The corporate lawyers draw pictures
graphs and tables
of houses and schools
that will be built with the people's share of the profits from oil.
Imaginary lines, they float on paper,
but are never translated into a real houses of wood or stone
or real schools
with pencils and books.
The human rights lawyer
seeing real people,
with real needs now
demands that promises be honored,
now.
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Chad Human Rights Lawyer Jacqueline Moudeina is President of Chadian Association for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights which is advocating a more just national oil policy including a reasonable share (more than the promised 12%) of oil revenues, proper disposal of industrial wastes with public health in mind, adequate compensation for individual and communal land appropriated for the Chad-Cameroon pipeline, protection of national parks through which
the pipeline will pass, and of forest Pygmies living there.
For all those who struggle to uphold the primacy of human rights, including the rights to shelter, education, a respected livelihood and a healthy environment
