SHELL AND ELF
WITHDRAW FROM CHAD-CAMEROON PIPELINE
In November, the Shell and Elf Aquitaine
oil companies abruptly pulled out of the
controversial proposed pipeline project
that would carry oil from wells in Chad to
ports in Cameroon for overseas export (see
LINK 86). Exxon and the World Bank are the
main remaining funders of the pipeline.
Experts have speculated that the sudden
withdrawal of the two oil companies was
motivated by political pressure.
Several weeks earlier, Friends of the
Earth had joined NGOs from Chad, Cameroon
and other parts of the world in calling for
a moratorium on World Bank funding for the
project. As Chad and Cameroon are both
known for having politically instable and
pervasively corrupt governments, Bank
participation in the project would
alleviate the risks of investing there for
the oil companies. The NGO coalition feels
that the Bank should place a moratorium on
funding until environmental and human
rights violations in the country are
stopped.
According to Samuel Nguiffo of FoE
Cameroon, "The World Bank's stated goals
are poverty alleviation and sustainable
development. But we do not believe that the
current political situation in either
country allows for these goals to be
achieved through this project. Local people
have not been fully informed about the
impacts of the project, and when they were
consulted, the intimidating presence of
armed militias silenced criticism."
The pipeline will traverse a largely
intact area of tropical rainforest, home to
indigenous people popularly referred to as
Pygmies. It will cross most of Cameroon's
major river systems, potentially polluting
water sources. The offshore loading
facility, from which millions of barrels of
oil will be transferred to tankers, is a
single-hulled vessel, posing the risk of a
catastrophic spill.
Information from Environmental Defense
Fund, FoE US and FoE Cameroon
|
Samuel Nguiffo, director of new FoE
member group Centre for Environment and
Development in Cameroon, was attacked
by gunmen just days before he was to
travel to the annual World Bank
meetings in Washington in September.
His passport was stolen, preventing his
attendance at the meetings. Fortunately
however, he was able to attend the FoEI
Annual General Meeting in November
where his organization was admitted as
an associate member of FoEI.
|
