SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The co-founder of Return to the Land (RTTL), a white-only private membership group establishing a community in northern Arkansas and now expanding into Missouri, has addressed Ozarks First about a stabbing he was involved in at a decentralized vegan community in Ecuador.
Eric Orwoll, RTTL co-founder,told Ozarks First last weekthat a group of individuals is exploring the possibility of establishing an RTTL community close to Springfield.
Ozarks First has found out that one of RTTL’s co-founders, Peter Csere, was previously involved with a vegan community in Ecuador known as Fruit Haven, which had elements comparable to RTTL, including purchases of communal land.
As per Csere’s GoFundMe campaign, which was launched when he needed financial support for legal representation following a violent encounter with miners, he was probed by Ecuadorian officials regarding an alleged attempted murder. However, Csere continues to deny the charges, claiming the event was an act of self-defense.
Fruit Haven’s website — which Csere stated is no longer true and is now managed by “one person” in the United States — accuses Csere of financial misconduct and abuse. A representative from Fruit Haven, however, mentioned that there are still 40 owners within the community.
“Before he left, Csere was involved in a violent confrontation with Ecuadorian miners who were working illegally on a property that had been recently acquired, FH9,” states the Fruit Haven website.
Fruit Haven states that after ongoing disputes and warnings, Csere — along with government representatives — recorded the mining operations using a drone.
Fruit Haven stated that during the conflict, Csere injured one of the miners, claiming it was in self-defense, leading to a collapsed lung for an Ecuadorian miner. “(Csere) later encountered legal issues in Ecuador, which probably contributed to his choice to depart from the country,” Fruit Haven noted.
However, Csere states, Fruit Haven’s version of the incident involving the miners is “quite inaccurate.”
A government inspector from the Ministry of the Environment asked me to join them during an inspection of an illegal activity,” Csere stated. “The miners assaulted us (me, my two Ecuadorian workers, and the government inspector). It was an unexpected attack involving logs, machetes, and pepper spray.
Csere mentioned that the miners threatened to harm them, and they were able to protect themselves and escape. He criticized violence but endorsed the right to defend oneself.
“The Bible instructs us to ‘turn the other cheek’ when dealing with personal insults and wrongs, yet it also indicates that defending oneself and protecting one’s family is acceptable,” Csere stated.
Csere stated that RTTL is a “lawful organization that does not support violence,” and if a member were to commit a significant crime, they would be removed. The group mandates a criminal background check for all individuals joining an RTTL community.
Csere informed Ozarks First that he departed from Ecuador in 2023. He mentioned that although some media outlets suggest he left the country because miners were trying to file charges against him following a conflict, he actually left several months after the event took place. Furthermore, he stated that his travel was not limited and that no charges were filed against him.
There were numerous reasons for departing,” Csere stated. “The community I resided in promoted a way of life that I view as unethical and deteriorated. The Ecuadorian government was ineffective and corrupt, and criminal activity was increasing annually.
Csere mentioned he wished to begin a family and reside in a group that upholds “healthy, conventional values.”
He encountered Orwoll following his viewing of a video created by Orwoll that discussed a gathering in Missouri from 2023. This video was posted to an established group in the Ozarks that resembles RTTL, and at that time, Csere was already thinking about relocating to the Ozarks to begin a homestead.
LOCAL LEADERS CONDEMN RTTL
Multiple leaders from the Springfield area have criticized RTTL, including the NAACP Springfield Chapter, which issued a statement on Tuesday, July 29.
The NAACP Springfield Chapter strongly opposes the planned expansion of RTTL, a community specifically set aside for white residents, outside the boundaries of Springfield,” the statement reads. “This action directly conflicts with our fundamental principles of fairness, diversity, and justice, and hampers the advancements in racial equality that our city has worked hard to attain.
The NAACP stated that RTTL’s segregationist approach fosters division and discrimination, and its growth beyond Springfield poses a risk to the values of unity and diversity that are essential to our community’s foundation.
“We urge Springfield’s officials to openly criticize this plan and to oppose any actions that support racial segregation or discrimination,” the statement reads.
The NAACP expressed gratitude to elected officials including Representative Jeremy Dean, Councilwoman Monica Horton, and others who have spoken out against RTTL.
“Springfield has no space, and Missouri has no room for a group that sets us back by decades and permits segregation, racism, and terrible, dreadful speech to thrive within our own community,” said Missouri State Representative Betsy Fogle.
Although no municipal representative has been informed about a claimed “whites only” planned project in the “Springfield region,” City Manager David Cameron made it evident that there is no location, particularly in Springfield, Missouri, that is suitable for this kind of project.
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