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Letter to Total Board re-translated



Per David Arnott's request,
Teollowing is a modified version of the letter (with
translation) to Total's Board of Directors.  Please make copies
of this letter in French, sign them then send them to individual
directors.  If you wish to re-type it or insert additional
comments and background material (in French or in English),
please do so. If you need help translating, you can e-mail the
text to Kim via freebrma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  If you write in French
or know someone who does, create your own letters to send; the
purpose being to get Total's Board Members' attention in their
own language on the basic and serious objections to their
pipeline scheme. Remember that Total recently withdrew from a
venture in Vietnam - it did not seem profitable enough to them.
The folly of their even riskier investment in Burma needs to be
pointed out.

Total's address (Board Members care-of)

Total S.A - Conseil d'Administration
24, cours Michelet
92800 Puteaux 
France

Board Members ( Membres du Conseil d'Administration)
Mr. Thierre Desmarest (CEO & Chairman)		
Mr. Serge Tchuruk (former CEO)
Mr. Francois-Xavier Ortoli
Mr. Guy Arlette - representant du Gouvernement Francais (French
government representative)
Mr. Bernard Esambert
Mr. Michel  Francois-Poncet
Mr. Jean Syrota 
Mr. Antoine Jeancourt-Galignani
Mr. Jean Peyrelevade
Mr. Jerome Monod
Mr. Jean-Claude Prevel (French Government representative)

("Mr." is an abbreviation for "Monsieur"; all members are male)

Cher Monsieur.......,

Je vous ecris pour protester fermement contre le projet de
construction d'un gazoduc dans le sud de la Birmanie,  par la
societe Total. La region traversee est en zone de guerrilla, et
quelques employes de Total y ont deja  ete tues.  Total est le
partenaire, dans une "joint venture" d'un  regime illegalement
en place, le Conseil de Restauration de la Loi et de l'Ordre,
qui est une dictature militaire.  Les differentes ethnies, dont
la terre sera traversee par le gazoduc, ne sont pas consultees
ni dedommagees.  Beaucoup sont expulses par la force de leurs
terres  et de leurs villages car les militaires assurent la
securite de la route du gazoduc.  L'armee a recours a des
mesures violentes pour obliger la population locale au travail
force sur la construction de routes et de bases militaires dans
la region que va traverser le gazoduc.  De plus, la route du
gazoduc traverse une region sismique, jonchee de mines. 

La construction du gazoduc met en danger la foret tropicale et
ses especes rares;  il est a note que  la Birmanie n'a aucune
loi pour proteger l'environement.  Total n'a publie aucun raport
sur l'impact environemental de ce projet, bien que toute
companie investissant a l'etranger doit le faire.  Ainsi donc,
les benefices financiers apportes par ce projet sont minimes
compares aux risques.  De plus, cela conduit a un probleme
d'image de marque, Total etant identifie aux violations de
Droits de l'Homme en Birmanie.

Parce qu'aujourd'hui, Total est un des premiers partenaires
investisseurs  etrangers du regime birman,  cette societe
s'aligne en accord avec une dictature condamnee par les Nations
Unies et la Communaute Europeene. 

Apres six ans de detention, le prix nobel de la paix, Aung San
Suu Kyi, a fait un appel pour l'isolation economique du regime.

Je vous prie d'user de votre meilleure influence aupres de la
societe Total pour mettre un terme a ces odieux investissements
en Birmanie. 

Je vous remercie de votre comprehension et de votre aide.

Veuillez agree, Monsieur ........, de l'expression de mes
sentiments distingues.

(Your Name)


Rough translation:
Dear _______,

I am writing to you to firmly protest against the construction
project of the pipeline in the South of Burma by Total.  This
region is a guerrilla (war) zone, and a few Total employees have
already been killed.  Total is a partner in a joint venture with
an illegal regime, namely the State Law and Order Restoration
Council, which is a military dictatorship.  The different ethnic
groups whose land will be crossed by the pipeline have not been
consulted nor compensated.  Many have been expelled by force
from their land or villages for the military to ensure the
security of the pipeline route.  The army is taking violent
measures to oblige the local population to forced labor in
construction of roads and military bases of the region to be
crossed by the pipeline.  Moreover, the route of the pipeline
crosses a region prone to earthquakes and full of landmines.  

Construction of the pipeline endangers the tropical forest and
its rare species.  It is to be noted that Burma has no
environmental protection laws.  Total has published no
environmental impact report on this project, even though any
company investing abroad should do it.  So the financial
benefits of this project are minimal compared to the risks. 
Moreover, this leads to an image problem, (with) Total being
identifed with human rights violations in Burma.

Because today Total is one of the prime foreign investment
partners of the Burma regime, the company aligns itself with a
dictatorship condemned by the United Nations and the European
Community.  After six years of the detention, Nobel Peace
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has called for economic isolation of
the regime.  

I urge you to use your highest influence with Total to bring
this terrible investment in Burma to an end.  

I thank you for your understanding and your help.

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