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Headlines : Human RightsFrance and Total 'financing' Myanmar regime
Les Amis de la Terre summarise perfectly:
The Burmese junta draws all its cash from the pillage of natural resources by foreign private companies.
Total is the biggest company in France and has the Sarkozy government clustering round to protect its Burmese investments. France’s Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, in 2003 was paid to advise Total on how to improve the public image of its Burmese operations. A bit tricky when the company had paid the junta to provide forced labor to build the pipeline.
Now Total could bring the dictators to their knees by suspending operations in the Yadana gas field. But what would that do to the bottom line?
[Posted By Watson]Republished from The Independent
The French government and France’s largest company, Total, were struggling yesterday to contain growing criticism of the oil company’s record in Burma.
Total and the French government have rejected pleas from Burmese opposition and French trades unions and human rights group for the oil giant to suspend its activities in the Yadana gas field in southern Burma.
Critics point out Total is the largest economic operator in Burma and a significant conduit of cash to the military regime. Several human rights groups have accused Total of making use of forced or child labour – something the oil company angrily rejects.
Paris, and the company, argue that Total’s presence is, on the whole, a force for good. Withdrawal would allow carte blanche for Chinese or other companies which would be “less respectful of ethical issues”.
“Our departure would threaten a worsening of the situation for the (Burmese) population,” Total said in a communiqué.
Posted by Watson
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Posted by Watson on Sunday, September 3rd 2006
I understand that Thailand is also a significant importer of Burmese petro-products…Anybody else know of major financiers to the military junta in Myanmar?
Additionally, I understand that Myanmar has not conducted a census since sometime in the late 1930s…this is a regime which does not care for its people whatsoever. The financiers & business partners of this regime should be identified clearly…