Paloch citizens who staged protests to demand services from Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC) offered Wednesday to negotiate — but only if certain demands are met.
Dar Petroleum Operating Company, an oil and gas consortium led by China National Petroleum Corp and Malaysia’s state-run oil and gas firm Petronas, is operating South Sudan’s oilfields in Upper Nile State.
The protests began on Monday morning as young people in Poloch area of Melut County called on the Chinese-Malaysian oil consortium to provide corporate social responsibility services in their area.
The protesting youths accused the oil company of ignoring its corporate social responsibility (CSR), a management concept whereby a company integrates social and environmental concerns in its business operations.
Nul Ajak, the Executive Director of Malut County, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the protesters who gathered at the DPOC facilities in Paloch agreed to negotiate, but only if three national ministers and the top manager of the oil firm come to meet them.
"We talked to them as local authorities to end the protests, but they declined. They want the Minister of Petroleum, the Minister of Environment, the Minister of Labor and the Director of DPOC to come to negotiate with them," Ajak explained.
The local official disclosed that the protesters are demanding a clean environment and building of roads, schools and healthcare centres in the oil-producing areas.
The protesters also complained that the area's oil revenue share has never been used for development purposes, Ajak added.
The county’s executive director pointed out that they are cooperating that the protesters to ensure the protests against the oil company remain peaceful.
There have been reports of birth defects, miscarriages and other health problems among residents of the oil-producing areas in Upper Nile and Unity states.