No oil drilling in the Kavango

No oil drilling in the Kavango

Call for a moratorium and public inquiry on oil and gas exploration in the Kavango regions


We, Civil Society Organisations in Namibia, together with regional and international organisations, coalitions and technical experts, are deeply concerned about oil and gas exploratory drilling activities in the Kavango Basin. Most of us have neither been consulted nor given any evidence about how the exploration activities and possible production will affect the lives and human rights of people in Kavango East and West Regions, as well as our precious environment and overall water and food security in Namibia. Too many questions are unanswered, and the irreversible risks look too high for us, and for our children’s future.
We are therefore respectfully calling on the Government of the Republic of Namibia to suspend all oil and gas drilling and establish an independent and impartial Public Commission of Inquiry to critically examine the current and future oil and gas exploration and extraction in the Kavango East and West regions.
Until all Namibians can see credible evidence of the potential impact on their lives, their livelihoods and their inalienable rights, and can consider what are realistic and sustainable alternative strategies for developing Namibia’s energy and the Kavango regions, with particular reference to climate change, the Government should impose a moratorium on those activities.

The Public Commission of Inquiry must:
• be fully transparent, independent and impartial;
• be composed of experts covering relevant knowledge drawn equally from both government and civil society/professional associations/academia;
• assess the risks to the human rights of Namibians, including their right to a safe and sustainable environment;
• thoroughly examine safe and sustainable alternative energy strategies for Namibia; and
• ensure respect for the rule of law and the international obligations of Namibia.

All concerned Namibians and other Interested Parties must be allowed to:
• submit information for consideration by the Public Commission;
• be consulted in their own languages through well-planned and advertised country-wide urban and rural public consultation meetings, in particular accessible to everyone in the Kavango Regions including indigenous San communities;
• be allowed access to information as and when it is submitted to the Commission; and
• comment on the draft findings of the Commission before they are finalised.

Meanwhile all exploratory drilling must immediately cease, and existing licences be suspended

Civil society organisations and individuals who want to support this petition, please send an email to WLC.
Published by the Women’s Leadership Centre on behalf of Civil Society Organisations.

This Petition is supported by the following Civil Society Organisations of Namibia:
1. Kavango East and West Regional Conservancy and Community Forestry Association
2. Kavango East Farmers Union
3. Kavango West Farmers Union
4. Kyaramacan Association, Bwabwata National Park
5. Namibian Chamber of Environment representing 70 environmental organisations
6. Namibia San Council
7. Nyae Nyae Development Foundation
8. //Ana-Djeh San Trust
9. Women’s Leadership Centre
10. Economic and Social Justice Trust
11. Legal Assistance Centre
12. Institute for Public Policy Research
13. Namibia Institute for Democracy
14. Namibia NGO Forum Trust
15. Namibia Network of AIDS Service Organisations
16. AIDS and Rights Alliance Southern Africa
17. The Anglican Church in Namibia
18. Frack Free Namibia
19. Earthlife Namibia
20. SunCycles Namibia
21. Young Feminists Movement Namibia
22. Positive Vibes
23. Women’s Solidarity Namibia
24. ShutItAllDown Movement
25. Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia
26. Forum For the Future
27. Pots of Hope
28. Sister Namibia
29. Out-Right Namibia
30. Namibia Diverse Women’s Association
31. Namibia Equal Rights Movement
32. One Billion Rising Namibia
33. Wings to Transcend Namibia Trust
34. Rights not Rescue Trust Namibia
35. Rainbow Reflections
36. Namibia Women’s Association
37. The Children’s Movement Namibia
38. Khaibasen Community Trust
39. Comrades Association
40. Powerpad Girls
41. Slutwalk
42. Namibian Sex Workers Alliance
43. Transgender, Intersex And Androgynous Movement of Namibia
44. Trans Masculine Namibia
45. Aio Da Go Community Garden
46. Aitsama Mabasen Community Garden
47. Pomp Stasie Family Garden
48. Greenspace
49. Lifeline/Childline
50. Namibian Environment and Wildlife Society
51. NEWSYouth
52. Labour Resource and Research Institute and

Regional and International Organisations / Coalitions supporting this Petition:
1. Frack Free Namibia Botswana
2. Saving Okavango’s Unique Life
3. The Green Connection
4. Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee
5. Southern African Faith Community Environmental Institute
6. Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. / Environmental Action Germany
7. Union Chapel, London, UK
8. Frack Free United, Environmental Smart, UK
9. New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance – New Brunswick, Canada
10. Grandmothers Advocacy Network, Canada
11. Frack Off London, UK
12. Frack Free Surrey, UK
13. Frack Free Sussex, UK
14. Weald Action Group
15. Science and Environmental Health Network, U.S.A.
16. Concerned Health Professionals of New York
17. Food and Water Action Europe
18. Animals Are Sentient Beings, Inc., U.S.A
19. Abgefrackt Bündnis Weidener Becken gegen Fracking, Germany
20. Centre Afrika, Montreal, Canada
21. BankTrack, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
22. Urgewald e.V., Germany
23. Both ENDS, the Netherlands
24. Não Fracking Brasil – Brazil
25. COESUS Coalicion Latinoamericana contra el Fracking por el Clima Água y Vida
26. COESUS Coalizão Não FRACKING Brasil
27. ARAYARA.ORG – Uruguay
28. ARAYARA.ORG – Brazil
29. ARAYARA.ORG – Morocco
30. ARAYARA.ORG – Portugal
31. Fundacion ARAYARA – Latinoamérica
32. OPG Observatório do Petróleo e Gás
33. OCM Observatório do Carvão Mineral
34. Extinction Rebellion Gent, Belgium
35. Shale Must Fall, international
36. Ineos Will Fall, Belgium
37. Campaign against Climate Change, UK
38. Defend Lytham
39. Markwells Wood Watch West Sussex, UK
40. Stop Ecocide International
41. Frack Free East Yorkshire, UK
42. Frack Free Isle of Wight
43. Keep Kirdford and Wisborough Green, KKWG, West Sussex UK
44. Brockham Oil Watch
45. Harthill Against Fracking
46. Rotherham Climate Action
47. Environmental Action in South Yorkshire
48. Extinction Rebellion UK
49. Pro Wildlife, Germany
50. KYMA sea conservation & research, Switzerland
51. Future for Elephants, Germany
52. Fondation Franz Weber, Switzerland
53. ASEED Europe, Netherlands
54. Operation Noah
55. 350 Africa
56. 350 Canada
57. Anglican Church of Southern Africa Environmental Network (Green Anglicans)
58. Center for International Environmental Law
59. Oil Change International
60. Elephant Reintegration Trust, South Africa
61. Union Chapel, Islington, UK
62. A Planeta
63. Extinction Rebellion Argentina
64. Natural Resources Defense Council
65. Frack Free Misson
66. Divest Dyfed Dodfuddsoddi, Wales, UK
67. Extinction Rebellion Canada
68. Center for Biological Diversity
69. Extinction Rebellion Vancouver
70. Extinction Rebellion Montreal
71. Extinction Rebellion Ottawa
72. Extinction Rebellion Uganda
73. Extinction Rebellion Cape Town
74. Above Ground
75. re:wild

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