Civil Society Declaration of the Bas Congo Stakeholder's Workshop

Date: 
Wednesday, November 12, 2008

FINAL DECLARATION

We, members of the Natural Resources Network of the civil society of Bas-Congo joined together in this workshop organized by the NGO CEPECO in Matadi from 10 to 12 November 2008 in conference room at “Petit Jardin” around the topic, Provincial workshop on the development of the Inga Site as seen by the Civil Society of Bas-Congo, declare the following:

The Inga dam contributes very little to the socio-economic development of the Bas-Congo province characterized by a very poor electrification coverage involving inter alia the following consequences: rural exodus, deforestation, rate of crime in the region. The non-popularization of the provincial and national government policies creates difficulties in the evaluation of various achievements of the governments which may ignore the action plan of the aforesaid governments.

Inga I and Inga II have completely ignored the rights of the affected and displaced communities, who were abandoned with their sad fate so far.

The population wonders when the government and SNEL will provide good electricity coverage?

In light of these proceedings, the Natural Resources Network of the civil society of Bas Congo proposes and recommends to the National and Provincial Government, SNEL, the Civil society of Bas Congo, the World Energy Council, the World Commission on Dams and financial backers such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund the following:

I.     TO THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

  • To popularize the policy of energy
  • To include all the partners present in the realization of the Inga III and IV projects (civil society of Bas Congo, provincial institutions as well as the backers)
  • To divide SNEL (into three various distinct and autonomous companies of which, in charge of the energy production, one of transport and in charge of the distribution or marketing of electrical energy.

II.   TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

  • To produce and popularize the provincial policy of energy
  • To support the SNEL in the research of financing for the cover and the improvement of the quality of electrical energy in province

III.  TO SNEL

  • To resolve the situation of the affected bordering populations by paying the compensation not honoured since the colonial time.
  • To take account of the affected bordering populations during engagements
  • To activate the rehabilitation of Inga I and II
  • To activate the cover out of electric service road in province
  • To contribute to the cleansing of the Site of Inga and the surrounding villages.

IV.   TO BAS-CONGO CIVIL SOCIETY

  • To take care of the realization of various stages and respect of the agreements between the various partners by a constant follow-up
  • To create a framework of dialogue implying all the parts concerned including the civil society of Bas Congo.

V.    TO THE WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL (WEC)

  • To take account of the complaints of the affected populations and not only to support the policy of the Government and the SNEL.

VI.   TO FINANCIAL BACKERS

  • To take account of the claims of the Civil society of the Bas-Congo contained in its letter addressed to the World Bank in June 2007
  • To help the affected Communities in the protection of their rights
  • To condition the starting of work by the implication of all the stakeholders.


Prepared in Matadi, Wednesday, 12 November 2008.