In a remarkable display of grassroots activism in Tanga, villagers joined activists in opposition to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.
Unlike previous anti-EACOP protests in Dar es Salaam, project-affected persons and residents of Chongoleani in Tanga took their fight to the EACOP regional office in Tanga. Although the officials did not accept their petition, instead directing them to EACOP’s office in Dar es Salaam, this did not dampen their spirits as they chanted #StopEACOP slogans and delivered a brief speech about their reasons for gathering there, including a message of solidarity with their counterparts in Uganda who were arrested two days ago in Kampala. See our press release.
The protest highlighted issues that EACOP developers have overlooked for years. For example, in Chongoleani, fishermen complained about unfavorable changes to their way of life, including reduced fish catches due to noise pollution from ongoing drilling, which causes the fish to scatter. Project-affected persons (PAPs) voiced their concerns over unmet food needs and erratic, insufficient food rationing that did not align with the promises made. Most damaging of all is the lack of fair compensation for displaced fisherfolk and farmers, which has left entire communities in poverty.
The ecological risks associated with the project are real and documented. Some demonstrators explained the risk of destruction to marine resources, including damage to precious coral reefs. Some claimed that there are also plans to cut down 40 hectares of mangroves; the irony of cutting down mangroves that absorb large amounts of greenhouse gases to build a pipeline that will lead to a catastrophic increase in greenhouse gases is not lost on us. Additionally, there is the risk of oil spills in the areas around the Lake Victoria basin, which puts the lives of millions who depend on the lake at stake.
This was not just a protest. It was frontline communities sounding the alarm for climate justice, human rights, and accountability from corporations like TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). As the communities experiencing the immediate impacts, they are demanding an end to this environmentally and socially destructive project.
