A Stern Advice to TOTAL

[By Forum of Burmese in Europe] 

As a part of Europe-wide actions against the French Oil giant TOTAL SA on Feb.03, the Forum of Burmese in Europe (FBE) has, in accordance with the decisions adopted at the 7th. conference of the FBE in Cologne on Jan. 7 - 8 2006, sent a letter of protest to the Chairman and CEO of the TOTAL SA.
 

Mr Thierry Desmarest

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

TOTAL SA

FRANCE  

Germany, 1 February 2006  

Dear Mr Desmarest,  

The Forum of Burmese in Europe (FBE) represents a network of Burmese people across Europe and is profoundly advocating for democracy, social justice, human rights and fair-trade in Burma. It is closely working hand in hand with the international coalition calling for French TOTAL OIL to end its support for Burma’s military dictatorship, that won the 3^rd place on the 2006 PARADE’s Annual List of the World’s 10 Worst Dictators.  

Our Burmese Forum wrote to TOTAL SA at the start of this campaign. In your return letters as usual you tried to defend the actions of your company. Your company has also paid compensation to eight Burmese refugees in order to shut their mouths. This amount of money does not compare to the benefits TOTAL SA reaps from your operations in Burma, nor does it compare to the amount of harm your company has caused in Burma. Your company is as well trying to make a settlement with some Burmese refugees in Europe through compensations. In accordance with the decisions made at the recent 7^th. Conference of the FBE in Cologne/Germany, we do not accept the potential settlement through compensation, but reinforced our international call for TOTAL SA’s operations to finally end in Burma sooner than later.  

The socio-political and human rights situation in Burma continues to deteriorate despite TOTAL’s claim that ‘constructive engagement’ will bring change to the country. In fact, since TOTAL has been in Burma the reverse has been true. The military regime has used investments such as TOTAL’s to expand its military capacity and consolidate its grip on Burma’s people. Our national leader and Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has rightfully said that French TOTAL is the “ main supporter of the Burmese military regime”.  

If TOTAL withdraws from Burma, we believe the company may redeem some of the reputation, which has been damaged by its Burma operation. We also believe this would be a blow to the military regime, a boost to the democracy movement and the beginning of a more robust EU policy towards Burma.  

Until TOTAL decides to withdraw from Burma and makes a public statement that it will no longer invest or make future investments in Burma, the FBE in cooperation with the international coalition against your company will continue and double our efforts to inform your shareholders, customers, the general public, the multimedia and the political establishments in its respective countries about TOTAL’s support for Burma’s worst dictatorship. We will continue to expand the coalition’s membership and will instigate regular campaign actions aimed at persuading you to withdraw from Burma.

We look very much forward to your reasonable reconsideration in the interest of the people of Burma.

Nwe Aung

On behalf of the Forum of Burmese in Europe,

Chairman, Burma Bureau Germany               

The Forum of Burmese in Europe (FBE) represents a net work of Burmese people across Europe and is advocating for democracy, social justice and human rights in Burma. The FBE strongly rejects the military dictatorial rule in Burma and has been working closely together with the democratic forces around the world.