Second Rejoinder from Witness Radio to Response from TotalEnergies
... [O]ur investigations prove that the 2500 people were evicted to clear the path for the Tilenga feeder pipeline, part of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, EACOP project these forced evictions were backed and financed by Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, known to Total Energies Ltd.
... In Swacoff‘s letter to Total Energies Ltd dated 26th of October 2022, claimed equitable interests and ownership and demanded compensation for land measuring 1030 hectares affected by the Feeder pipeline component (RAP 4) of the Tilenga project. The land in these communications belonged to smallholder farmers in Kapapi and other villages.
Total's response letter dated February 2nd, 2023 to Swacoff acknowledged that the land had some disputes which needed to be resolved. The same letter recommended that “parties involved engage each other to amicably resolve the land contestation and thereafter communicate the resolution/outcome to the Tilenga RAP team for reference and processing of due compensation about the same land. We, therefore, re-echo that Total Energies Ltd is aware of and responsible for the Kapapi forced eviction.