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28 Drillers in the mist | September 201432 Global Witness interview with CosmaWilungula, 3 June 2014. Asked how muchSoco paid under the 2011 accord, he said:“These numbers are not generally known…I don’t have the exact amount that I cangive you.” In a 27 May 2014 e-mail, GlobalWitness asked Soco: “How much did Socopay ICCN as a result of the May 2011agreement between the two organisations?Why has Soco not published theagreement? How much of the amount paidby Soco was received by Virunga NationalPark and what evidence do you have ofthis?” Soco did not reply to these questions.33 Soco published the November 2013 agreementwith the ICCN on its website in May2014. The agreement gives Soco the rightto “have access, penetrate and circulate inthe park”. Soco agreed to transfer $15k/month ($180k/year) to the ICCN. « Protocold’accord relatif à l’accompagnement etau suivi écologique valant autorisationd’entreprendre des travaux de recherchesscientifiques dans le parc national desVirunga », 6 November 2013. Signed bySerge Lescaut for Soco and Cosma Wilungulafor ICCN : http://bit.ly/VSbDLu34 Letter from ICCN DG Cosma Wilungula toSoco, 3 April 2012, to Soco Deputy DirectorGeneral in the Democratic Republicof Congo: “the ICCN authorised you, inits letter no. 0167/DG/BDG/KBY/2012 of01/03/2012 to carry out an initial missionto the Virunga National Park (PNVi) [inorder to look into] the possibility of reconcilingthe conservation of the unique andirreplaceable biodiversity of PNVi… with oilexploration”, http://bit.ly/1qmBq9i.35 Ibid.36 Ministre de l’Environnement, 9 September2011, Arrêté Ministériel, http://bit.ly/1tOehyb.37 José Endundo letter to Congolese PrimeMinister, March 2011, “Concerne: CPP-RDC/SOCO – Bloc V Rift albertin (PNVi)”,No. 665/CAB/MIN/ECN-T/27/JEB/011: “Onreturn from my trip to Mexico, I noticethat the intervention of my ministry inthe dossier concerning oil exploitation inblock V of the Albertine Rift, which coversa large part of Virunga National Park, ledto a letter from my colleague from the oilministry and polemic in the press.”38 Minutes of meeting between the environmentministry, ICCN and Soco, 27 March2012, seen by Global Witness39 “For the last six years, less than 300 parkrangers have been available to protectthe entire park.”From Virunga NationalPark, 2014, “Four Women Join the Ranksof Virunga’s Park Ranger Force”, http://virunga.org/news/four-women-join-theranks-of-virungas-park-ranger-force/.40 For the full story of the murdered gorillassee, National Geographic, “Who murderedthe Virunga gorillas?” by Mark Jenkins,July 2008, http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/07/virunga/jenkins-text41 Virunga Alliance, undated, http://virunga.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/VR-ENGLISH-LONG_FINAL-2.pdf42 BBC, 26 October 2012, “Virunga NationalPark: DR Congo rangers killed”,http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-2009283543 Ordonnance-Loi 69-014 du 22 aout 1969sur la conservation de la nature, article3, available at : http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/oecd_appendix_for_website.pdf. Original French : « Les terres domanialessituées dans les réserves intégrales nepeuvent être ni cédées ni concédées. Ellesne peuvent recevoir d’affectation incompatibleavec la protection de la nature »44 Loi relative à la conservation de la nature,February 2014, Article 25 : « Touteactivité incompatible avec les objectifs dela conservation est interdite dans les airesprotégées…. est nul tout droit accordé dansles limites des aires protégées », http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/97993#345 Ibid., Article 19 : « Pour raison d’intérêtpublic, de recherche scientifique et dansle cadre de la délivrance des permis etcertificats visés aux articles 64 à 67 de laprésente loi, un décret délibéré en Conseildes ministres peut déroger aux mesuresde protection prévues par la présente loi.La dérogation ne peut être accordée qu’àcondition qu’il n’existe aucune autre solutionsatisfaisante et qu’elle ne nuise pasau maintien, dans un état de conservationfavorable, des spécimens des espèces defaune et de flore concernées dans leur airede distribution naturelle. » http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/97993#346 June 2013 World Heritage Committeedecision cited in WWF OCED complaintagainst Soco, p. 15, available at: http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/20130918_wwf_oecd_complaint_against_soco.pdf47 Soco’s response to the film to the BBC on24 April 2014, http://bit.ly/1pPpKxi48 Soco International, 2014, “Block V and theVirunga National Park”, http://www.socointernational.com/current-status49 See English translation of Soco International’sProduction Sharing Agreement for Block5, November 2007, available at: http://www.globalwitness.org/sites/default/files/library/Production%20Sharing%20Agreement%20extract%20in%20English.pdf.50 Mark Power, First Secretary of the BritishEmbassy in Kinshasa reiterated the UK Governmentposition on 4 May 2014: “Our statementon the issue, first issued in September2012 is worth repeating here as I often getasked our position: “The UK opposes oilexploration within Virunga National Park, aWorld Heritage sight [sic] listed by UNESCOas being ‘in danger’. We have informed SOCOand urge the Government of DR Congo tofully respect the international conventions towhich it is a signatory.” See: “Conservation,development and danger in Virunga NationalPark”: http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/markpower/2014/05/04/conservation-developmentand-danger-in-virunga-national-park/.51 The Belgian Parliament’s resolution waspassed on 29 November 2012 and availablehere: http://www.lachambre.be/FLWB/pdf/53/2350/53K2350011.pdf. TheEuropean Parliament’s resolution waspassed on 13 November 2012 and availablehere: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P7-TA-2012-0511+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN. The GermanParliament’s resolution was passed on4 June 2013 and is available here: http://savevirunga.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/german-parliament-motion-eng.pdf. See“Virunga: The real price of energy” inEnergy Post on 2 August 2013 for moreinformation: http://www.energypost.eu/index.php/virunga-the-real-price-of-energy/.52 “Major Feruzi was assigned by the FARDCto act as Military Liaison Officer duringSOCO’s movements around the area.”Soco, 26 July 2013, “Statement on allegations”,no longer on Soco’s website.Still available on ‘Save Virunga’ website:http://savevirunga.com/2013/07/26/july-15th-breaking-news-new-cases-ofintimidation-and-arrests-of-local-community-leaders-opposing-oil-exploration-invirunga-np/53 Document from the Parquet de Grande Instancedu Nord-Kivu à Goma, 13 December2010, seen by Global Witness.54 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 12 May 2013 included in Virunga(2014) documentary55 Ibid56 Ibid57 Source working in Congo’s national parks.58 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 12 May 201359 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 10 July 201360 Soco’s response to the film to the BBC on24 April 2014, http://bit.ly/1pPpKxi61 Ibid62 “Pieter Kock, SSC” took part in Soco’soperations in Block 5 according to a 26 July2013 “Statement on allegations”, no longeron Soco’s website (see above). When PieterKock was kidnapped by rebels in 2011, “MrCagle [Soco Deputy CEO] said the SouthAfrican national worked for DeminingEnterprises International, a South Africansecurity outfit,” in Financial Times, 16 February2011, “Congolese rebels release securitycontractor”, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/abbf905e-3a11-11e0-a441-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3Bh0vUNTJ. DEI website, “DEIalso has a sister company (Specialised SecurityConsultants) that provides additionalservices such as security advisers, to meetour clients’ requirements in Africa, as wellas around the globe.”, http://www.idemining.com/last accessed 09/05/14.63 In French, Directeur technique et scientifiqueor DTS.64 Letter from ICCN DG Cosma WILUNGULA toSoco, 3 April 2012, to SOCO Deputy DirectorGeneral in the Democratic Republic ofCongo: “I have just appointed the Directorof the Technical and Scientific Department,as a focal point of SOCO to the ICCN”65 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 21 March 201266 Ibid67 Ibid
Drillers in the mist | September 20142968 Letter from Guy Mbayma, 31 October2013, to the Director General of Congo’sNational Park’s Authority (the ICCN)69 Undercover recording in Kinshasa, Congofrom 27 November 201370 His full title is : « Le ministre du Plan etsuivi de la mise en œuvre de la révolutionde la modernité », See http://www.plan.gouv.cd/ministre.php71 For example: Digital Congo, 24/7/10:“Forage pétrolier on-shore au Bas-Congopar la société SOCO : pari gagné de JosephKabila!” (http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/68671); Le Climat Tempéré, 17/8/10,“Bientôt de l’or noir au Nord-Kivu” (http://www.leclimat.cd/News/Details/Provinces/bientot-lor-noir-au-nord-kivu).72 On meetings with NGOs and local politicians,see the article from Le Climat Tempéré,cited above. For meetings with localcommunities, see Vunabandi’s Linkedinprofile, cited below.73 Undercover recording in Kinshasa from 10December 201374 Full sentence: “Bon, bien sûr il faudrait quetoutes les fois où je faisais les descentes, oùtoutes les fois où je faisais ces exercices, ondevait m’indemniser et chaque mois j’étaisengagé c’est vrai.” The word indemniser isambiguous. The Hachette dictionary definesit as : « Dedommager qqn de ses pertes, deses frais etc. (eg. les sinistrés ont été indmnisés)» (Translation : Compensate someonefor his losses, his fees etc. (eg. the disastervictims have been indemnisés)). However,its common usage indicates that it could bea euphemism for payments that go beyondthe reimbursement of expenses. In commonusage it is used in phrases such as indemniserun stagiare (compensate an intern)or indemniser les descendants d’esclaves(compensate the descendants of slaves).75 Célestin Vunabandi LinkedIn profile, http://www.linkedin.com/pub/celestin-vunabandi/44/716/137(accessed 22 May 2014).Original French: “Facilitation et accompagnementpour la mise en œuvre du projetd’exploration pétrolière dans le bloc V duGraben Albertine ».76 Undercover recording in Kinshasa, Congofrom 10 December 2013. Global Witnesstranslation of: «Bref j’ai des très bons rapportsavec les politiques de toutes les autrescommunautés. C’est certainement un atout,sur lequel les gens de Soco ont bien misé ».77 Soco Security note (Travel procedure toBlock V & visitor information leaflet), December2011. See also his LinkedIn profile(http://bit.ly/1l82LdK). On Damas Vunabandibeing Celestin Vunabandi’s brother:local sources, speaking on condition ofanonymity, in interviews 5-6 June 2014.78 Global Witness interview with local activists.79 L’Avenir, « Forage pétrolier on-shore auBas-Congo par la société SOCO : parigagné de Joseph Kabila ! », 24 July 2010,http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/6867180 Global Witness interviews with peoplein North Kivu who have witnessed theMwami’s attendance at meetings with Soco.81 On Kamari’s position as the Mwami’s numbertwo in Nyakakoma, our sources includea park ranger and North Kivu sources.82 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 26 July 201383 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 25 June 201284 In the recorded conversation, Kamarirecounts a conversation with Vunabandi:“Last time I spoke with the minister …. heasked me: ‘Kamari, is Rodrigue a Mututsi orMundande?’ I said to him: ‘No he is Muhavu’.He replied: ‘He sounds like your kin, whydon’t you talk it over with him? So he cancome to an understanding with us to liftthe blockage and start researching ourresources.’” Later in the conversation, he says:“We will speak with the Mwami today andthe Mwami will speak with the minister andthey will contact you directly in person, isn’tit? The security of Soco’s people should bein the hands of agent Rodrigue and his men,but this should stay with you (it should staybehind closed doors), are you getting me?Because they are powerful people as well, sowhatever we can do we can do it that way.”85 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 13 June 201286 Soco International, 26 July 2013 “Statementon allegations”, no longer on Soco’swebsite (see above)87 UK Bribery Act 2010, Articles 6 and 7, availableat: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/23/pdfs/ukpga_20100023_en.pdf88 “Agents can include third party agents,consultants, distributors, joint-venturepartners, and others.”, US Securities andExchange Commission website - http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/fcpa.shtml89 Jones Day, 2010, “Uncle Sam is Watching”,http://www.jonesday.com/files/Publication/22897a58-0ee6-4985-b201-bf0f16cde04d/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/978494d7-64f8-42e8-8ace-c87843c7d6b5/unclesam.pdf:“According to US authorities, even if theparent corporation does not explicitlyauthorise the illegal acts by the subsidiary,the parent may nonetheless incur liability ifit was aware of and failed to stop the illegalacts (which may constitute implicit authorisation);if it acted with “wilful blindness”(being aware of a high probability that abribe will be paid and taking steps to avoidlearning that fact); or if it discovered theillegal acts after the fact and then acceptedmonetary benefits arising from such acts”90 Soco Annual Report 2012, p. 5991 See Soco International Plc, 20 August 2010,“Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting”,http://bit.ly/1zPSSFn, p. 18: “Edward Storyand Roger Cagle have service agreementsboth dated May 1997 with SOCO ManagementServices, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiaryof the Company, pursuant to which theyare employed as the Group’s President andChief Executive Officer and the ExecutiveVice President, Deputy CEO and Chief FinancialOfficer respectively.” Soco’s 2013 AnnualReport (p. 45) says that Mr Story and Cagle’scontract with the company dates from 14May 1997. Soco Management Services, Inc. isa Delaware (US) company, number 2698180.92 Loi no. 05/006 du 29 mars 2005 modifiantet complétant le décret du 30 janvier 1940portant code penal dite « loi anti-corruption» : Article 147biz (2) : corruption is : « lefait d’offrir ou d’octroyer directement ouindirectement à un agent public ou à toutautre personne des sommes d’argent toutbien ayant une valeur pécuniaire ou toutautre avantage tel qu’un don, une faveur,une promesse ou un gain pour lui-même oupour autrui personne physique ou morale envue de l’accomplissement ou de l’omissiond’un acte dans l’exercice de ses fonctions ».93 Communiqué final de l’atelier de reflexionsur la problématique de l’exploration etl’exploitation du pétrole du Bloc V du RiftAlbertin par la multinationale Soco, 24March 2012, Vitshumbi, available at : http://savevirunga.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/vitshumbi-communiquc3a9-final.pdf94 Undercover recording in Vitshumbi, easternCongo from 1 April 201295 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 30 July 2012.96 Undercover recording in Kinshasa, Congofrom 30 June 201397 IDPE, 28 September 2013, “Indignation inthe face of intimidating behavior on thepart of the SOCO-ICCN coalition”, Openletter to the governor of North Kivu, http://www.congoforum.be/upldocs/28-09-13%20Lobbying%20SOCO-ICCN_EN.pdf98 Soco International, 26 July 2013 “Statementon allegations”, no longer on Soco’swebsite (see above)99 Ibid.100 IDPE, September 2013 (see above)101 IDPE, September 2013 (see above)102 Réseau CREF, CREDDHO, IDPE and SOPR, 24July 2013, “Press release N° 01/2013 of theConsortium… on the sustainable managementof natural resources in the VirungaNational Park103 Constitution of the Democratic Republicof Congo, Article 188: «Les Forces arméessont républicaines. Elles sont au service dela Nation toute entière. Nul ne peut, souspeine de haute trahison, les détourner àses fins propres. Elles sont apolitiques etsoumises à l’autorité civile».104 Undercover recording in eastern Congofrom 13 August 2013105 Letter from Patrick Alley, Global WitnessDirector, to Roger Cagle, 17 October 2012106 Ibid107 Letter dates from 2012108 Journaliste en danger (JED), 11 October2013, “Armed men attack foreign correspondentin Democratic Republic of Congo”,http://www.ifex.org/democratic_republic_of_congo/2013/10/11/armed_attack/109 Soco, 16 June 2012, “Statement on theHelicopter Incident/Virunga National Parkon 15 June 2012”, http://savevirunga.com/2012/06/17/socos-statement-onincident-virunga/110 Recorded interview in eastern Congo witha ranger, 25 June 2012
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