Sacred Sites

Mitigation plans put in place prior to the project's launch prescribed particular attention to be given to sacred sites. These can be natural features like rivers, lakes or mountains, to which special powers are attributed, or trees where the spirits of deceased ancestors are believed to linger. They also include graves.

It had been agreed that sacred sites were to be avoided whenever possible and any disturbance or damage was to be compensated in light of the high importance contributed to them in the local culture and traditional beliefs. Such financial compensations would serve to cover the costs incurred for the rites required in the local traditional belief system to appease the disgruntled spirits lest the community be struck by ill fate.