Promises and Lies of BP and Starving Population

In 2004 construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipe-line started. The construction damaged fourteen-kilometers-long irrigation channel in the village of Klde in the Akhaltsikhe District. 375 families irrigated their plots from the channel for many years. The pipe-line crossed the channel three times and damaged it on seven places. The plots of the population, with total area of 330 acres, remained without irrigation system. Residents of Klde said that their production was reduced in 90 % for the last three years.

Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipe-line finished last year. Population of the village of Klde still expects the BP to repair the irrigation channel and to pay compensation for the damage in vain.

“Our fields are droughty. In previous years we reaped ten kilos of potato on one acre of land, but now we cannot reap even two kilos. Unless you irrigate land in Klde, you will not receive any harvest,” aid Besik Zumbadze, a resident of the village of Klde.

On March 5 2004 villagers applied to the BP Company regarding the compensation. However, the company considered the application on compensation was late and promised the villagers to discuss the reimbursement of their loss only in 2005 harvest. The population was not satisfied with the promise and started protest demonstrations to demand the compensation.

“In March of 2004 Leri Jojua, a representative of the BP, arrived at our demonstration. He observed tiles removed from the destroyed channel and forty-four-meter-long construction corridor. He promised to reimburse the damage and to restore the channel as soon as they finish construction. People gave up demonstrations. Later he said that we did not deserve the compensation,” said Nodar Filishvili, a resident of the village of Klde.

The argument between population and the company continued in the court. A commission of nine men was set up in Klde and they brought suit to the Tbilisi Civil Court against the company. They demanded reimbursement of their damage. Each family in the village paid 35 lari to pay the court fee of 5 000 lari and 1 750 lari for notary service.

“35 lari is a monthly income for a peasant. However, they paid their last money in order to restore irrigation channel,” said Tsitso Kapanadze, a member of the commission.

According to the villagers, Land Management Department of the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region estimated one and half million lari as a compensation for the damage.

Four court hearings have been held for the last two years. At the first hearing representatives of the BP stated that they had already apportioned money to their partner Construction Company “Spi-Capag-Petrofag” to pay compensation. At the second hearing the representatives of the company refused to pay money without examination of the irrigation channel.

“At the third trial Petrofag demanded passports on property. We made copies of 375 passports, notarized them and produced to the court; however the company did not appear at the trail,” said Nodar Filishvili.

Last court hearing was held seven months ago. Since that time, the trial has not been held either because of busy judge or the absence of the accused party.

“They are torturing villagers. They have not passed verdict since 2005! They promised us to hold trials soon but in vain. We have learned recently that a new judge will discuss our case. The channel is still out of order. How can a peasant survive without harvest?! The villagers will rebel, they will block the motor-ways to attract somebody’s attention,” said Ramaz Bluashvili, a resident of Klde.

Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe