Truth about BP's community development in Badin?

Dear Sathio:
District Badin is most southern District of the country having population of 1.5 million. by natural resources it is richest District of Pakistan Due to huge reservoirs of high quality Natural Petroleum and natural Gas.
In the 2000 it was declared the poorest District of the Country by World Bank. And Government of Pakistan. The poverty rate is 90%.
The extractive industry emerged Badin in early 80s, now all the extractive operations and production are carried out by a Single Multinational Company British Petroleum BP.
Badin Rural Development Society (BRDS) is rights base non- profit Civil Society organization of indigenous people of Badin.
BRDS has raised voice for the right share of the local people from Multinational Companies time by time .but unfortunately the British Petroleum BP continuously deny the rights of Local Communities; even they are not ready to share the information about the agreement documents which has been signed with government of Pakistan.
Recently Team of excellent Sindhis at USA and around the world has extended the pressure on British Petroleum to fulfill the community development responsibilities .In return the Country Manager of BP Pakistan as well as a report published in locals periodical Badin Magazine supported by BP have claimed various development intervention which are based on bundle of lies, disinformation and exaggeration.
(A Detailed report about the real facts and figures is also attached here with)
In this connection BRDS with Action Aid Pakistan (AAPK) is going to organize a consultation Meeting with Local Communities, politicians, intellectuals, journalist and other civil society activists at Badin on 12th of April 2005. to discuss the real situation and develop a strategy for the future struggle for the rights of the indigenous People of BADIN.
In this regard , your support and guidance will be real share in a noble cause .
If you have any quarry or Need more clarification feel free to contact
Khadim Hussain
Program Manger
Ph- 0297-862046,744915,744066
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A Detail Report On British Petroleum Claims:
(This report is based on the claims made by Country Manager of British Petroleum in a emailed letter to Mr. Khalid Hashmani Member of Sindhi Excellent Team at Washington as well as a report published by British petroleum BP in a recent Issue of Local Magazine.)
The Local Communities has a long history of their Struggle to achieve their right share From Multinational Companies operating in the area.
Shaheed Fazil Rahoo who was a legend of this cause was assassinated in a mysterious condition on 17th January 1987.Dr. Akash Ansari the political colleague of Shaheed Fazil has never let down the flag of Shaheed through his writing, Poetry and raising voice for the indigenous and marginalized communities by a most Active civil Society Organization ie Badin Rural Development Society (BRDS).
The Facts and Figure finding Team (FFFT) was formed By BRDS in the end of the February to make a impartial, real picture of ground scenario. The Team Members Were:
· Dr. Akash Ansari
Khadim Hussain
Atiq Raja
Ms. Ishrat Qambrani
Ms .Shazia Pusio
The FFFT visited all the villages of operational area , met with communities, various stake holders ,land owners, whose lands are leased by BP, District Adminsration,Distric Nazim (District council chairman,) Executive District officers (EDOs) of health , Roads, Public Works and Community Developments. Some members of team met with the representatives with British Petroleum came from Karachi, Islamabad and Field units at District Nazim Office, where they promised to share all necessary information but despite various reminders they failed to provide any information up to date.
The team also recorded a video film and took photographs of all the development work claimed by BP and team also recorded the comments of local communities.
In early 80’s of last century a huge reservoirs of Natural Oil and Gas was explored at two Taluka’s i-e Golarchi (Now called Shaheed fazil) and Matli of District Badin. By an American Company Union Taxes Pakistan (UTP).
In 2000 these all operations were handed over to a British Oil Company called British Petroleum BP.British petroleum (BP) exploration and production is a multinational company having operations around the world. British petroleum is operating at District Badin since 2000 which is providing largest portion of Oil and Natural Gas of the total production of the country .As an international corporate sector BP has a responsibility to spend a fixed amount of the profit for the betterment of the local communities those are living in the surroundings of the Operational Area.
The Fact Figure Finding Team found the following ground realities:

Drinking Water Mega Scheme Claim:
British Petroleum Claimed that, Following Water schemes has been provided to for the betterment of Communities.
Over 1200 hand pumps at cost of ($ 135000) over 8 million Rupees.
Total beneficiaries 30000
Field Team Findings:
After the Visit of more than the 70% of Operations area of the Company,
o We did not find a single hand pump provided by the British Petroleum.
We also had meeting in twenty five villages those are living very next to walls of the fields
o The area especially union council Ahmed Rajo is facing severe shortage of river water since eight years , and under ground water is saline But Company Did not give them a Drop of water and some times communities drink and take bath with the drains water which contains chemicals, industrial waste and pesticides coming from upper stream .
The Fields area looks very beautiful and bright at night time But children of the real owners of the wealth has not lamp for the home work. And as they have the darkness in the life they would have the dark future.
Mostly the owners of the lands which are occupied under the operations by the company are complained for receiving very meager amount. In return of their fully cultivable agriculture lands. Not receiving proper or Right Amount.
Mr. Umar Samejo resident of Village Sameja Near Khorwah Chock Oil Field told that, he receives only sixteen thousand Pakistani rupees from BP while this land can give us agriculture production of more than rupees 80,000 per year.

Infrastructure Development Claim:
488 Km of roads were made by the Company
40 bridges and Canals were constructed for the people.
1000 water courses were made.
Approximately ($ 2.5 million) are used for infrastructure Development.
Team findings:
All the roads are not made for the communities but due to Marshy area Company’s Oil tankers and other logistic machinery and vehicles can not move easily and roads are directly linked with Production fields not with the local Villages.
District Badin is also called the land of Drains which carries contaminated water to pour in the Arabian Sea. For the Mobility of heavy machinery and vehicles, movable Iron Bridges are made which can be move from one place to an other easily.
Not a Single Water course was found made by the BP.
The money has been invested in the area just to provide support to the British Petroleum (BP) itself.
Employment Claim:
Over 60% of staff working in BP's field operations are from Sindh,where as approximately 42% of all BP Pakistan employees belong to the same region.
Team Findings: Total permanent employee 600
Sindhi permanent employee 40 to 50
Contract Employee 1000
Sindh employee in contract job 100 to 150.
Case Study:
In 2004 the posts of Maintenance Trainee were Announced by the British petroleum and written test contract was awarded to an other private firm named ENI Executives. After written test only a single Boy from District Badin was qualified and he was called for final interview.
After the silence of many days some friends explored that, what happened?
And they got information that, all the position are filled and more than 80% were Urdu speaking were selected and a only Boy who was indigenous of District Badin was made disqualified by the Authorities of Karachi Office those are Mostly from out Sindh .
If the company is giving priority to the local people then why a only single person from the Operational Area was discriminated by these people.
(Final interview letter can be provided on request)

GOVT. GIRLS DEGREE COLLEGE MATLI BADIN.
Company Claim:
In 1992, at a cost of RS.10 million ($45,000).BP and its joint venture partner, accidental petroleum Inc set up the government girls Degree College in Matli.it is the only girl’s college in the area.
Field Team Findings:
Matli Girls Collage donated by Union Taxas with its Joint partners i.e. oil and gas development corporation Pakistan (OGDC) and Oxydental Petroleum Incorporation ,not British Petroleum.
Due to poor raw material it has been damaged at lot off places.
COMPUTER CENTER AT GIRLS COLLEGE MATLI CLAIM
In 1992 BP established a computer center for girls at the government girls degree college, Matli.it is only such facility for female students in the area. The center was later upgraded when BP donated 10 Pentium -3 desktop computers (plus accessories) at a cost of RS.600, 000($12000). BP also supports the center by donating the salary of the only female computer instructor in the area. Field Team Findings:
It was observed that Computer centre is not Functioning properly.
The claim of Desk top computers was not verified.
EMERGENCY RELIEF BADIN DISTRICT.
Claim :
BP claims that it has had its fair share of major natural disasters. a flood in 2003 followed by crippling rains in 2004 ,left the people of Badin devastated. BP and its joint venture partner occidental petroleum Inc joined local efforts with the government to help alleviate what was a desperate situation. Food was distributed; dry ration bags were handed over district administration, vehicles supplied to transport the affected to relief camps and other relief equipment were also supplied such as medicines and water pumps. Over Rs. 12 million ($200,000) have been contributed to the area for relief efforts.
Field Team Findings:
In 2003 a major flood Disaster happened due to Left Bank out fall Drain (LBOD), which carries the highly contaminated water and made 128 breaches in one night and twelve Union Council came under sever flood.
Which caused many causalities, lost of property thousands of million of rupees.
Accordance to the people of the area as well as information given by government Authorities not a single penny was given for the relief or rehabilitation for the affectees. The comments of District Coordination Officer (DCO) who was the coordinator of district Disaster committee are also attached.
How ever some vehicles were provided by BP to District government for few weeks.

BADIN SPORTS COMPLEX
BP is of the firm belief that promoting sports activities encourages the development of healthier communities. as a result, BP regularly supports sports event, BP has constructed sports complex in Badin .complex was completed in 2000 at a cost of Rs. 1 million($20,000).Field Team Findings:
There is no any sports complex but a single room Squash court was made by the Union Texas not BP in early nintees on the desire of then sitting deputy commissioner Major (Rtd) Iqbal Ahmed who was a very found of squash game..Kario Ghanwar Health Centre:
Claim: BP’s First Health Project in Pakistan. Established in 1988 at Kario Ghanwar Badin. Provides medical assistance to approximately to 25000 residence living in area at cost of Ten Million Rupees. Company also provides much needed medicines free of cost.
Field Team Findings:
· This is not hospital but just a Dispensary which was built by union Texas and handed over to Sindh Government.
Dispensary running by singles Doctor and a Dispenser.
The condition of the Dispensary was not able to admit the patients.
Medicines are not provided by the Company but some times few injections of Anti snake Venom are provided.

It is observed that since last few years the representatives of Comments from DCO Badin.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) the Head of District Administration has sent following comments about the real situation regarding the British Petroleum in his letter to BRDS reveals that:
· Some community development intervention were carried out by Union Texas But after the 2000 as the company British Petroleum who claims for being a successor of union Texas nothing has done for the community Development at All .
· In the sectors of Health, Education and infrastructure there is never seems any initiative by British Petroleum in the whole District especially in the Operational Area.
· Union Council Ahmed Rajo and Khor wah, where have the maximum number of Oil production units are going to be become at worst stage of the poverty day by Day.
· The existing infrastructure of government has been damaged severely by the company’s logistic and operational movements.
· Company has little number of local People working not as permanent but they have been handed over to the contractor and heir Social and legal rights have been violated. They are on the mercy of contractors who always exploit them in the favor of company.
· As we observed that environment in the operational areas of Badin is badly affected by the activities of BP.
the company made various promises and after passing time they did not keep the promises. They only made lip services.

----- Original Message -----
From: Mustafa Talpur
To: khashmani@hotmail.com ; janul30@hotmail.com
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 11:13 PM
Subject: FW: Birtish Petrolium (BP) False Claim

Ada Hashmani Saheb
I think following facts collected by Dr. Akash are sufficient to plead our case with BP Management and I think Dr. Akash has already sent it to you.
Mustafa Talpur
Khalid Hashmani wrote:
Ada Akash,I am personally writing this e-mail to you requesting
for your help to verify only the following two BP
claims in the context of benefits to indigenous
Sindhis:1. Apart from the many schools and colleges BP hasfunded, they have also funded the only Girls Collegein the area -which has an excellent computer centre.Recently, a Girls High School at Golarchi fundedby BP was inaugurated.2. BP has also worked to improve the infrastructureof the area by constructing roads, bridges, culvertsand installing water pumps - all of which have helpedin alleviating the difficult lives of those livingin this remote area.I am grateful for the help that you have already provided
and the requested favor will help us to compose our final
reply to BP and decide whether we want to continue to
push BP or move to another company SHELL that too is
operating gas and oil fields in Sindh.Thanks and regards,Khalid Hashmani