From Indymedia
Seven protesters demonstrated at the Raven Total station at 372 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith against the French oil company on Thursday 28th February. Total's pipeline in Burma was built with forced labour and the company has for years been the largest western sponsor of the brutal regime, funding the military junta with hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
Even before the protest had started, the driver of a car at a nearby road junction, spotted a poster being put up and vowed not to use Total petrol stations in future. Several other drivers shared this view later and turned around or just drove through the station promising not to buy petrol from Total.
As the evening rush hour traffic built up, long queues at the traffic lights formed and many cars beeped at the two "Beep 4 Burma. Boycott Total" banners we held up. Many drivers wound down their windows to request leaflets as the queue became stationary/very slow moving.
There were more pedestrians than we were expecting and a very high percentage were interested in the leaflets we were handing out.
Full Story
French Film Festival
We've noticed that Total is sponsoring the French Film Festival which is taking place in London and also Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Birmingham, Didsbury, Warwick (see http://www.frenchfilmfestival.org.uk/2008timesENGLAND.html). So we'll be at the first film being shown on 4th March in London though our protest is against Total sponsorship as the largest western sponsors of the brutal Burma military junta, not against the festival or the French films being shown.
Protests in London next week:
Tuesday 4th March
Protest at Total sponsoring French Film Festival
(the protest is against Total, not the film festival or films being shown)
6.00pm - 7:30pm
LONDON CINE LUMIERE
www.institut-francais.org.uk
Institut Francais
17 Queensberry Place London SW7 2DT
Tube: South Kensington | Map
(First Film being shown PRICELESS (15) 7.00pm + Q & A Pierre Salvadori
http://www.frenchfilmfestival.org.uk/2008timesENGLAND.html)
Wednesday 5th March
Meet at Burma Embassy for normal daily Burmese protest
12:00-1pm
Myanmar/Burma Embassy 19A, Charles St, London W1J 5DX.
Tube: Green Park | Map:
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
1.30pm-3:00pm
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map:
Friday, February 29, 2008
Hammersmith Goldhawk Road protest
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Marylebone Road protest against Total Oppression in Burma
From Indymedia:
Ten protesters held a demonstration at Dorset House Total petrol station at 170-172 Marylebone Rd on Thursday calling on the French oil company to stop fuelling oppression in Burma with hundreds of millions of pounds a year to the brutal regime. Total has for many years been the largest western supporter of the military regime. Villagers forced as slave labour to build Total's gas pipeline nicknamed the soldiers oppressing them as the "Total Battalions".
A large "BEEP 4 BURMA. BOYCOTT TOTAL" banner was displayed for the heavy traffic along the Marylebone Road. Many vehicles beeped in support showing that they had not forgotten the suffering in Burma.
Full Story
Protests in London next week:
Wednesday 27th February
Meet at Burma Embassy for normal daily Burmese protest
12:00-1pm
Myanmar/Burma Embassy 19A, Charles St, London W1J 5DX.
Tube: Green Park | Map:
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
1.30pm-3:00pm
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map:
Thursday 28th February
5.00pm - 7.00pm
Protest at Raven Total station, 372 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith W6 0XF
Tube: Stamford Brook. Map:
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Eiffel Tower protest climb
Mike Robertson's Eiffel Tower climb to protest against Total's actions in Burma in November 2007. A film by Nicoletta Fagiolo.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Total's Gain Burma's Pain
From Indymedia:
Whilst Total announced that its fourth-quarter profits had risen 62 per cent to 5.23 billion US dollars exploiting high oil prices, eighteen protesters at Total's London HQ on February 13th, announced the real results of Total's exploitation of the oppressed Burmese in Totalitarian Burma.
The eighteen protesters, many of them Burmese held banners detailing the consequences of Total's £225 million per annum funding of the military regime, as the largest western supporter of the brutal junta.
In 2007 the military junta were able to crush the democracy protests, raid 52 monasteries, killing and imprisoning many monks. The number of Karen villages destroyed in the junta's ethnic cleansing reached 3,200 with over 1 million people displaced from all parts of Burma. The number of political prisoners jumped by hundreds to 1,864. Aung San Suu Kyi spent her 12th year under arrest, as the junta continued to ignore the international community's call for her to be released. Burma already notorious for massive forced labour and having the most child soldiers in the world, was ranked as the most corrupt country in the world in 2007. The torture of prisoners, unfair trials, rape as a weapon of war against women and children in ethnic communities continued.
Full Story
Protests in London next week:
WEDNESDAY 20TH FEBRUARY
Prayer Service for Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan, the General Secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU) who was assassinated on February 14th. There will be no Burma Embassy protest this Wednesday. See bdmauk.org for further details.
Colindale Monastery, 83 Booth Road, Colindale, London NW9 5JU
10:00 to 13:00
Tube: Colindale | Map
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
1.30pm-3:00pm
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map
THURSDAY 21ST FEBRUARY
5.00pm - 7.00pm
Protest at Total petrol station, Dorset House, 170-172 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5AR.
Nearest tube: Baker Street | Map
Don't leave Burma to Rambo
Photos by toastyoneuk: http://www.flic
From Indymedia:
The US Burma Campaign has a Questions and Answers article putting parts of the film into their real context.
Full Story
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Brighton video
From Indymedia:
A video clip from the Brighton Total Out of Burma crew.
Bristol update
From Indymedia
"Over the last 2 months, activists tired of the lies and corporate whitewash have taken direct action to hit Total where it hurts them most - in the pocket.
"All 4 garages in the bristol area have been targetted. Horfield, Congresbury, Lawrence Weston, Yate. North, South, East, West. Windows were smashed, equipment disabled, and propaganda sprayed or posted so customers knew why the damage was done."
Article continues here
Please note, the inclusion of this entry does not imply an endorsement of the tactics used, but merely to inform of actions being taken in protest at Total's activities in Burma.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
This week's London events
TUESDAY 12 FEBRUARY
Rambo Film Red-carpet Premiere
From 5.30pm (Premier guest arrivals expected at 6:30pm)
Vue West End, 3 Cranbourne Street, Leicester Square, London WC2H 7AL
Tube: Leicester Square | Map
(Film set in Burma, Burmese and supporters will be calling for a Free Burma rather than specific campaigns. In Burma people are risking jail just to see this film. Sylvester Stallone writes, directs, produces and stars as RAMBO, filmed on location in and around Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the backdrop of the world's longest-running civil war, the Burmese-Karen conflict.)
WEDNESDAY 13 FEBRUARY
Total 4th Quarter Results (note change from normal Total weekly protest times)
Meet at Burma Embassy for normal daily Burmese protest
12:00-1pm
Myanmar/Burma Embassy 19A, Charles St, London W1J 5DX.
Tube: Green Park | Map
1.30pm-3:30pm
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map
Friday, February 8, 2008
Back in Kilburn
From Indymedia:
One non-car owning passer-by even vowed not to buy their daily Mars bar from the Total station. As well as not shopping at Total stations pedestrians can also avoid well known brand names owned by Total eg. Blu-tack, Bostik, Evo-Stik, Araldite glue, Spontex gloves, Sovereign paints.Full story
Total's 4th Quarter results will be out next week on 13th February. We expect Total to again make huge profits at the expense of oppressed Burmese and other oppressed regions Total likes to exploit, not just the motorists!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
This way for your Total War Cash
Photo by toastyoneuk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toastyoneuk/
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Kilburn targeted again
From Indymedia:
Nine protesters demonstrated at Kilburn Total petrol station on 31st January at 409 Kilburn High Rd, calling on the French oil company to stop being an accomplice to the theft of Burma's resources by the corrupt military junta. The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won 82 percent of the seats in Burma’s 1990 election but the corrupt regime refused to hand over power. Full storyNext London demos:
WEDNESDAY 6 FEBRUARY
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
8.30am-10.30am
Tube: Oxford Circus /Bond St | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2tylug
THURSDAY 7 FEBRUARY
Kilburn Total station, 409 Kilburn High Rd, Kilburn NW6 7QG
5pm-7pm
Tube: Kilburn (jubilee line) | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2pvh4k
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Chiswick Total garage demo
Twelve protesters held a demonstration at the West Four Total Oil petrol station at 137 Chiswick High Road on January 24th, calling on the company to stop giving the brutal military junta hundreds of millions of dollars a year, as the largest western supporter of the military regime.
Article continues here
Next London demos:
WEDNESDAY 30 JANUARY
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
8.30am-10.30am
Tube: Oxford Circus /Bond St | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2tylug
THURSDAY 31 JANUARY
Kilburn Total station, 409 Kilburn High Rd, Kilburn NW6 7QG
5pm-7pm
Tube: Kilburn (jubilee line) | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2pvh4k
Please come along and join us.
Chester targeted again
Wrexham Women for Peace and supporters held another demo at Hoole TOTAL petrol station on 26 January in support of the people of Burma.
Full article and more photos here
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Marylebone Rd Total protest
From Indymedia:
Protestors held a demonstration at the Dorset House Total petrol station at 170-172 Marylebone Rd on Thursday, calling on Total to stop funding the brutal military junta in Burma with hundreds of millions of dollars a year. A large banner "Beep to get Total out of Burma" was held for the heavy traffic.Plus upcoming protests in London and Oxford...
Two policeman accompanied the protest and one of them very kindly took the first photograph for us! Full story
WEDNESDAY 23rd JANUARY
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square,
London W1G 0PW
8.30am-10:30am
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map
THURSDAY 24th JANUARY
5.00pm - 7.00pm
West Four Total petrol station, 137 Chiswick High Road,
Chiswick W4 2ED
Tube: Turnham Green | Map
SATURDAY 2ND FEBRUARY
2.00pm-4.00pm
Oxford Burma Solidarity will be carrying out another picketing of the TOTAL garage at 43-44 Garsington Rd, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2LG
Map: http://tinyurl.com/38mard
Monday, January 14, 2008
Join us this week in London
WEDNESDAY 16TH JANUARY
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
8.30am-10:30am
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2tylug
THURSDAY 17TH JANUARY
Protest at Total petrol station, Dorset House, 170-172 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5AR
5.00pm - 7.00pm
Nearest tube: Baker Street | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2zg4qf
Friday, January 11, 2008
Kilburn protest against Total Oil support for Burma dictatorship
From Indymedia:
Seven protestors held a demonstration at the Kilburn Total petrol station at 409 Kilburn High Rd on 10th January, calling on the company to stop being an accomplice to the crimes of the military dictatorship, as the largest western investor and financial supporter of the brutal corrupt regime. Full story
Monday, January 7, 2008
Total protests restart in London
It's an unhappy new year for Totalitarian Oil in London, as protests restart this week. Why not make a new year's resolution to join us?
WEDNESDAY 9TH JANUARY
Total London HQ, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW
8.30am-10am
Tube: Oxford Circus | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2tylug
THURSDAY 10TH JANUARY
Kilburn Total station, 409 Kilburn High Rd, Kilburn NW6 7QG
5pm-7pm
Tube: Kilburn | Map: http://tinyurl.com/2pvh4k
(Graphic: Milena Kaneva, maker of Total Denial, the story of human rights abuses along the Yadana gas pipeline, see www.totaldenialfilm.com)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
TOTAL in Chester told: 'Get Out of Burma'
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/388893.html
On Saturday 5 January, in solidarity with the Burmese National League for Democracy (NLD), the Burmese monks and the oppressed people of Burma, members and supporters of Wrexham Women for Peace held a demonstration at the TOTAL petrol station on Hoole Road, Chester, calling for a general boycott of TOTAL until it severs its links with the Burmese military junta.
(article continues)
Saturday, December 15, 2007
All we want for Christmas...
An A3 size Christmas Card with over 100 signatures has been posted to Total Holdings UK at 33 Cavendish Square. Sporting a picture of the Nov 24th Baker Street protest and surrounded with "holly", the message inside reads: "Dear Total All we want for Christmas is Total out of Burma. See you in 2008."
A lot of Burmese signed it on Monday at Parliament Square, including the leader of the 88 Student movement just arrived from Thailand and also Ben Rogers of Christian Solidarity Worldwide who has made many visits across the border to "displaced" Burmese and ethnic minorities (see interview here).
33 Cavendish Square refused to accept the card at the front door at Wednesday's protest and their post delivery room at the back of the building was closed for a "book fair" just after they received a phone call from the front desk when we asked them. So yesterday, the card was posted from Redhill, where Total coincidentally have their offices for gas supplies in the UK.
Chiswick latest protest target
From Indymedia:
For the second week running, the Total garage on Chiswick High Road was targeted on Thursday as eight protesters campaigned against Total's funding of the repressive regime in Burma.
Motorists were turned away from the station, pedestrians accepted leaflets and helped sign a petition. Some pedestrians also joined protesters in signing a "Christmas Card" to Total to tell them to get out of Burma. Full story
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
No Fuel for the Burmese Junta
Far from the headlines, the crisis in Burma continues--fueled, in part, by international oil corporations like Total Oil and Chevron/Texaco. These corporations don't just fund the junta; they lobby on its behalf in capital cities around the world. These are the same companies many of us fuel up with. That means our pressure as consumers has the power to force change—and it's our responsibility to act.
Will you pledge to join the global boycott of Chevron and Total? The boycott will last until the companies withdraw from Burma, or until the Burmese junta begins a genuine democratic transition and frees all political prisoners--including Aung San Suu Kyi. We'll deliver all the pledges and comments straight to the top management of Chevron and Total. You can see what brands to avoid in your country and take the pledge, at:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_corporate
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Total to enhance Yadana production
The French oil and gas company Total has enlisted the help of the Burmese military to guard its drilling installations in the Gulf of Martaban while it carries out improvement work.
[...] Now the company is about to install new equipment in Yadana to enhance production and has secured the help of the regime in establishing an exclusion zone around the field as a “precautionary measure and a temporary decision,” a Total spokesperson told the French news agency AFP. The work is said to involve installation of a compression platform.
Industry insiders suggest the company may have sought the exclusion zone—barring other ships from entering the area of the platform site—out of concern those anti-regime activists may try to disrupt the work. Full story
Brighton demo, 24 November
From Indymedia:
As part of the November 24th day of action against Total Oil's involvement in the Burmese Junta, 15 Brighton based students and residents descended on the Total Oil garage in Kemp Town. Full story
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Totally Out of Order: A Day of Action
(From our press release issued 25 Nov. Further details and photos from the various protests will be posted soon.)
On Saturday 24 November, protests were held at 36 Total petrol stations across the UK. The protests called upon Total Oil to pull out of Burma and stop financing the Burmese military regime [1]. Protest locations included Bradford, Brighton, Chatham (Kent), Cardiff, Guernsey, London, Manchester, Oxford, St Albans and Virgina Water (Surrey).
Blockades occurred at some stations, with several lasting for an hour or more. In Camden 10 protestors blocked the York Way Total station for an hour, while 15 students in Surrey blockaded the Virginia Water petrol station for more than 2 hours. Throughout the UK the protests received support from motorists and pedestrians alike. Many drivers turned away from the petrol stations upon seeing the protests, some informing protestors that they would not to buy from Total again. At all the targetted petrol stations business was noticeably slow, and in some cases virtually non-existent, during the protests.
Paul Golding, one of the protestors, said, "Total’s investment in Burma is the largest in Europe. By paying millions of dollars to the Burmese dictatorship every year they are helping keep it in power. If the West wants to help end the oppression and ongoing human rights abuses in Burma, then quite simply, we must stop our companies from funding the oppressors."
In London, protests took place at 14 Total petrol stations during the course of the day. The final protest in London attracted over 30 supporters and took place at the Baker Street petrol station on Marylebone Rd, NW1, from 4pm to 6pm. In Guernsey, campaigners protested at all 14 Total stations on the island, and picketed the main station on the island for 3 hours. [2]
More photos can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/toastyoneuk
Contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
The day of action was part of a growing global campaign calling on French oil company Total to stop funding the Burmese junta:
- Boycott: Last week, the global internet advocacy website Avaaz.org launched a global boycott of Total, as well as US oil company Chevron, for their presence in Burma – with nearly 50,000 signing up in ten days [3].
- Divestment: European pension funds withdrew almost £110m in investments from Total in a matter of days in protest at the company's involvement in Burma. [4]
- Popular protests: Since October weekly protests have taken place in London outside Total Oil's offices. Other spontaneous protests have occurred outside Total garages around the UK. [5]
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
[1] Total Oil has had a joint business venture with the Burmese government since 1992. Its major project is the Yadana gas project in southern Burma, which earns the military regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s democracy leader, has said that “Total is the biggest supporter of the military regime in Burma.” For more information about Total Oil's investment in Burma see the Burma Campaign UK website: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total.php.
[2] A full list of protests on 24 November, plus further information about the campaign, can be found on this blog.
[3] See http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_corporate/. Total’s products in the UK include its network of petrol stations, as well as such brands as Bostik (makers of Blu-tack) and Spontex cleaning products.
[4] See http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,2204744,00.html
[5] See reports on this blog.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Day of Action- Sat 24 Nov (updated)
DAY OF ACTION
SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2007
Join the protests at TOTAL petrol stations around the UK calling for TOTAL to pull out of Burma. TOTAL's investment in Burma is earning the dictatorship hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's democracy leader, has said that "TOTAL is the biggest supporter of the military regime in Burma".
Please show your support by attending one of the protests listed below. All those listed ARE due to take place. You are welcome to just turn up. Banners, placards and leaflets will be provided.
Information below:
1. Confirmed protests on Sat 24 November (updated 23 Nov)
2. Details of how to get involved and how to organise your own protest
If you have any queries please email us.
The Total Out of Burma Team
totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Confirmed protests on Sat 24 Nov (updated 23 Nov)
--------------------------------------------------------
BRADFORD
Vigil against Total
5.00pm - 7.00pm
Centenary Square, Bradford
contact: Chris on 01274 727 034
BRIGHTON
Kemp Town Total station
Meet at the Pavillion Bus Stop at 11.30am
CARDIFF - Cathedral Road
Cathedral Road Total station, 34 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff CF11 9HA
11.00am - 1.00pm
contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
CARDIFF - Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay Total station, 235 Corporation Rd, Grangetown, Cardiff CF11 7AS
11.30am - 5.30pm
contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
GUERNSEY
Protests will be happening at Total stations across the island.
contact: Kev on burma[at]landofkev.com or 07911 770 017
LONDON - Baker Street
4.00pm - 6.00pm
Dorset House Total station, 170-172 Marylebone Rd, Westminster NW1 5AR
nearest tube: Baker Street
contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
(note: this is the final London protest of the day - all welcome)
LONDON - Camden
11.30am - 1.00pm
Camden Town Total station, 109-113 York Way, Islington N7 9QE
nearest tube: Caledonian Rd or Kentish Town
contact: Jonathan on jjjstevenson[at]fastmail.fm or 07818 651 124
LONDON - Chiswick
2.00pm - 4.00pm
West Four Total station,137 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick W4 2ED
nearest tube: Turnham Green
contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
LONDON - Hammersmith
11.00am - 2.00pm
Raven Total station, 372 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith W6 0XF
nearest tube: Stamford Brook
contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
LONDON - Kensal Green
1.00pm - 3.00pm
Kensal Total station, 904 Harrow Rd, Kensal Green NW10 5JU
contact: Steph at fifth_state[at]yahoo.co.uk
LONDON - Kilburn
12.30pm - 1.45pm
Kilburn Total station, 409 Kilburn High Rd, Kilburn NW6 7QG
nearest tube: Kilburn
contact: Dan at dviesnik[at]yahoo.co.uk
LONDON - Manor Park
1.00pm - 3.00pm
Manor Park Total station, 893 Romford Rd, East Ham E12 5JT
nearest tube: East Ham or (rail) Manor Park
contact: Paul on paul[at]riseup.net or 07939 975 085
LONDON - Newham
10.30am - 12.30pm
High St North Total station, 409-419 High St North, Newham E12 6TL
nearest tube: East Ham
contact: Paul on paul[at]riseup.net or 07939 975 085
LONDON - Southwark
2.00pm - 4.00pm
Thomas Beckett Total station, 233-247 Old Kent Road, Southwark SE1 5LU
nearest tube: Elephant & Castle or Borough
contact: Danae on papakura2000[at]hotmail.com or 07731 956 415
LONDON - Whitechapel
10.00am - 12noon
Vallance Total station, 112 Vallance Rd, Tower Hamlets E1 5BW
nearest tube: Whitechapel
contact: Danae on papakura2000[at]hotmail.com or 07731 956 415
LONDON - Willesden
11.00am - 12.15pm
Willesden Lane Total station, 290 Willesden Lane, Willesden NW2 5HS
nearest tube: Willesden Green
contact: Dan at dviesnik[at]yahoo.co.uk
OXFORD
from 9.30am
Cowley Total station, 44 Garsington Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2LG
contact: Dennis at dhambridge[at]btinternet.com or 07804 433 602
ST ALBANS
meets outside Barclays Bank, St Peters Street at 11.00am
moving on to Total garage at 12noon.
contact: totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com
--------------------------------------------------------
2. Details of how to get involved
--------------------------------------------------------
There are two ways to take part in the day of action:
1. Join a garage protest (see list above). You can get in touch with the contact listed or you can just turn up on the day and offer your support.
2. Organise your own action - there are several hundred TOTAL petrol stations in the UK to choose from. Follow these three easy steps:
a. Find out where your local TOTAL garage is by using the handy Service Station Finder at http://www.total.co.uk or check the google map of UK TOTAL garages being created at http://tinyurl.com/2ftvdf.
b. Get some simple visual materials together, plus some leaflets or petitions, and publicise it to your friends, contacts and local press. If you want the details listed publicly (e.g. by email and on the blog) email them to totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com or call Paul on 07939 975 085.
c. Hold the protest! Take some pictures, post a report on Indymedia.org.uk and send the link to totaloutofburma[at]gmail.com. Plus write to TOTAL's head office telling them what you've been up to.
Basic placard designs, petitions, leaflets and a model press release are available via this blog (see right column).
Thursday, November 22, 2007
TOTAL ‘given the boot’ at Wembley
Two people held up a banner reading “TOTALitarian Oil Out of Burma NOW”; whilst another circled around the perimeter of the garage, holding up a large placard featuring a machine gun, reading “TOTALitarian Oil – fuelling the oppression in Burma”. Their protest aroused the curiosity of the throngs of England and Croatia football fans who had gathered near Wembley Park tube for their teams’ final Euro 2008 qualifier, as well as passing motorists. The demonstration passed off peacefully, lasting around 1 ½ hours. Police were in the area, but did not approach the protesters.
The weekly demo at TOTAL’s head office at 33 Cavendish Square, near Oxford Circus - ongoing for nearly two months now - also took place as usual that morning, with some of the protesters continuing on to the daily lunchtime demo outside the Burmese embassy in Mayfair, attended by around a dozen people, mostly Burmese.
The purpose of the demonstrations is to highlight French company TOTAL’s continued involvement with Burma’s oppressive military regime. This is opposed by the country’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest for the past 12 years. The regime is thought to earn hundreds of millions of pounds annually from TOTAL, the fourth largest oil company in the world, due to its operation of the Yadana natural gas pipeline to Thailand. It is thought that France continues to block tough EU and UN sanctions against foreign investment in Burma under the military junta because of a desire to protect the interests of TOTAL.
One of the Wembley protesters commented: “I feel for the Buddhist monks and ordinary people of Burma. They have again peacefully risen up against their oppressors after over four decades in power; yet to date there seems to be little improvement, despite the immense courage they have shown. The world mustn’t forget their plight.
“Despite spurious arguments defending the position of companies like TOTAL and Chevron/Texaco, I personally find it unacceptable for foreign companies to continue to profit from this brutal regime so long as it continues to defy the will of its own people and the international community, which demand as a minimum basic human rights and respect for the democratic process.”
The regular Thursday evening demo at the Total garage near Baker St tube station will continue this week (5-7pm, Dorset House, corner of Marylebone Rd (north side) and Gloucester Place).
This weekend (Saturday 24th November) will see a National Day of Action against TOTAL, supported by Burma Campaign UK, with protests set to take place at TOTAL garages all around the UK.
See also:
Burma Campaign UK's info on Total Oil
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6833508763
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Picket at Wrexham garage
Wrexham Women for Peace and supporters held a demonstration at a local TOTAL petrol station in support of the people of Burma (Myanmar) this morning in advance of a national day of action against TOTAL next Saturday 24 November. Campaigners targeted the petrol station on the A483 Ruabon by-pass to draw attention to the links between French-owned TOTAL Oil and the Burmese military junta.
Banners were hung on nearby bridges, placards displayed on the roadside and leaflets handed out to motorists on the petrol station forecourt in a peaceful action designed to raise awareness of this issue and to encourage a boycott of TOTAL petrol stations until the company severs its links with Burma.
Burma's democratically-elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi - who has been under detention or house arrest for the past 12 years - has said that TOTAL is the biggest supporter of the Burmese junta and should pull out of Burma immediately. There is also a call for TOTAL to give up its interest in the Yadana natural gas pipeline to Thailand, constructed using forced labour, which it operates in conjunction with another oil giant: Chevron-Texaco.
Less than two weeks ago, European pension funds withdrew over £100 million of investments in TOTAL following protests over the company's involvement in Burma.
( http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/nov/04/oilandpetrol.news)
A spokesperson for Wrexham Women for Peace said:
"Burma is a country rich in natural resources, yet its people are poor and hungry. Almost half of government spending goes on the military; very little is spent on health and welfare. There are more child soldiers in Burma than in any other country. Rape is used as a weapon of war. Many of Burma's political prisoners are tortured by the regime.
"Meanwhile, companies like TOTAL profit from links with this oppressive military dictatorship which has recently been guilty of violent suppression of peaceful actions by Buddhist monks and pro-democracy activists, and the military regime in turn profits from Total.
"We support the Burmese people in their peaceful struggle for self-determination and call for Total to pull out of Burma and end its support for the regime now."
The demonstration comes one week before a national day of action against Total's involvement in Burma on Saturday 24th November.
People can pledge their support for the campaign by signing a postcard to Total asking it to pull out of Burma. Visit this website:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total.html
To contact Wrexham Women for Peace or to join in the national day of protest in the Wrexham area, email: wrexhamwomen[at]yahoo.co.uk.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Wrexham protest - Sat 17 Nov
There will be a peaceful action on Saturday morning 17 November near Wrexham in support of the Burmese people in advance of the "TOTAL Out of Burma" national day of action on 24 November, when it is hoped to do another.
If possible wear something red (no obligation) and bring your own placards, banners etc. although don't let it put you off going along. This action is being organised by Wrexham Women for Peace. Men and women are welcome.
Call Genny on 0845 330 4505 or email wrexhamwomen@yahoo.co.uk for more info.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Total garage in Manchester blockaded
From UK Indymedia - http://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/385756.html
Max 13.11.2007 14:44
Yesterday, up to 20 human rights campaigners blockaded a TOTAL garage on Oxford Road, Manchester. This was in protest at Total Oil's investment in the military regime of Burma.
The activists, many of them students, blockaded the entrances to the petrol station successfully with the aid of 3 arm tubes. A large banner was displayed reading "Totally Out of Order - Fuelling oppression in Burma". Leaflets were given out resulting in a number of supporting comments from people walking past.
Police attended the protest but had made no attempt to remove those who were locked to each other with arm tubes by the time I left. There was also some mainstream media attention, notably from the Manchester Evening News.