East Africa: Communities And Activists In Uganda And Tanzania Take To The Streets In Response To Experiences Indicating That Chinese Financing For EACOP Could Be Imminent

On Sunday, eighth December, East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)-impacted communities gathered in Kikuube district in Uganda to carry a press conference and peaceful demonstration in response to the recent claim by the Government of Uganda indicating that financing for the damaging East African Crude Oil Pipeline would come by from quite a few Chinese state-owned entities by the top of December 2024.

Since September 2023, the Government of Uganda has repeatedly acknowledged that Chinese monetary establishments, together with Sinosure and China Exim Bank, are anticipated to finance the mission. However, the anticipated help from China seems to have been delayed, prompting EACOP shareholders to increase their fairness stake from 40% to 52%. However, the silence from the Chinese stakeholders relating to the claims by the Government of Uganda has raised critical considerations among the many affected communities and civil society in Uganda and Tanzania. These considerations are additional compounded by the significant role already performed by the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and numerous Chinese contractors within the operation and improvement of EACOP and its related tasks.

During the press convention, neighborhood leaders and impacted individuals put ahead clear demands for the Chinese monetary and insurance coverage actors, together with Sinosure, China Exim Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to say no any and all help for EACOP, emphasising the immense environmental and socio-economic hurt attributable to the pipeline and its related tasks. Impacted communities have additionally put out clear requires Chinese industrial and political decision-makers to prioritise mutually helpful developmental partnerships with their communities, with their nation and with the continent as a whole- stressing the potential function that the Chinese state and its entities may play in spurring significant development by the supply of help for decentralised renewable vitality infrastructure and different inexperienced financial and social improvement initiatives.

Yesterday, twelfth December 2024 , activists in Kampala and Dar Es Salaam marched to the embassies of China in Uganda and Tanzania respectively to make sure that the calls for, testimony and aspirations of EACOP-impacted communities are heard and handled severely by Chinese stakeholders who proceed to contemplate throwing their weight behind the disastrous EACOP and its related tasks.

The marketing campaign calls on Chinese monetary establishments to respect the choice of affected folks and to publicly decide to not funding this dangerous mission or the related oil fields.

Quotes:

“We urgently call upon the Chinese government and its financial institutions 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.” –  Balach Bakundane, Coordinator of EACOP Host Communities Organisation (EACOP-HC), Uganda

“The oil and gas sector in Uganda has been characterised by human rights violations, environmental and biodiversity destruction, and widespread land grabbing that disrupts household livelihoods. The CNOOC-led Kingfisher project has further exacerbated these issues, with reports of destroyed fishing equipment, the arrests and assaults of community members protesting these injustices, and a troubling rise in sexual and gender-based violence. These violations are unacceptable in any society. We urge Chinese financial institutions and insurance companies to demonstrate leadership and solidarity by rejecting financing for projects that harm our communities, do not make sound economic sense, destroy the environment, and contribute to the climate crisis.” –  Samuel Okulony, Executive Director of Environmental Governance Institute (EGI), Uganda

“The choice is clear: Chinese entities must not replicate the exploitative and destructive agenda of the West. We marched to the embassy in Dar Es Salaam today because, like our brothers and sisters in Uganda, our communities are suffering- displaced from their lands and stripped of their livelihoods. We demand that Chinese decision makers engage with us, listen to our voices, and pursue real alternatives that prioritise people over profit.” –  Richard Senkondo, Executive Director of the Organization for Community Engagement (OCE), Tanzania