WWF condemns oil search in Africa's oldest national park
Apr 24, 2014
A photo taken on April 28, 2004 shows a chain of volcanoes bordering
the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Environmental campaigners WWF on Thursday condemned moves by British
firm Soco International to start searching for oil in part of Africa's
oldest national park.
WWF said that Soco was on Saturday scheduled to start seismic testing
in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga park, home to 3,000
species including the endangered gorillas immortalised by the film
"Gorillas in the Mist".
"WWF condemns in the strongest terms Soco's unacceptable operations in
Virunga National Park," said Lasse Gustavsson, head of conservation at
WWF.
"It is irresponsible for Soco to disregard the national and
international laws protecting this World Heritage Site. The company is
putting the livelihoods of thousands of people at risk," he said in a
statement.
WWF said people living near the park had warned that parts of Lake
Edward--a huge expanse of water that is partly within Virunga's
boundaries--were set to be closed to fishing while Soco searched for
subterranean oil reserves.
Lake Edward's fishery generates an estimated $30 million (21.7 million
euros) annually for residents living near the park, WWF said.
WWF said Soco's own environmental impact assessment had indicated that
exploratory drilling could lead to air pollution, lung diseases, water
contamination, invasive species or habitat loss in the fragile
ecosystem.
Soco has rejected the criticism, saying it understands Virunga's
importance and takes the issue seriously, with plans to work in
partnership with locals to help conserve the park while also ensuring
economic development. It has also ruled out drilling at present.
"SOCO is a responsible company and is extremely sensitive to the
environmental significance of the Virunga National Park," the firm
said on its website.
"SOCO's only planned activity continues to be the scientific studies
involving environmental baseline studies, social investment projects
and a seismic survey of Lake Edward due to start shortly," the
statement added. "No drilling has been planned or is warranted at this
stage."
WWF said the oil industry had no place in the park.
"Virunga could be a source of hope for eastern DRC if its fisheries,
hydropower and ecotourism potential (are) developed sustainably. Soco
should not be allowed to threaten the future of this irreplaceable
park," said Gustavsson.
He urged Soco's shareholders to reject oil exploration in Virunga.
The 7,800-square-kilometre (3,000-square-mile) Virunga park was
created in 1925 when the country was a Belgian colony.
Despite its own environmental rules and international accords, the
government of conflict-wracked but resource-rich DR Congo in 2007
awarded oil concessions in much of the park.
The UN cultural body UNESCO has said oil exploration and exploitation
would breach Virunga's World Heritage site status, and in May last
year French giant Total--Soco's fellow concession holder--said it would
not drill there. (c) 2014 AFP
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