Posted to Burmaoil@yahoogroups.com by: “Johnny Chatterton” johnny.chatterton@burmacampaign.org.uk jwac26
Thu May 22, 2008 3:57 am (PDT)
TOTAL Annual General Meeting Disrupted by Burma Activists
16 May 2008
Info Birmanie, The Burma Campaign UK, and the Fédération Internationale des
Droits de l’Homme (FIDH) today questioned TOTAL¹s board of directors over
the French company¹s moral and financial support to the Burmese regime
through its gas projects in the country.
Last October the Chief Executive of TOTAL, Christophe de Margerie, stated
that the Yadana gas project, which TOTAL operates, earned the regime 350
million euros in 2006. ³350 million euros is a huge amount of money, that¹s
nearly a million euros a day² commented Frederic Debomy, of Info Birmanie.
³Today we asked how much TOTAL¹s gas project earns the Burmese Junta, last
year they admitted it was 350 million euros, today they claimed its only 125
million euros. Once again TOTAL is making contradictory statements and
trying to downplay their funding of Burma¹s brutal regime², concluded
Debomy. Furthermore when the board was asked to clarify their financial
support to the junta TOTAL¹s chairman Thierry Desmarest stated ³I do not see
what interest the total amount represents to you².
The NGOs questioned TOTAL on how it was dealing with the human rights abuses
committed by the Burmese army, which the company employs to protect its gas
project. According to a report published last month by EarthRights
International (ERI), the Burmese Army, continues to commit numerous human
rights violations against the region¹s populations. In an open letter dated
5 May sent to ERI, TOTAL stated ³Unacceptable practices are systematically
reported and the perpetrators are prosecuted². ³We asked for more detailed
information on the type and number of reported violations and the measures
taken to punish those who committed them.² said Isabelle Brachet, Asia
Director for FIDH. ³We also asked TOTAL if the company is ready to provide
the security for the gas pipeline through other means, without resorting to
Burmese army² she continued. De Margerie replied ³If there are some other
(violent acts), we will react, rapes do not occur only in Burma².
TOTAL were also questioned over the money they paid to a solidarity fund in
2005, under the terms of an amicable settlement putting an end to legal
proceedings against the company in France over the use of forced labour on
the pipeline project. De Margerie attempted to dodge the question by
highlighting TOTAL¹s support for Burmese refugee camps in Thailand and
stated that there is enough information on the company¹s website, ³if here
are no enough information, tell us, we will provide more² he said.
Faced with criticism of the companies support for Burma¹s brutal
dictatorship the company¹s board replied ³(there are people) outside of the
country, sat in leather chairs, who wish to see the country collapse, hoping
it will bring about a revolution². ³Unfortunately, the country is already on
its knees, 90% of the population live with less than one dollar per day²,
concluded Johnny Chatterton of the Burma Campaign UK.
