"SRC Rejects Villagers’ Claims of Land Grab, Rights Abuse", 15 January 2021

The Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) operating in Margibi County has rejected claims by villagers that it is involved with human rights abuses and land grabs the local villagers have claimed in recent times.

... SRC said:  “The company unequivocally and categorically rejects the allegations and terms them not only reckless, untrue, and unfounded, but intended to incite local residents, tarnish and bring into public disrepute its corporate image that it has established over the years since the commencement of its corporate existence as a subsidiary of the SOCFIN Group in Liberia due to the dissolution of Weala Rubber Company (WRC) corporate life, and a merger with Salala Rubber Corporation to create a single corporate entity in August 2007.”

... “Since that time (2007), the company has operated in strict compliance with the terms, conditions, and provisions of its concession agreement granted by the Government of Liberia in addition to other guidelines as required and set by concerned government regulatory bodies from time to time.”

.... “In the course of conducting its business operations in Liberia, the company continues to assist the government with its social-economic efforts by providing employment, education, and health care services not only for its workforce but also for residents from the surrounding local communities.”

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“In addition to the above, the company is maintaining healthy relation with its surrounding communities with a functional grievance mechanism in place for challenging their grievances which are addressed through the company’s community liaison team,” the statement added.

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The company said COVID-19...compelled the company to carry out redundancies leading to maintaining skeletal staff.  

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