Key points:
- TotalEnergies faces French manslaughter probe
- Survivors allege failure to protect workers
- Over 1,400 killed or missing in 2021 attack
FRENCH prosecutors have opened a formal manslaughter investigation into energy giant TotalEnergies over its alleged role in a deadly jihadist attack in northern Mozambique in 2021. The probe follows legal complaints from survivors and relatives of victims, who accuse the company of failing to protect subcontractors working near its major gas project at the time. The news was first reported by AFP.
The investigation was officially launched on Friday by prosecutors in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris. TotalEnergies is being probed for involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist persons in danger during the attack, which took place in the port town of Palma in March 2021.
Survivors welcome ‘decisive step’
Seven plaintiffs—including three survivors and four relatives of victims—filed a criminal complaint in October 2023. They allege that TotalEnergies, then operating under the name Total, failed to implement adequate safety measures for its subcontractors despite clear risks in Cabo Delgado province, where Islamist militants had been active since 2017.
One survivor, Nicholas Alexander from South Africa, told AFP that the legal action was a vital step toward justice. ‘We feared Total was too big and too powerful to be investigated. So we’re very happy this has gone ahead,’ he said. ‘At this stage, we just want a proper judicial inquiry and clear answers.’
Lawyers for the plaintiffs, Vincent Brengarth and Henri Thulliez, said in a joint statement to AFP that the investigation represents ‘a decisive step for the victims of the Palma massacre.’ They argue the case highlights the dangers of prioritising ‘economic considerations over human lives.’
A deadly siege
The 2021 assault on Palma was carried out by militants linked to the Islamic State. The attack lasted several days, leaving a trail of devastation. Mozambique’s government reported about 30 deaths. However, journalist Alex Perry, who conducted an independent investigation over five months, estimated the toll at over 1,400 dead or missing, including 55 contractors associated with Total.
Survivor accounts describe harrowing scenes. Janik Armstrong, a Canadian whose husband Adrian Nel was killed during the siege, recalled being trapped at the Amarula Lodge with 150 others, waiting in vain for rescue. When it became clear no help was coming, the group attempted to flee in a convoy, but they were ambushed by militants. Armstrong’s husband was killed in the attack.
Allegations against TotalEnergies
The plaintiffs accuse TotalEnergies of neglecting its duty to protect workers and contractors. One specific allegation is that the company refused to supply fuel to a South African security firm attempting to airlift people from the besieged lodge. The firm reportedly ran out of fuel, leaving people stranded as militants closed in.
TotalEnergies has denied these allegations. In a statement to AFP, the company said it had fully evacuated staff from its Mozambique LNG project, mostly by boat, and insisted that it had provided fuel to support rescue operations. ‘TotalEnergies will cooperate fully with this investigation,’ the company added.
Wider implications and concerns
The Palma massacre prompted Mozambique to invite foreign troops, including forces from Rwanda and other African nations, to help retake control of Cabo Delgado province. TotalEnergies has since paused its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the region but is now looking to restart operations.
This week, the US Export-Import Bank approved a $4.7 billion loan to support the project, in which TotalEnergies holds a 26.5% stake. The gas is intended for export to Asian markets.
However, several NGOs have condemned the move. In a joint statement on Friday, they urged European and Asian financiers to reject what they described as a ‘toxic and irresponsible’ plan, calling the LNG project a ‘climate bomb’ tainted by allegations of human rights violations.
A long road to accountability
The investigation represents a rare legal challenge against a multinational corporation over security failures in conflict zones. Whether it leads to convictions remains to be seen, but for survivors and families of the victims, the inquiry itself is a step toward justice.
