One protester has died, and 11 are injured in the violent conclusion to worker strikes in Nkoteng, Cameroon.

Over 4000 union workers in Cameroon’s Sugarcane Corporation (SOSUCAM) went on strike on January 26 in response to a new payment system that delayed payments and prevented career advancement. The union turned the strike into a broader call for better pay and safer working conditions. After two weeks of protest, the strike escalated into a riot on February 4, when 400 special forces officers and ten armored vehicles arrived on scene…

Over 150 hectares,worth 3 billion in CFA francs, out of SOSUCAM’s 25,000 hectares of sugarcane plantations burned in the resulting chaos.

According to Cameroon’s Constitution, workers can strike when other measures have already been taken. Various government officials have condemned police and SOSUCAM for violating workers’ constitutional rights. Opposition leader Maurice Kamto denounced the strike to Cameroon News Agency,…

In response to the protests, Champeaux released a statement affirming the commitment to workplace safety, “Sosucam is committed to the deployment of an occupational health and safety (OHS) policy aimed at preventing workplace accidents and protecting workers.”…

In addition to workplace complaints, SOSUCAM and Somdiaa have come under fire for environmental pollution…