Civic groups declare Chad pipeline inauguration "day of mourning"

NDJAMENA, Oct 9 (AFP) - Civic groups will observe a day of mourning to mark Chad's debut as an oil-producing country, saying the resource will only "further strengthen the hands of repression."

On Friday, President Idriss Deby will symbolically open the oil spigot at multi-billion dollar facilities in the southern Doba basin, as international media and 600 guests including several heads of state look on.

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But the civic groups said in a statement Wednesday: "The situation in Chad is tense. The country is at a crossroads, and civil society fears that the impending oil revenues will further strengthen the hands of repression."

They called for "a national day of mourning (Friday) as a silent protest against the ongoing impunity with which basic human rights are routinely being violated in Chad," and against insecurity and falling living standards in the landlocked desert country.

"Armed attacks on citizens, killings, rapes, extortion and robberies continue to take place without a response from government.

"The constant and lengthy cut-offs of water and electricity and the deterioration in basic sanitation services are a growing threat to public health," the statement said.

A consortium led by ExxonMobil with 40 percent, followed by Malaysia's Petronas (35 percent) and Chevron (25 percent) spearheaded the multi-billion project to begin exploiting Chad's oil reserves, which includes a pipeline stretching more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) to Cameroon's offshore Kribi oil terminal.

The project has been dogged by controversy from the start because of corruption concerns, and the government of the desert country of seven million, one of the poorest in the world, is the frequent target of allegations of corruption and human rights abuses.

In a plan approved after initial misgivings by the World Bank, Deby's government has agreed to submit to public scrutiny of how the newfound wealth from an estimated 900 million barrels over the next 25 years will be distributed.

The annual revenues of 80 million dollars (70 million euros) -- initial projections point to an output of 225,000 barrels per day -- will increase Chad's government revenues by half, according to the World Bank.

The government has set up a revenue watchdog body and passed a law stipulating that 80 percent of the new petro-dollars must be allocated to priority development projects in health, education, agriculture and infrastructure.

The civic groups -- including members of the watchdog body -- say they have been barred from meeting with the visiting foreign dignitaries and media ahead of Friday's gala inauguration.

"Apparently, the visit is very tightly controlled by the Chadian government, Exxon and the World Bank," their statement said.

"Given what has happened in most countries, oil has brought only unhappiness and civil wars. In our region, we don't have a single example of success (in spending oil wealth) on development, from Nigeria to Congo," civil society spokesman Gilbert Maoundonodji told AFP. "That's why we are sad."

He added: "We don't have the guarantees of good governance that are needed."

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