The people of Las Pavas are a sustainable farming community. Paramilitary violence forced them off the land several times but each time they returned. In 2006 the community was in the legal process of claiming its land rights when a Daabon consortium bought the land from an absentee owner, who had lost his rights by abandoning the land for years. On July 14, 2009, riot police forcefully removed the community of 123 families (more than 500 people).
Throughout this year, the community has been living in a humanitarian crisis with no food security and no land.
The Body Shop has yet to publicly state that they will stop buying palm oil from Daabon unless Daabon returns the land to the displaced community of Las Pavas, pays reparations for damage done, and works to correct damage to the environment there.
Take Action: Send another letter to The Body Shop encouraging them to take that action Go to: http://www.cpt.org/urgent-action/LasPavas or contact the global head office:
The Body Shop International plc
New City Court
20 St Thomas Street
LondonEngland
SE1 9RG
tel: 00 44 (0)20 7208 7600
fax: 00 44 (0)20 7208 7606