Big companies all over the world crave for land. They can earn millions and billions with mining, timber trade and country-sized plantations. The land especially in the countries of the global south is sold out. Those who suffer are those who always suffer: the people who can barely live on the work of their own hands.

In West Papua for example big mining and plantation companies promise to build schools and other infrastructure in the remote areas if the get land for few money. When the land is gone, nobody cares about the promises anymore. The peasants have lost the basis of their daily food, of their income and also of theier cultural identity. They cannot feed or support their children anymore.

Similar problems occur in Tanzania, the Philippines, DR Congo or Namibia as well. The local population lose their access to fresh water and to their farming land. We as the United Evangelical Mission, together with our member churches don't accept these dubious practices, but advocate with our human rights action against land grabbing in the world. We also support projects which help the people to keep their ancestral land in their own hands.

More information is available at UEM’s head office, Phone +49-(0)202 89004-142, jpic(at)vemission.org.

 

The campaigning material

Land grabbing poster

Information on land grabbing

Projects against land grabbing