The British government is willing to support a controversial plan to drill for oil in one of Africa's oldest national parks, according to documents obtained by Energydesk.
Involved in the plan are three international companies, Tullow Oil in Britain, CNOOC in China and the French firm, Total.
The planned project could include dozens of wells being drilled in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, which is home to one of the last remaining populations of the world's most endangered species of giraffe. Experts warn that damaging the park could put this Rothschild's giraffe at risk.
But damage to the park has already occurred, according to a leaked Total report obtained by Energydesk. Neverthless says the Truthout report exposing Energydesk’s revelations, British trade officials see drilling in Uganda as a billion euro business opportunity and “have been keen" to offer Tullow “firm financial backing," including “UK taxpayer backed loans and insurance."
The Ugandan park is a very sensitive ecosystem also used by lions and elephants, and the British government should not be using taxpayer money to support a company that refuses to rule out drilling in protected areas.
Sign this petition to demand Britain pull its support of drilling in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park.
To Britain’s Trade and Finance Authorities:
According to Truthout’s report on this controversial plan to drill for oil in Uganda’s national park, Tullow is just one of six oil companies that “hold exploration licences covering at least 29 protected sites in 8 countries.”
However Tullow has stated unequivocally that it refuses to rule out drilling in highly protected areas, despite a warning by “a UN Environment spokesperson" that highly protected areas are designated because of their ecological value or vulnerability and “that mineral activity in such areas has the potential to impact this value adversely and/or enhance vulnerability with serious consequences to both biodiversity and human well-being."
Even though Tullow says it’s committed to protecting species from damage, this statement is not particularly reassuring considering information obtained by Energtdesk.
Truthout says Engerydesk learned from a leak that a Total ecological compliance study "found 283 instances of damage, 159 of which were found to be 'non-restorable'. This included oil leakage; damage to trees and riverbanks and the destruction of termite mounds."
The British government should not be supporting oil drilling by companies like Tullow and any others who take Tullow’s stand on drilling in highly protected areas. Therefore I and those who support this petition demand that your department pull its support of oil drilling in Uganda’s national park and any other highly protected areas.
Thanks for your time.
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