drillers_in_the_mist

20 Drillers in the mist | September 2014On 6 June 2014 the national parks authority issueda statement saying that Mbayma “is no longer part ofthe ICCN”. While no reason was given for his dismissal,the head of the ICCN, Cosma Wilungula, told GlobalWitness that Mbayma had gone beyond his mandatein running a “campaign to promote oil exploration”.Human Rights Watch had reported that Mbaymamade a death threat against Katembo – somethingdenied by Mbayma himself. 115 Human Rights Watchalso reported an allegation that Mbayma had paidrangers hundreds of dollars to attend local meetingsaimed at convincing people to support Soco.The shooting of Emmanuel de MerodeRangers faced great difficulties in challenging Socobut the company’s officials and their allies sawthe rangers’ boss, de Merode, as the main obstacle.Soco’s Julien Lechenault told Gouby, “What we wishis that de Merode gets fired. If he leaves, it’s goingto be OK.” 116 A similar sentiment was expressedby Kamari Birahira during his initial meeting withKatembo. “Now the obstruction hinges on oneperson – de Merode,” he said. 117Lescaut, Soco’s Africa director, told Melanie Goubyin an undercover recorded conversation in June2013: “We have official permission to enter the parkand Mr de Merode has always opposed it… My greatfear is that one day there will be a real accident.”When asked to clarify he said: “a real incident, thatpeople get killed, things like that”.“I warned the authorities in Kinshasa several times,”he added, pointing out that a Soco contractor hadbeen kidnapped two years earlier. 118Later events showed just how dangerous de Merode’sposition was. On 15 April 2014 he submitted areport on Soco’s activities to the public prosecutor inGoma. 119 On his way back to his base in Rumangabohis car was sprayed with bullets by unknown gunmen– two bullets hit him, in the stomach and chest. 120Given that nothing was stolen, it seems to have beenan assassination attempt.Belgian MP François-Xavier de Donnea, who helpsto run a fund which supports Virunga, told theBelgian daily La Libre Belgique that the reportsubmitted by de Merode was “a compromisingdossier”, adding that the timing of the attack was“an extremely troubling coincidence”. He called onBritain, which is home to Soco’s headquarters, toinvestigate. 121In response, Soco Chairman Rui de Sousa, told thepaper that “Soco firmly denies these totally false,unfounded and defamatory insinuations”, sayingthat “it had no link whatsoever to the attack thatMr de Merode was a victim of, an attack that itfirmly condemns”. 122Roger Cagle, Soco’s Deputy Chief Executive,reiterated Soco’s denial to British paper the Times.“There is nothing for us to gain by doing this. Thebetter question to ask is, ‘How is the guy able tostay down there through the M23 [rebels] killingeverything in their path?’” he said. 123Following the shooting of de Merode, threateninganonymous text messages to Goma activistsopposing oil exploration began again. One receiveda message on 20 April 2014 which said, “we areeverywhere you go with your team. Don’t thinkthat if we missed your Director [de Merode] that wewill also miss you”. 124 Another received a messagethe following day, warning against opposing oilexploration and saying: “you’ll die for nothing likede Merode”. 125 In May WWF said unidentified callershad also threatened two of its staff in Goma overits opposition to oil exploration in Virunga. “Onecaller said, ‘We want his head.’” reported WWF. 126Soco has said it “has had nothing to do with thedeath threats or texts to human rights activists”(see also box: Death threats by text message).There are a number of interest groups who mayhave had reason to attack de Merode – from thosepushing for oil exploration to illegal charcoaltraders and ivory poachers. However, at least oneobserver has pointed to the timing of the shootingto indicate a possible connection to the oil dispute.