The Government of Norway is complicit in natural-resource related human rights abuses in Burma, according to an explosive new report released today by EarthRights International (ERI).
The Norwegian Pension Fund-Global (Fund) has USD $4.7 billion invested in 15 oil and gas companies from eight countries operating in Burma. The report finds these companies complicit in abuses such as forced labor, killings, and land confiscation in Burma, putting Norway in violation of its own Ethical Guidelines for responsible investment. The Norwegian Fund is the world’s second largest sovereign wealth fund.
Broken Ethics: The Norwegian Government’s Investments in Oil and Gas Companies Operating in Burma (Myanmar)
Press Release:
http://www.earthrights.org/campaigns/norway-complicit-human-rights-abuses-burma
Excerpts:
"In 2005, the Norwegian Council on Ethics took up one of its first assessments of a company in the Fund’s investment portfolio when it scrutinized the French energy firm Total and the human rights impacts of the Yadana pipeline project in Burma. The Council concluded that Total had likely been complicit in the extensive use of forced labor connected to government-
provided security services and infrastructure construction for the Yadana project, as well as the forced relocation and deportation of villagers, and other violence perpetrated by the military."
...
In late 2008, a villager from Michauglaung explained how he was forced by the Burmese Army to provide security in his village along the Yadana and Yetagun pipelines:
We also have to do nighttime security – one night for three hours, once every two weeks. There are two groups – one in the beginning of the village, the other at the end of the village. If you fall asleep you have to provide [approximately 3 kilograms] of chicken [to the Burmese Army]. Sometimes they beat you up, and [then] you have to do one day of forced labor.
In 2010, the current ILO Liaison Officer in Rangoon Steve Marshall confirmed in writing to EarthRights International that forced labor has continued in the Yadana pipeline area.
As of June 2010, Total had yet to facilitate any complaints of forced labor to the ILO.
Total mislead investors:
The company went so far as to claim that the International Labour Organization (ILO) had certified that it had eradicated forced labor in its project area. From 2003 to 2009, on its website, Total claimed that “according to the ILO, the only region in the country in which forced labor has ceased is the area in which the Yadana gas pipeline was built.”
In fact, forced labor continues in the Yadana pipeline area, as described in detail in the sections above and in numerous EarthRights International reports. Moreover, the ILO has confirmed that it never stated that forced labor had ceased in the pipeline area and that this claim by Total is untrue. As exposed in the 2009 report Getting It Wrong, a senior and former ILO representative in Burma disavowed Total’s claims and noted that the statement that was attributed to the ILO was false and is “not right to say.”
Only in 2009, after EarthRights International exposed the untruth of Total’s statements, did Total quietly withdraw this misleading claim from their website. In 2010, the current ILO Liaison Officer in Rangoon Steve Marshall confirmed in writing to EarthRights International that forced labor has continued in the Yadana pipeline area
Total’s campaign to demonstrate the "benefits":
The Burmese Army has also used forced labor to maintain and repair local roads necessary for pipeline operations. These roads, ironically, have featured prominently in Total’s campaign to demonstrate the benefits brought by their presence. The primary benefit of the roads, however, appear to accrue to the pipeline companies and their personnel. Local people are not compensated for their road maintenance labor, and are then restricted from certain roads because of the potential damage caused by their bullock carts – most villagers do not own other means of transport.
According to previous accounts from Zinba Village published by EarthRights International, it appears that the forced maintenance began after complaints from foreign oil company workers about damage to the roads.
...
Testimonies from the pipeline area continue to show that the companies work closely with and aid the local Burmese Army battalions, which are in turn committing systematic human rights abuses against local villagers. A Burmese civilian working as a security guard for Total in 2010 reported to EarthRights International that the oil companies’ private security detail meets “almost every day” with the local Burmese military commander to “talk about the security issue” around the pipeline. The guard added that, “sometimes the army will ask for and use the company trucks to transport their troops or material when they need it, if the army does not have enough trucks.”
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Broken Ethics: The Norwegian Government’s Investments in Oil and Gas Companies Operating in Burma
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Burma Protest over Total Oil at French Embassy
From Indymedia
Burmese democracy activists protest at the French Embassy about French Total Oil's collaboration with the brutal military junta as heroic democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi's show trial continues in Burma. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has previously condemned Total as "the biggest supporter of the military regime in Burma". French Total Oil funds the evil military regime with approximately 500 million dollars a year from its operation of the Yadana gas pipeline, that is used by the corrupt generals to slaughter ethnic minorities, students, monks and anyone who speaks out for human rights and justice in Burma.
About 30 Burmese Democracy activists organised a demonstration at the French Embassy against Total Oil at short notice on 22nd May, following renewed discussion in Europe concerning Total's notorious investment in Burma. The police were called as they had not been informed of the demonstration, but it was just intended to peacefully express Aung San Suu Kyi's Burmese democracy supporters wish for Total Oil to be included in any further extension of European sanctions and did not last long, as it followed a previous demonstration at the Burma Embassy.
This week France admitted that Total was the sole major European investor in Burma and that sanctions involving Total would be the only serious economic lever Europe had on the regime.
Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy party, won the 1990 elections with 82% of the vote, but the corrupt military would not honour their own elections. She has spent 13 of the last 18 years in detention. The United Nations has already said her detention is illegal by both international and the junta's own Burmese law. Her current term was due to expire on May 27th, but the cowardly junta with 400,000 soldiers is so afraid of one woman that they will do anything to keep her imprisoned ahead of their fake 2010 elections. They have already written a constitution that ensures their military rule continues and bars Aung San Suu Kyi from even participating.
There have been many statements of support for Aung San Suu Kyi by world leaders following the junta's latest stunt to imprison her and keep her from her Burmese people. However it is the world leaders themselves that are on trial, as their fine statements are put to the test. Will they do anything of consequence to help Aung San Suu Kyi and her people ?
Europe previously agreed not to include oil and gas in sanctions, so that sanctions could be escalated if needed. If Aung San Suu Kyi is further imprisoned as most expect, then Europe's bluff will have been called.
http://www.fran
"If Europe imposes new sanctions on Myanmar's military regime they would hit the French energy giant Total's operations in the country and have far reaching consequences, France said Wednesday.
Speaking as EU countries mulled action against the junta over its treatment of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Total was the sole major European investor in the country.
"The only serious economic lever would obviously be Total," Kouchner told members of the French parliament"
HELP AUNG SAN SUU KYI - TAKE ACTION NOW
The United Nations and ASEAN must dispatch envoys to Burma to demand the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all Burma’s political prisoners.
Please go to this page where you can email the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and ASEAN leaders to urge them to send envoys immediately.
http://www.burm
http://www.avaa
As you know Burma’s generals will use any excuse to keep Aung San Suu Kyi detained. If strong action isn’t taken, Aung San Suu Kyi could face the rest of her life in jail.
Please take action now. Aung San Suu Kyi could now spend the rest of her life in jail. http://www.burm
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Total Closure Chiswick West Four Service Station
Total appear to have permanently closed the West Four Total petrol station in Chiswick. It was one of our most regular protest sites in 2008. We realise there is also a recession on, but we would like to thank the motorists that boycotted Total for Burma and the local shopkeepers that distributed our leaflets about Total's disgraceful involvement in Burma.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Santa Boycott's Total Oil at Marylebone Rd
On 3rd December 2008, Santa Claus assisted by some merry elves, boycotted the Total petrol station at Dorset House, 170-172 Marylebone Rd, London. French Total Oil had been very bad all year, funding the brutal military regime in Burma with approximately 500 million dollars a year. Many passing taxis, buses and other motorists beeped their support for the boycott.
Whilst French Total Oil had profited all year from high prices and the misery it caused in Burma and elsewhere, Santa hoped people would remember just how totally disgraceful a year it had been for Total:
In January a French court made French Total Oil pay a large share of €200 million in damages to civil parties for Europe's largest oil tanker disaster. The Erika tanker disaster suffocated hundreds of miles of Atlantic coastline killing or injuring 300,000 sea birds. The court said Total, the world's fourth largest oil group, had failed to take into account the age of the ship and deficiencies in its maintenance. This carelessness had a "causal role in the sinking and, as such, provoked the accident", the judge said.
In October Total Oil was found guilty of price fixing. The European Commission fined nine firms that had been fixing the price of paraffin between 1992 and 2005. French Total Oil was fined 128.1million euros (the 2nd largest fine of the firms involved).
In December Total Oil faced criminal charges over Buncefield, Europe's largest peacetime blaze and the UK's largest peacetime explosion. Total is facing three charges — failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees; failing to protect persons not in their employment; and causing pollution to ground water in the vicinity of the plant. In October Total finally gave up 3 years of ridiculous denial that they were only liable for damages within 451m of the explosion, putting residents through years of "unnecessary struggle". Ironically Total's partner in Buncefield is Chevron (known as Texaco in UK), the same partner as in Total's Burma Yadana gas pipeline. Chevron and Total are arguing over responsibility for Buncefield : "Chevron, which owns 40 per cent of Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd. claims that Total alone should be responsible for the damage claims, on the grounds that the French company controlled Buncefield's employees and day-to-day operating procedures. "Total proposes that the focal point of the current litigation should be to ensure that Chevron, its joint venture partner, properly faces up to its responsibilitie
The Burmese have long suffered from Total Denial, but let's hope Total doesn't manage to get away with it for much longer in the UK and the Buncefield victims get total satisfaction in 2009.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Kilburn Total Oil Protest (27/08/2008)
Protest at Kilburn Total station, 409 Kilburn High Rd, Kilburn, NW6 7QG on 27th August 2008 by www.totaloutofb
A passer-by asks for his photo to be taken with his camera and then poses for our photo. We thank him for his support.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Southfields Total Protest (20/08/2008)
www.totaloutofburma.org protest at Southfields Total Station near Wimbledon. French Total Oil has played a significant role in keeping the brutal Burma junta in power through funding their oppression with hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The French Total Oil operated Yanda gas pipeline was built with slave labour.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Total Oil Protest Marylebone Road 13/08/08
There were roadworks at the Total Station making rather a mess, but the 5 protestors still manage to hold up banners for the passing vehicles and hand out leaflets to passers-by. Some of whom we were pleased to learn already supported us and were even on our emailing list. French Total Oil has collaborated with the brutal military junta since the mid 1990's, sponsoring the oppressive regime with 500 million dollars a year in payments from the Yadana gas pipeline. This arms and equips the brutal junta's war against the Burmese people and ethnic minorities.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Clapham South Total Oil Protest for Burma
From Indymedia:
On 30th July six protesters from www.totaloutofburma.org held a demonstration at the Ridge Total Service Station, 40 - 50 Balham Hill, Wandsworth, London SW12 9EL (near Clapham South). French Total Oil funds the brutal Burmese junta with 500 million dollars a year from the Total operated Yadana gas field, fuelling oppression and great cruelty in Burma. Next August 8th will mark the 20th uprising of the 8-8-88 protests in which 3,000 peaceful Burmese protesters were murdered by the Burmese junta.
Several vehicles entering the station were put off buying petrol and turned around. Although there were less passers-by than at some other protests, a high proportion were interested in the protest taking leaflets about Totalitarian Oil and about the Cyclone Victims in Burma.
Full Article, More photos and news from Burma:
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Chiswick Free Burma Protest against Total Oil
From Indymedia:
Six protesters from www.totaloutofburma.org held a demonstration at Chiswick West Four Total petrol station, 137 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick W4 2ED on 23rd July. They called for French Total Oil to stop funding the brutal Burmese junta with hundreds of millions of dollars a year from the French Total operated Yadana gas pipeline. Burma earns most of its foreign currency from gas exports and spends 50% of its budget on the military in a war against its own people. Since the mid 1990s French Total Oil has played a significant role in keeping the brutal Burmese junta in power, against the wishes of the Burmese people.
The protesters "BEEP 4 BURMA BOYCOTT TOTAL" banner attracted support from passing cars, including a passing fire engine that beeped in support with the firemen on board waving their approval at the protest. About 400 Total Out of Burma leaflets and the same again for a leaflet in support of Burma Cyclone victims were handed out to passers-by.
At the Chiswick protest and earlier at 33 Cavendish Sq (where Total's UK Holding company is based), passers-by told the protesters they would not buy petrol from Total again.