{"id":15635,"date":"2025-11-19T11:31:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T09:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jhb-webdevelopers\/channelafrica\/news\/totalenergies-cannot-operate-in-conflict-zones-with-impunity\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T16:27:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T14:27:48","slug":"totalenergies-cannot-operate-in-conflict-zones-with-impunity","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/totalenergies-cannot-operate-in-conflict-zones-with-impunity\/","title":{"rendered":"TotalEnergies cannot operate in conflict zones \u201cwith impunity\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The complaint, filed by the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), alleges that Mozambican security forces tasked with protecting the Afungi LNG site tortured and executed civilians, and that TotalEnergies materially supported these units despite being aware of their human rights record. TotalEnergies has denied any responsibility for the actions of government forces.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Discussing the case on Channel Africa on Wednesday, Chlo\u00e9 Bailey, Senior Legal Advisor for Business and Human Rights at ECCHR, explained the basis for the organisation\u2019s complaint.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She said the filing follows reports published by <\/span>Politico<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>Le Monde<\/span><\/em>, which first revealed the alleged atrocities. While Mozambique, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, all states financing aspects of the LNG project, have opened investigations, Bailey said there has been <\/span>no<\/span><\/em> European judicial probe into TotalEnergies\u2019 potential role.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

According to her, the complaint relies on public reports and information obtained regarding TotalEnergies\u2019 relationship with the Mozambican government. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Between 2020 and 2023, the company allegedly provided direct material and financial support, including food, accommodation and bonuses, to the Joint Task Force, a unit comprising Mozambican soldiers responsible for securing the LNG project. Members of this force have <\/span>been implicated<\/span> in torture and executions.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bailey said internal company documents show that TotalEnergies was aware of longstanding allegations of systematic abuses by Mozambican security forces, but continued to support them.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Under French law, she explained, complicity requires <\/span>showing<\/span> that an accomplice knew <\/span>a crime had been committed<\/span> or was likely to be <\/span>committed<\/span>, and that their assistance <\/span>helped facilitate<\/span> it.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cProviding support to the Joint Task Force establishes a sufficient link between Total and the alleged crimes,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An earlier independent report commissioned by TotalEnergies itself had already warned that its financial relationship with Mozambican forces could create legal liability <\/span>should abuses occur<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ECCHR\u2019s complaint asks French prosecutors to open a preliminary investigation into possible complicity in war crimes. Bailey said it will be up to prosecutors to determine who could <\/span>be implicated<\/span> and whether indictments should follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TotalEnergies has rejected the accusations, a position Bailey said <\/span>is expected<\/span>. The organisation is now waiting for prosecutors to decide on the next <\/span>steps<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She added that the case raises broader questions of corporate accountability in conflict zones, noting that companies are not neutral actors and can contribute to serious violations through their operations and partnerships.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bailey pointed to a landmark ongoing trial in Sweden, where two former executives of a Swedish oil company are <\/span>being prosecuted<\/span> for complicity in war crimes committed by Sudan\u2019s government between 1999 and 2000. Such cases, while still rare, signal that European courts are increasingly willing to hold multinational corporations legally accountable for their actions in conflict areas, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThey should <\/span>be seen<\/span> as a wake-up call for companies,\u201d Bailey concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

–ChannelAfrica–<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":15636,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[44],"class_list":["post-15635","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"French energy giant TotalEnergies is facing mounting scrutiny after a legal complaint accused the company of being complicit in war crimes linked to a 2021 massacre near its multi-billion-dollar gas project in northern Mozambique.","published_date":null,"news_description":"French energy giant TotalEnergies is facing mounting scrutiny after a legal complaint accused the company of being complicit in war crimes linked to a 2021 massacre near its multi-billion-dollar gas project in northern Mozambique.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/15635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/15635\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19788,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/15635\/revisions\/19788"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=15635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}