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Special Rapporteur urges action to protect protesters

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Statement issued ahead of oil major's annual meeting

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Company says does not tolerate threats or violence

(Recasts with CEO remarks, adds his comments in paragraphs 4-6)

By America Hernandez and Simon Jessop

PARIS/LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - TotalEnergies

chief executive Patrick Pouyanne defended the company's work on

oil projects in East Africa on Friday, after an independent U.N.

human rights expert said the French firm should urgently address

fresh allegations of abuses.

In a statement released late on Thursday, Special Rapporteur

on Environmental Defenders Michel Forst said the company must

take immediate action to protect activists linked to the East

African Crude Oil Pipeline and connected oilfields.

That followed a decision by German asset manager Union

Investment to drop TotalEnergies' bonds and shares from its

sustainable investment funds over the issue.

Pouyanne addressed criticism of the East African projects

related to their alleged environmental and human rights impacts

during the company's annual shareholders meeting.

"We develop these projects with the values and

principles that are ours, we are convinced of the good they do

for the countries and the local populations," he said.

He added that projects like the one in Uganda are better

done by TotalEnergies rather than others, who may care less

about human rights and the environment.

Union Investment said it took its decision after

reviewing a fresh report from non-profit Just Finance

International citing alleged abuses at the Kingfisher oil site

in Uganda, part of the pipeline project.

Forst said TotalEnergies had failed to take effective steps

to address abuses against activists, adding it was "deeply

troubling" that "it has instead consistently rejected the

allegations as mere 'misconceptions' of the projects' impact".

As a French company, Forst said TotalEnergies was bound by

the Aarhus Convention - an agreement protecting public rights to

participation in environmental matters - to ensure individuals

were not penalised or harassed for their opposition to the

projects.

Earlier, the company released a statement saying it "does

not tolerate any threats or violence against those who

peacefully defend and promote human rights" and reminds those it

works with of its position on the subject.

The company added that it worked with Ugandan authorities

"to stress to the police the need to ensure that due process is

followed, the protesters are treated well, and their rights are

respected while in detention".

The security team of its local unit also monitors the

wellbeing of anyone arrested and ensures their representatives

are able to visit them, it said.

Forst backed a call by Union Investment for an independent

investigation into the alleged abuses. As well as making the

results public and acting on any shortcomings, he also asked

TotalEnergies to use its leverage to prevent any further

attacks.