OIL GIANT ACCUSED OF DESERT PILLAGE
Billy Briggs An oil firm in Edinburgh have been accused of complicity in human rights abuses in Africa.
Cairn Energy are named in a new report by War On Want that claims UK companies are guilty of a “new colonial invasion” in the pursuit of minerals.
It says British firms control resources worth more than $1trillion but often at the expense of the environment and human rights.
Cairn Energy are criticised because of their plans to explore for gas and oil in Western Sahara, a disputed territory in north-west Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north.
Morocco has occupied much of Western Sahara since 1975 and tens of thousands of people were expelled by force, many to camps in the Algerian desert where 165,000 refugees still live.
War On Want say that by doing deals with the Moroccan government, oil companies such as Cairn are complicit in the illegal and violent occupation of Western Sahara.
The report – called The New Colonialism: Britain’s scramble for Africa’s energy and mineral resources – says that in 2013 Cairn Energy secured a 20 per cent interest in the Cap Boujdour exploration block, in waters of f Western Sahara.
The company joined a consortium led by US firmKos mos Energy and which included the Moroccan government.
War On Want added: “Morocco’s occupation is a blatant disregard for international law, which accords the Sahrawi people the right to freely determine the status of their homeland and the way in which their resources are to be used.
“Foreign oil investment boosts Morocco’s frail veneer of international legitimacy and finances the expensive occupation. Cairn described the exploration area in a 2013 media release as‘ offshore Morocco’ and failed to mention Western Sahara.
“In December 2014, after conducting exploration work, the consortium became the first companies to drill for oil off Western Sahara.
“And in March 2015, they announced they had discovered traces of oil some 170 kilometres off the coast and that they would come back to drill more on a later occasion. Kosmos Energy are headquartered in Dallas, Texas, but are registered in the tax haven of Bermuda.
“The former director of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, has been a member of the Kosmos board of directors since 2012.”
The UK government were also criticised for using their power so British companies have access to Africa’s gold, platinum, diamonds, copper, oil, gas and coal.
War On Want said: “This was the case during the colonial period and is still the case today. This report exposes the long- term involvement of the British government (Labour or Conservative), through trade and investment policies, to inf luence and control Brit ish companies’ access to raw materials and the way trade is conducted with Africa.
“It has been secured through a revolving door between Whitehall and British mining companies, with at least five British government officials taking up seats on the boards of mining companies operating in Africa.”
War on Want’s condemnation of Cairn Energy followed a decision last month by the Norway Oil Fund to sell their shares in the firm in protest at their activity in the Western Sahara.
An ethics council who advise the Norway Oil Fund said Cairn Energy and Kosmos Energy should be excluded from their portfolio.
The council said exploration could cause the situation to deteriorate in the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara, where the Polisario Front have been leading opposition to Moroccan rule since 1975.
Cairn Energy have their HQ in EdinburghEdinb with off ices in London, StavangerStavan in Norway and Dakar, Senegal. TheirTh website says negotiations are ongoingon for a continued presence in theth offshore Boujdour area.
Cairn said they have no current operationsop in the region and have a commitmentcom to working with and consultingconsu people living near their wells.
A spokesmansp said: “Cairn participated in one exploration well offshore Western Sahara two years ago, which was unsuccessful, and we have no current operations in the region.
“Cairn have always acted in accordance with international law, which states that responsible exploration offshore Western Sahara, a UN- designated non- self- governing territory, can occur in parallel with the UN-led discussion on the region’s future.”
The UK government said: “We play a leading role in supporting Africa to make the most of its oil, gas and mining resources, providing foreign investment to encourage economic development as well as expert advice to help manage resources and stamp out corruption.”
Cairn described the area of exploration as ‘offshore Morocco’ and failed to mention Western Sahara