Environmental Assessment
Volume C-5.2
Slurry Pipeline
Cultural Property
Ambatovy Project
186
January 2006
Tertiary impacts will be mitigated through cultural sensitivity training and by
ensuring that non-local workers avoid visiting cultural resource sites adjacent to
the direct impact zone of the development.
Table 5.2-4 General Procedure for Relocating Tombs
Steps
Procedures
Comments
1
identification of owners / descendants
this must be formally verified
2
initial discussion of options with owners
this first meeting is only to discuss options, not
determine a final solution
3
later re-visit to enquire about owners’ ideas
and conditions
the choice of when and where the relocation
should take place is left to the tomb owners
4
another re-visit to discuss:
1) materials and financial aspects of the
owners’ stated conditions
2) details of the ceremony
5
launch the construction of new tombs, and
probably new coffins
this requires a small ritual to be performed
6
gathering of required materials: burial linens,
alcohol, zebu cattle, etc.
money may also be given to the locals in order for
them to partially do this on their own
7
on the appointed day, the ritual will be
conducted by an important village person
it would be ideal to conduct this entire process of
exhumation and inhumation in one day
5.2.5.5 Conclusions
Following mitigation, the pipeline will have a neutral effect on cultural resources
during the construction phase. Even if the pipeline cannot be re-routed around
potentially important archaeological sites and these are subsequently destroyed
by mitigative excavations, the information obtained from this will offset their
destruction (Prof. Jean-Aimé Rakotoarisoa pers. comm.; Volume K,
Appendix 2.1). Because the tombs, symbolic tombs, and ceremonial sites
located within the pipeline area may be displaced without altering their inherent
cultural meaning, a neutral effect for these is also envisioned.
No secondary effects due to off-site hydrologic or erosion impacts are predicted.
A negligible medium-term effect on cultural resources adjacent to the pipeline
may occur during the operations phase, depending on whether the few non-local
residents working in this area will come into contact with these.
No effects are envisioned for the pipeline closure phase.
