Context:

Most of the community here worked for CDC banana plantations. Most of the community has not been paid properly for 6 years. They worked for 12 months last year but was only paid for 2. CDC employees were also being attacked by NSAGs as CDC is partly owned by the government. NSAGs purport that employees were supporting government initiatives by working for CDC and were attacking wrokers in plantations. Some wrokers were kidnapped, some had their limbs amputated. This resulted in the abandonment of plantations as workers were too frightened to go back to work. The Covid-19 crisis has also exacerbated the slow-down in production and sales, resulting in reduced demand and hence CDC's inability to pay salaries.


Name: Malingo Ekambi Frida 53yo
Grandma: Muke Catalina 93yo.

Malingo is married with 6 children (30, 27, 23, 20, 18 and 16yo) and 4 grandchildren.

"I would never that forget day till the end of my life. It happened in the banana field." Malingo was cultivating in the banana fields and suddenly heard a voice behind that said that if she was to move that she would be shot. Turning to face the voice, she saw a gun pointed straight at her. The assailant then used the gun to beat her across the legs before demanding that she showed them the hand that is to be chopped off. Instead Malingo gave them her bag which contained 3000 CFA that was thrown back at her. "I had no choice. I gave them my hand and they cut my finger." Malingo was taken to the hospital. On that same night, one of the separatists came in the night as to remind her about what happened in the field.

"So since that day, I never go work again. I have not received salary since what happened. Life no be easy for me."

During that time, Malingo's brother was kidnapped by military from the village. They took him for 5 months and could not be found. Malingo went to all the prison yards and there was no luck there either. Eventually they reported his disappearance to a hu