Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling for a halt to the major East African oil project led by TotalEnergies, citing dire consequences for the environment and local communities. TotalEnergies, in collaboration with the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, entered into a $10-billion agreement last year to develop Ugandan oil fields and transport the crude through a 1,445-kilometre pipeline to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean port of Tanga. However, the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has faced strong opposition from rights activists and environmental groups, with legal action and criticism being directed towards the project.
TotalEnergies claims that fair compensation has been provided to those displaced by the project and measures have been taken to protect the environment. HRW, on the other hand, argues that the mega-project will cause irreparable harm to fragile ecosystems and alleges that some of the 100,000 people expected to be displaced by the development have been treated poorly.
In its research conducted earlier this year, HRW interviewed over 90 individuals, including 75 displaced families. Many families stated that they had received delayed or inadequate compensation, while others claimed they were coerced into selling their land. HRW’s senior environment researcher, Felix Horne, described the EACOP project as a disaster for both the affected communities and the planet. He reiterated HRW’s call for the project to be halted.
HRW’s investigation also revealed instances of human rights violations. Farmers reported going into debt while waiting for compensation, resulting in children being unable to afford school fees. Some individuals signed compensation agreements written in a language they could not read, and others felt intimidated by the presence of government and security officials at public meetings. Those who resisted signing agreements faced pressure from company representatives as well as harassment from local authorities.
TotalEnergies, in response, stated that over 94 percent of signatories had already received their compensation and highlighted their commitment to environmental conservation and community rights. Despite calls for a delay in the project by the European Parliament due to concerns over human rights violations, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni remains determined to proceed with the oil project, claiming it will have significant economic benefits for the country. TotalEnergies is currently facing litigation in Paris over alleged human rights violations at two of its mega-projects in Uganda, including the EACOP. Museveni’s support for the project has been met with criticism, with activists opposing the project and residents being evicted from their land without proper compensation.
References:
-title: TotalEnergies’ Oil Project is a Disaster for the Planet: HRW
-url: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/totalenergies-oil-project-is-a-disaster-for-the-planet-hrw/article67065509.ece
