In reaction to the lawsuit, Andrew Bogrand, Senior Policy Advisor for Natural Resource Justice at Oxfam America, issued the following statement:
"The newly filed legal complaint by the German NGO European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) alleging that TotalEnergies may be complicit in war crimes, torture, and enforced disappearances at its Mozambique gas project underscores the deep and ongoing risks surrounding large-scale gas development in Cabo Delgado, reinforcing our view that moving forward now would be premature and that the project must be delayed until these serious concerns are fully addressed and meaningful safeguards for local communities are in place.
"During a recent delegation led by Oxfam to Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique, we spoke with families who fear traveling to fish or farm, and who are navigating threats from both armed groups and security forces. Though a substantial number of Rwandan and Mozambican troops are deployed in Cabo Delgado, community leaders told us again and again that those forces do not respond to their calls for help, instead remaining close to the TotalEnergies project site. Rwandan and Mozambican forces are there to protect gas, the leaders said – not people.
"Leaving people in Cabo Delgado in harm’s way is nothing new for TotalEnergies in Mozambique. The company’s alleged actions in response to attacks by armed groups in 2021 prompted the French government to open an investigation, alleging possible manslaughter and refusing to aid people in danger. This investigation deserves space to proceed without political pressure. Accountability is essential not only for justice, but for rebuilding trust with communities whose lives have been disrupted by these projects and the armed insurgency in the province.
"Meanwhile, the $4.7 billion U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) loan backing the Mozambique gas project continues to move forward, despite a legal challenge seeking to halt it. According to EXIM, this is the largest loan the bank has ever issued, committing U.S. taxpayer dollars for gas development in an active conflict zone where significant human rights and security concerns remain unresolved, not to mention the wider climate impact of additional emissions deriving from this gas project.
"Given these risks, Oxfam is urging EXIM to voluntarily pause any disbursements until there’s adequate response to the serious allegations raised in this complaint and until security and stronger protections are in place for local communities. Restarting operations without these protections risks deepening instability in northern Mozambique and further eroding companies’ social license to operate."
/ENDS