is not native to Uganda and since it was introduced, the islanders who are formerly fisherfolk and smallholder farmers are struggling to survive.
Sarah Namasisi, like many others, made the decision to work at the plantation with the hopes of starting her own business. For a year and eight months, Sarah counted oil palm harvests from one corner of the plantation to the other – on foot (walking 18 kilometres every single day).
opens in a new windowBIDCO has complete disregard for workers on the palm oil plantations. When some workers began to experience serious impacts on their physical health due to the arduous work of palm oil harvesting and processing, including ulcers, respiratory illness, backaches and more – the corporation did not care. Women also face widespread sexual harassment where they were expected to exchange sexual favours for their salaries.
Children born on the plantation are treated as unrecognised employees – while their parents work, they are encouraged to pick seeds for a little bit of extra money. The chemicals used on the plantation have also proven to be toxic, causing respiratory problems for many. The company also refuses to provide workers with the equipment to protect themselves or any medical treatment. In 2019, when Sarah walked away from her job at BIDCO, she was sick, broke and homeless.
Sarah et beaucoup d’autres ont tenté et continuent de contester l’entreprise pour ces abus et violations de leurs droits en tant que travailleurs et êtres humains, leurs voix sont accueillies avec des menaces de perdre leur emploi ou de licenciement complet. Tous les efforts pour dénoncer les pratiques inhumaines de BIDCO ont été rapidement réprimés et réduits au silence. Lorsque Sarah a soulevé des préoccupations au sujet de sa santé, on lui a dit « d’écrire une lettre de démission et de la remettre ». BIDCO continue de fonctionner en toute impunité et les employés actuels et anciens ont peu de recours à la justice.
*Nom différent utilisé pour protéger l’identité de ce militant.
Source des témoignages et d’images: GRAIN.org
“Sarah Namasisi, like many others, made the decision to work at the plantation with the hopes of starting her own business. For a year and eight months, Sarah counted oil palm harvests from one corner of the plantation to the other – on foot (walking 18 kilometres every single day).”
