One year after their forceful evictions in Abidjan, 133 farmers from the Agro-Past Eburny association have not received compensation for significant losses. Despite government commitments, they continue to suffer financial hardship and loss of livelihood, affecting their families and children’s education. Human rights advocates stress the urgent need for actionable resolutions from the Ivorian authorities.
Amnesty International has urged the Ivorian authorities to promptly compensate 133 farmers and their families whose livelihoods were devastated by forceful evictions on the Gesco Rivière site in Abidjan. The evictions, conducted on February 21, 2024, involved the demolition of farms and fishponds belonging to the Agro-Past Eburny association, which had operated on a 4.6 hectares plot granted to them in 2011 by a state-owned enterprise. Despite the authorities’ promises for compensation, no payment has been issued one year post-demolitions, leading to significant financial losses estimated at around 650 million FCFA (approximately 1 million euros).
Amnesty International’s interim regional director, Marceau Sivieude, remarked on the necessity for adherence to human rights standards during unavoidable evictions. He emphasized, “While we have welcomed the authorities’ commitment to suspend evictions and demolitions in Abidjan and to implement compensation measures, the Gesco Rivière farmers have so far not benefited from any of these plans.” The farmers have received no responses from government bodies, including the Ministry of Animal Production and Fisheries Resources, compounding their challenges.
The demolitions not only impacted 133 farmers and their families but also affected 171 employees on site, forcing many into poverty. Many children have been deprived of education due to financial constraints. Hervey Delmas Kokou, Executive Director of Amnesty International Côte d’Ivoire, noted, “Before the demolitions, these farmers and their employees supported their families and paid for their children’s schooling.” The situation has pushed some families into makeshift living arrangements and resulted in critical medical needs going unmet.
The urgency of implementing compensation measures is paramount, particularly for those who were neither tenants nor homeowners yet lost property. In March 2024, authorities promised compensation of 250,000 FCFA per household; however, evictions continued. As of November 21, 2024, the government announced a suspension of evictions and support for those affected. Amnesty International stresses that the requirements of national and international human rights needs to be fulfilled to protect these vulnerable groups.
The larger context includes significant demolition operations carried out in Abidjan’s neighborhoods between January and June 2024, which disrupted many lives, reflecting a strategy by local authorities to manage areas vulnerable to flooding. As the situation continues to develop, the census of affected residents is ongoing, highlighting the critical need for sustainable resolutions for the displaced.
The urgent need for compensation for the affected farmers of Gesco Rivière remains a critical issue one year after their forced evictions. Despite government commitments and some measures announced, no actual compensation has been disbursed. The far-reaching implications, including poverty and loss of educational opportunities for children, underscore the need for adherence to human rights standards in handling such evictions going forward.
Original Source: www.amnesty.org
