A REPORT released on Monday by Human Rights Watch (HRW) raises concerns about the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a project spearheaded by TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation. The $10bn project aims to develop Ugandan oilfields and transport the crude through a 1,445-kilometre pipeline to Tanzania’s port of Tanga. However, the EACOP has encountered strong opposition from rights activists and environmental groups, facing legal action in France and criticism in the European Parliament.
The HRW report highlights the potential irreparable harm to fragile ecosystems and alleges mistreatment of the approximately 100,000 people expected to be displaced by the project. Researchers conducted more than 90 interviews, including 75 with displaced families, and found instances of delayed or inadequate compensation. Some individuals reported feeling pressured into selling their land.
Felix Horne, senior environment researcher at HRW, expressed concern, stating, ‘EACOP has been a disaster for the tens of thousands who have lost the land that provided food for their families and an income to send their children to school, and who received too little compensation from TotalEnergies. EACOP is also a disaster for the planet, and the project should not be completed.’
The report documents cases of farmers going into debt while waiting years for compensation. HRW also noted 37 instances where children allegedly dropped out of school due to their families’ inability to pay fees. Concerns were raised about the use of compensation agreements written in English, which some individuals couldn’t read. The presence of government and security officials at public meetings was reported to create an atmosphere of intimidation.
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to proceed with the project, despite calls from the European Parliament to delay it over alleged ‘rights violations.’ HRW has also expressed concerns over the wrongful imprisonment of activists opposing the project and the eviction of individuals from their land without adequate compensation.
TotalEnergies responded to the report in a letter to HRW, stating that it has offered fair compensation and will continue to respect the rights of the affected communities. However, five Ugandan and French aid groups, along with 26 Ugandans, have recently filed a lawsuit against TotalEnergies in Paris, seeking reparations for alleged human rights violations in two of the company’s mega-projects in Uganda, including the EACOP.
President Museveni sees the project as an economic boost for Uganda, which has a significant poverty rate among its population. Despite the ongoing controversies, the government remains committed to the completion of the EACOP.
(With newswires)
