Project affected persons of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline(EACOP) in Kiziranfumbi village, Kikuube district have expressed dismay over the alleged decision by the government of China to provide funding for the construction of the controversial pipeline.
Addressing the media in Kiziranfumbi, the residents noted that their fear is that the pipeline will displace thousands of people, living them in abject poverty and destroying the environment as well as driving the climate crisis.
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“It’s hard to believe that China has not seen the problems this destructive project has caused on communities yet the pipeline hasn’t been built yet; our understanding of this recent information if accurate is that China does not care for the people of Uganda as long as they can benefit from the profits Total Energies will make from exporting oil in Uganda to meet the energy needs of the Global North countries,” said Balach Bakundane the Coordinator of EACOP Project Affected Persons (PAP)
Bakundane said that its very disturbing that China would fund a project that undermines locals in a developing country to put more money in the pockets of TotalEnergies shareholders, majority of whom are from rich countries.
Over 40 banks globally including 28 European banks, have ruled out financing the controversial Uganda-Tanzania pipeline. The extent of the rejection of TotalEnergies’ $5 billion EACOP project by the banking sector is unprecedented in the oil and gas industry.
“Our communities have continued to suffer the consequences of oil drilling activities in Tilenga and Kingfisher operated by TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC). The ongoing floods for instance have been exacerbated by these activities as a lot of the vegetation cleared left the people more vulnerable to the seasonal floods,” Bakundane noted.
The residents noted that they have continued to suffer irregular and forceful land acquisitions – more recently the use of courts to intimidate land owners as was the case with the 42 families from the Albertine region and the Masaka high court ruling against the 80 EACOP project affected persons from greater Masaka.
The loss of fertile agricultural land leading to food shortage problems as those who accept compensation are unable to find similar and equivalent land elsewhere is the other challenges that the residents highlighted.
“We are tired of the on-going harassment and intimidation of residents especially those who out of no options choose to continue fishing in lake Albert and end up having their boats confiscated and, in some instances, burned by the government security personnel deployed to protect the oil activities in L. Albert,” noted Innocent Tumwebaze the Chairperson Oil Refinery Association.
Tumwebaze added that the community has registered imprisonment of anyone who publicly voices opposition to the controversial project; particularly activists in Kampala who voice solidarity with PAPs in Bunyoro and Greater Masaka regions adding that now 15 students are in Luzira Maximum prison for nearly a month for protesting EACOP.
“Through the support of Civil Society and Environmental organizations, we’ve documented numerous problems that can be backed by independent research confirming all these challenges we share here. And the same is true in neighboring Tanzania where issues of irregular compensation and loss of land and livelihood are associated with this controversial pipeline, not to mention the biodiversity loss,” Tumwebaze noted.
The residents have thus appealed to China to refuse attempts to profit off of the backs of communities who are left in abject poverty and have the fabric of their lives unraveled by the opportunistic and short-sighted projects and engage in partnerships that result in building communities through sustainable development.
“We urgently call upon the Chinese government to; publicly refute these claims about funding this controversial pipeline, address outstanding human rights violation allegations against CNOOC Uganda, engage meaningfully with local communities living in the Albertine region where CNOOC operates and explore renewable energy investments,” Bakundane emphasized.
