Canada’s human rights watchdog is broken.
The Company
What is ReconAfrica?
Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (ReconAfrica) is a Calgary company exploring for oil and gas in Namibia's Kavango region. The company holds a 90% interest in a petroleum exploration license in Northern Namibia which covers the entire Kavango sedimentary basin.
ReconAfrica's permit area includes part of the Okavango Delta's critical watershed — one of the world's most important inland deltas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, crucial to over a million people living in the area.
ReconAfrica's wanton disregard for the rights of Namibians has led to a series of public complaints. Community complaints in the Kavango region mirror the grievances of communities affected by Canadian extractive companies all over the world.
From the affidavits
Community members come forward.
Affected community members named themselves at personal risk, gave testimony to lawyers, and submitted to a formal process they were told would protect them. This is what they built.
Sworn affidavit. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 9. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 10. CORE complaint.
Thomas Muronga, Chair, Kapinga Kamwalye Conservancy. Sworn affidavit, para. 25.
Sworn affidavit, para. 11. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 14. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 17. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 15. CORE complaint, Appendix E.
Sworn affidavit. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 6. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, paras. 8–9. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, paras. 10–12. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, paras. 11–12. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, paras. 20–21. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, paras. 11–12. CORE complaint.
Sworn affidavit, para. 26. CORE complaint.
The Record
Nine documented episodes. Canadian government correspondence, company filings, court records, and on-the-ground evidence from the Kavango Basin.
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01
Communities were promised a watchdog
The Liberal Party pulled its teeth
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02
The transparency law that missed a $1.2 million payment
ReconAfrica paid the Prime Minister’s Office N$15 million. ESTMA never heard about it.
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03
Canada chose a side
While communities documented abuses, Canada coordinated with the company.
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04
The Pattern
This happened before. Same network. No remedy.
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05
The Verdict
A Canadian court says CORE is not suited for purpose.
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06
Civil society capture
Our man in Namibia. Canada has a friend at the top of Namibia’s environmental sector.
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07
700 days and waiting
They followed every rule.
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08
The Punchline
120 billion barrels of fairy tales
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09
Door after door
She read every email. She asked no questions
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In the press
Media coverage.
This story has been covered by journalists in Canada, Namibia, and internationally.
- National Geographic Test drilling for oil in Namibia's Okavango region poses toxic risk March 12, 2021
- The Guardian New oilfield in African wilderness threatens lives of 130,000 elephants June 20, 2021
- The Globe and Mail As Calgary's ReconAfrica drills for Namibian oil, a global outcry over endangered elephants grows May 29, 2021
- The Globe and Mail ‘Phenomenal riches’: Inside ReconAfrica’s aggressive stock promotion campaign June 20, 2021
- National Geographic Oil exploration company in Okavango wilderness misled investors, complaint to SEC says May 21, 2021
- New Era (Namibia) Recon insiders accused of pocketing massively November 2, 2021
- Halifax Examiner A Calgary company is drilling for oil in the world’s largest protected international wildlife reserve; these Nova Scotians are trying to stop it October 8, 2021
- The Globe and Mail RCMP continues probe of Canadian oil company ReconAfrica October 3, 2022
- Rolling Stone Will an Oil Racket Destroy One of Africa’s Most Sacred Places? March 26, 2023
- Canada’s National Observer When a Canadian gas company was under fire for environmental destruction, Global Affairs came to its aid August 9, 2023
- Canada’s National Observer Canadian oil company made bogus ESG claims to lure investors, complaint states August 30, 2023
- The Canada Files Canadian oil company’s extraction pump and dump scam highlights criminal resource extraction in Namibia August 21, 2023
- Canada’s National Observer Alleged human rights abuses detailed in new complaint against Canadian oil company April 10, 2024
- Canada’s National Observer Complaints are piling up against a Canadian oil company. There’s nobody to hear them August 11, 2025
- The Namibian ReconAfrica starts Okavango exploration illegally July 12, 2025
- Fresh FM (Namibia) Interview: Investigative Researcher Challenges ReconAfrica’s Oil Discovery Claims December 9, 2025
- Saving Okavango’s Unique Life (blog) Investigative research and field reporting on ReconAfrica — Rob Parker’s primary research blog Ongoing — 2020 to present
Take action
Write. Share. Keep the pressure on.
The petition is closed. Writing to your elected representatives is the most direct thing you can do.
Write to your MP.
A pre-written email to MP Jessica Fancy with four ministers and ambassadors copied. One click opens it in your email program. Add your name and send.
Add Your Voice →Tell us what you got back.
If an MP or minister replies — or doesn’t — submit the response here. Patterns only emerge when many people share what they receive.
Submit a response →After you write, please tell us what you got back →. Patterns only show up when many people share their replies.
In good company
Canadian civil-society organisations have called for years for an independent Ombudsperson with the power to compel testimony and documents: Above Ground, MiningWatch Canada, the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, and the University of Toronto International Human Rights Program (which filed the CORE complaint). Namibian partners on the ground: Saving Okavango’s Unique Life and the Economic and Social Justice Trust.
Listed for context. None of the organisations above are affiliated with this site or responsible for its content. Rob Parker is solely responsible for what is published here.