Residents of the Kahnkaye Chiefdom in the Nyorwein District of Liberia selected new chiefs to lead a rejection of Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) from expanding its plantation on their land. The replaced chiefs are accused of accepting bribe from EPO and collaborating with the company against the wishes of the community. Both the replaced chiefs and EPO deny the accusation. Bribing communities to get their consent for concession is a violation of the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), one of the key principles of the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). EPO concedes it needs to renegotiate with the chiefdom.

{From the article}