Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Total in the DRC
This week the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo went to the polls for the first time ever. For years the country has been wrecked with civil conflict, regional conflict and local conflict in what some have described as ‘Africa’s World War’. Since refugees escaping the Rwandan genocide began the flood across the border in 1994 the conflict has claimed the lives of over 
10 000 people while over a million more have been driven from their homes.
So whilst the DCR is in the news this week its worth taking a look back at the conflict that has ravaged the country for so long; and its no surprise that amongst some of the worst human rights abuses of the last decade Total shows up. Congolese officials including General Denis Sassou Nguesso and arms dealer Jacques Monsieur revealed that Total had been supplying the arms money during the fighting in return for oil revnues. In response to the revelations Total’s man Jacques de Naurois made a statement in which he declared:
"Whatever the French foreign policy towards Africa was, [Total] was only concerned with oil"
This statement may have actually done more harm to Total than good as it reveals the truth- Total has only ever been concerned with oil and this is the reason why, just as they happily provide money to the genocide of the Karen people, they happily provided money to fuel one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 1990’s. As long as they get the oil Total just don’t care.
JOIN US IN LONDON ON AUGUST 8TH TO PROTEST IN MEMORY OF THE BURMESE PROTESTORS SLAUGHTERED ON 8/8/88 BY THE BURMESE REGIME NOW FUNDED BY TOTAL.
10 000 people while over a million more have been driven from their homes.So whilst the DCR is in the news this week its worth taking a look back at the conflict that has ravaged the country for so long; and its no surprise that amongst some of the worst human rights abuses of the last decade Total shows up. Congolese officials including General Denis Sassou Nguesso and arms dealer Jacques Monsieur revealed that Total had been supplying the arms money during the fighting in return for oil revnues. In response to the revelations Total’s man Jacques de Naurois made a statement in which he declared:
"Whatever the French foreign policy towards Africa was, [Total] was only concerned with oil"
This statement may have actually done more harm to Total than good as it reveals the truth- Total has only ever been concerned with oil and this is the reason why, just as they happily provide money to the genocide of the Karen people, they happily provided money to fuel one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 1990’s. As long as they get the oil Total just don’t care.
JOIN US IN LONDON ON AUGUST 8TH TO PROTEST IN MEMORY OF THE BURMESE PROTESTORS SLAUGHTERED ON 8/8/88 BY THE BURMESE REGIME NOW FUNDED BY TOTAL.
