Organizations that represent the interests of Groningen residents from the earthquake area expect damning conclusions from the parliamentary committee of inquiry that has investigated the Groningen gas file.
It is especially important that the government takes action and gets to work on the recommendations from the report. Improving the reinforcement operation and damage handling is “almost a condition”, says chairman Coert Fossen of the Groningen Soil Movement.
“It has to be concrete,” adds Fossen. “Groningen will not be satisfied with words alone.” Jan Wigboldus, chairman of the Groninger Gasberaad, agrees. According to him, the cabinet should “put money into projects that help Groningen move forward. And have a little more confidence in the people who live there.” Fossen adds that acknowledgment is needed of the suffering of Groningen residents. “And recognition also means: a bit of compensation.”
‘Political Theater’
Political consequences, such as the fall of the cabinet or the resignation of ministers, are anything but necessary, according to Fossen. “In fact, we actually think: that political theater, do not do that in this case.” That would only slow things down, thinks the chairman of the Groningen Soil Movement. “Let the current cabinet solve the matter.” He would prefer that the cabinet decides as a gesture to turn off the gas tap completely this autumn.
Report will be published on February 24
On Friday, February 24, the commission of inquiry will present its report, based on behind-the-scenes research and public hearings held between June and October last year. Both Groningen residents followed a large part of the interrogations with mixed feelings. On the one hand, some interrogations were very emotional at times, and on the other hand, the conversations with those involved and experts confirmed what Groningen residents have been saying for a long time. “It made it clear how long and how deeply this affects people’s lives,” says Fossen. Wigboldus: “The rest of the Netherlands has now also been able to experience independently what it has been like here.”
“Are we some sort of colony?”
The public interrogations also made painfully clear how Groningen has been treated by The Hague for decades. “Here is a mineral treasure and hundreds of billions have been earned here. And then you treat people as if they were criminals,” says Wigboldus. Fossen also emphasizes that “a gigantic treasure has been removed from the soil here, and only one percent has been reinvested in Groningen”. According to him, this gives residents the feeling that they do not belong. “Are we some sort of colony?”