"Campaign groups accuse Total of breaching French corporate duty law in Uganda", 25 June 2019

French and Ugandan campaign groups including Friends of the Earth have filed a legal notification with Total, claiming it has failed to address the human and environmental impact of its Ugandan operations as required by French law...

In their June 24 notification, the campaign groups say Total’s 2018 plan makes no specific reference to its Ugandan Tilenga project, and thereby violates the law. 

A spokeswoman said Total was waiting to receive the group’s full notification before commenting, and said Friends of the Earth had not responded to an invitation to discuss the firm’s projects in Uganda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

The six groups claim Total has intimidated and failed to properly compensate local land-owners, and has failed develop adequate environmental safeguards to protect the surrounding national park through which the Nile river flows. 

The notification triggers a three-month period for Total to show it meets its obligations, or else victims can bring the issue before a judge. 

“We fought for years to see this law passed. This first case is a real test to see if it does indeed allow us to prevent future human and environmental catastrophes,” Juliette Renaud of Friends of the Earth said in a statement.