Environmental lobby group WWF has welcomed a move by the United Kingdom government to oppose oil drilling plans by a British-based company in a fragile African World Heritage listed park.
WWF welcomed a statement by the UK government protesting against the company, SOCO’s, plans for oil exploration in the, Virunga National Park.
Virunga, listed by the United Nations cultural body UNESCO as “in danger”, acts as a natural habitat for endangered mountain gorillas and fresh water fish.
Additionally, fishing villages, scattered shelters for subsistence agriculturalists and refugee camps are located on the shores surrounding Lake Edward in Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Despite concerns from humanitarian groups, conservationists and local community members, the UK-based oil company, SOCO has moved forward with oil exploration in Virunga, Africa’s oldest national park says WWF.
“SOCO has disregarded good business practice by flouting international treaty provisions that are meant to protect the outstanding universal value of this World Heritage Site,” said Mr Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Conservation at WWF International.
Moreover, WWF claims that SOCO’s company contract contains a clause effectively exempting it from future laws aimed at protecting human rights and the environment.
The oil company’s own report shows evidence that oil exploration could cause pollution, damage habitats and bring poaching to the fragile ecosystem says WWF.
The UK government’s Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Marks Simmonds reiterated that the country was against SOCO’s oil activities in Virunga.
“The UK embassy in Kinshasa has raised oil exploration in the park at various levels in the DRC government and we have made clear to them that we oppose such activity.”
“The UK continues to oppose oil exploration in Virunga National Park.”
SOCO provided a statement earlier this month in reply to WWF’s complaint
“SOCO would like to make it clear that all alleged breaches of the voluntary guidelines raised are absolutely ill-founded, tendentious and not supported by the facts.
“SOCO has recently commenced environmental studies on Lake Edward.
“These studies have been determined through close collaboration with the Congolese Wildlife Authority who are the managers of the Virunga National Park and the Congo Environmental Studies Group and have been approved by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).”
WWF continue with their opposition to stop the oil exploration in Virunga.
For more resources on the Virunga oil exploration visit http://wwf.panda.org/?211151
Additionally, visit http://www.socointernational.co.uk/statement-on-complaint-by-wwf for SOCO’s full statement against WWF.
