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Euro-Burmanet call JOIN THE WORLDWI
- Subject: Euro-Burmanet call JOIN THE WORLDWI
- From: cd@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 05:24:00
Subject: Euro-Burmanet call JOIN THE WORLDWIDE TOTAL BOYCOTT!
August 24,1996
Dear Free Burma activists, supporters and friends in Europe and
elsewhere,
The time has come.
it seems to be constant now, -that the movement must accelerate to meet
the challenge of the recent onrush of events which the summer of 1996 has
occasioned.
It is not now the time to lower the guard against the ever-present menace
of fascism in Burma. Worse, its co-conspirators in the great oil
companies TOTAL and Unocal have widened the gap between responsible
government intervention through diplomatic and economic pressure leaving
the door open for renewed attacks on the NLD and relentless rape and
dehumanization of an entire nation of peoples, ethnics and cultures. The
Genocide and annihilation of the Burmese nation must stop.
We unanimously support the announcement taken by the Free Burma Movement
in the United States on August 19, 1996 when it declared in a letter to
TOTAL Petroleum North America of an all-out TOTAL and Unocal Boycott.
In Chechnya and Bosnie we have seen the failure of European and western
nations to deliver their promise of peace and to end the bloody conflict
that wretches the heart of Europe, and, even more tragically than thought
possible, Europe now cringes under the weight of its own discontent at
home where social unrest and unemployment pull at an old and tired dying
soul. Europe of the 20th century. Europe ravaged by war, Europe
prosperous. Europe humbled by a lack of vision and humanity. The century
is coming to an end. And so too must end the inertia of frustrated and
warring diplomats afraid to stand up to Asian autocrats and dictators
taunting the world with their corruption, nepotism and illegitimacy as
leaders on the world stage of democracy. The curtain must close on these
harbingers of ill-fate, suffering, poverty and despair.
For TOTAL, and its pipeline partners, the crisis in Burma is a long-term
crisis investment. Slorc aims to rule for the long-term, TOTAL invests
for the long-term. The summer's series of crisis to crisis news-breaking
events is over, but the crisis goes on with no end in sight. Once the
West signaled that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not to be harmed, or
imprisoned - her public and private life is already under seige and
around the clock surveillance,- it appeared that the West could save face
and go away with its dignity intact. That is not so, for as long as Slorc
remains bold and brazenly in place, the dignity of the West suffers
further loss with the lives of the forgotten Burmese people.
Evil never ceases to change its forms. The Slorc rulers play out their
tea-time diplomacy gaining time to reap more hell and rich profits as the
people endure more harsh suffering and unspeakable brutality at the hands
of a western-supported army of ignorant violent thugs. TOTAL has said
clearly that the huge French energy company will not pull out of Burma
and abandon their Slorc business partners. TOTAL's security directors
coordinate strategy with the Slorc generals for construction and
protection of their " Death pipeline ".
Meanwhile, Slorc continues to defy Warren Christopher's muted warnings
and increases its repression, as TOTAL's own directors and corporate
spokesmen publicly credit the company with improving conditions of life
for the Burmese economy.All the while, Slorc kills and terrorizes an
entire nation.
For Slorc and TOTAL, nothing has changed. It is the same Evil in another
form. As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has illuminated, augering silence to
denounce these evils is complicity and encourages more of the same.
There is no more time to lose. This is why we have called to JOIN THE
WORLDWIDE TOTAL BOYCOTT.
The strength and resistance of the Burmese people against the Slorc-led
Genocide brings us to a turning point in the history of the struggle for
freedom. Recent diplomacy has proved sadly ineffective. Slorc and
Washington do not speak the same language, their bluffs at reform is
nothing but winds in the sails of stately internationalism gone
dangerously off-course and on the shoals. But what of it ? Even the US
sanctions movement in Congress showed that neither Mr. Warren Christopher
or his boss in the White House are going to stop the killing and torture
or end the dying. The arrest and tragic death in Insein Prison during the
June crackdown of the European Honorary Consul Mr. James Leander Nichols
is a timely omen that Slorc has too far transgressed the principles of
international law. " Leo " Nichols was a symbol of all that was right in
the democratic struggle in Burma, and the ears and eyes of Europe there.
The European diplomats were caught off-guard. European human rights
lobbies failed to sway them. United Nations condemnations were ignored.
When at last Mr. Nichols closed his eyes at his tortures and took his
last breath, he died. Did he die in vain ? Will Europe and the free men
and women of the world, close their eyes on forgottten Burma ?
Dr. Sein, Prime Minister of the exile Burmese government and cousin to
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (both their uncles were founders of the independence
of Burma from the British) is right when called last week, in Australia,
he again upon the world to assert international pressure on Slorc's
alleged government and end their repression. Dr. Sein urged that
international investors heed the call of Suu Kyi and stop supporting
Slorc with their investments in Burma. Foreign nvestors are increasing
suppression and Genocide in Burma.
For the past year Euro-Burma's repeated recommendations hat the company
TOTAL SA reverse its strategy of financial support and partnership with
the alleged government of " Myanmar " have gone virtually ignored. In
fact, TOTAL is strengthening its security measures to protect the
pipeline, fosters the use of forced labor in its pipeline area under its
supervision, and trades in sex with young Burmese girls. Essentially,
TOTAL is destroying the integrity of the Burmese culture and its
traditions - and making money on the Burmese energy ressources it
exploits. It is the rape of Burma. TOTAL, and its directors in the great
French oil and gas bully, are raping Burma.
Last June,at TOTAL's annual shareholders' meeting in Paris, Euro-Burmanet
denounced TOTAL's indifference and delivered a copy of the SAIN report "
Total Denial " to Thierry Desmarest, PDG of TOTAL SA. He could not have
cared less about any human rights victim.
Our letters and interviews with Mr. Thierry Desmarest, PDG of TOTAL SA
have been met with calculated insensibility and blatant disregard for
human rights abuses for which they bear a great direct responsibility.
TOTAL SA is a partner to genocide. There is already extensive
documentation and eye witness testimony bearing out the rôle of TOTAL SA
as they pursue undeterred in their plans to exploit the energy ressources
of the country to their own benefit and the profit of the Slorc killing
machine.
Like in Bosnia, European ministers overlooked the massacres and rape of
suppression in Burma, of ordinary villagers helpless to defend themselves
against ignoble soldiers of a 400,000 man army trained and equipped by
China.
Therefore, Euro-Burmanet,based in Paris, with determination and
committment of its supporters, while it regrets the conditions that make
its decision irreversible, joins in solidarity with the Free Burma
Movement in the United States - and the millions of people in the free
world to stop investment in Burma.
We call upon all active Free Burma groups in Europe to join together now
to coordinate united action JOIN THE WORLDWIDE TOTAL BOYCOTT
Further, Euro-Burmanet joins in the international call to -
-Stop all non-humanitarian investment and financial support of
the Slorc regime in Burma
-Boycott all tourism to Burma
-Withdraw European Union's Generalised System of Preference (GSP)
status to Burma
-Release of all political prisoners in Burma
-Endorse the political program of the National League for
Democracy
Send you letters now denouncing TOTAL's pipeline venture and SLORC
GENOCIDE in Burma to :
MR RAJSOOMER LALLAH
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN MYANMAR
C/O- U.N. CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
PALAIS DES NATIONS
1211 GENEVA 10
SWITZERLAND
JOIN THE TOTAL BOYCOTT NOW! DOES TOTAL'S ENERGY BUSINESS CREATE NEW
REFUGEES ?
FREE BURMA NOW !
Send your letters now :
TOTAL SA
Thierry Desmarest, CEO, President of Exploration and Production,
HQ: 24 Cours Michelet 92800 Puteaux France
Tel: 33-1-41-35-40-00 Fax: 33-1-41-35-64-65
E-mail :
Paris France, : <hourcard@xxxxxxxxx
New York City <TOTALNYC@xxxxxxx , <roberth@xxxxxxxxx
http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma
http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma/total
TOTAL BOYCOTT TOTAL BOYCOTT TOTAL BOYCOTT TOTAL BOYCOTT TOTAL BOYCOTT
We reprint the August 19 letter to TOTAL NORTH AMERICA. EMAIL IT TO :
TOTAL US
TOTALNYC@xxxxxxx
roberth@xxxxxxxxx
Gary Jones, CEO
TOTAL Petroleum North America
TOTAL Tower, 900-19th Street
Denver, Colorado
[Hand Delivered]
Dear Mr. Jones:
We are here to express our concern about the irrefutable links between
TOTAL and Burma's illegal military junta, the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC).
Through numerous exchanges with TOTAL International, we have
conscientiously informed your company of the dangers -- both to the
people of Burma and to TOTAL employees -- inherent in a joint venture
partnership with the SLORC.
Since 1993 we have urged Unocal and TOTAL to reconsider this project
until there could be real guarantees that the SLORC wouldn't behave in
the region of your proposed natural gas pipeline as it does throughout
the country.
Human rights violations along the route of the TOTAL/Unocal/SLORC
pipeline have been clearly documented and continue to be reported by
refugees fleeing the area.
As you may know, Unocal is the target to a growing boycott throughout the
western United States. We regret to inform you that we now find no other
alternative but to launch a North American campaign to boycott TOTAL and
its service stations.
At the same time, Free Burma groups in seven European countries are
launching a TOTAL boycott after convincing Heineken and Carlsberg to
cancel plans for breweries in Burma.
Please take some time to review the attached report, "TOTAL Denial",
published by the Southeast Asian Information Network and EarthRights
International.
We are certain you'll agree it's time for TOTAL to suspend this project
until the National League for Democracy is given a chance to exhibit the
will of Burma's 43 million citizens -- who gave the NLD a
mandate for Democracy in Burma's 1990 elections.
Sincerely,
Inge Sargent Kyaw Win, Ph.D.
Kim Mizrahi David Wolfberg
Finally, I would like to call on you and organisations all to contribute
in any way possible to JOIN THE WORLDWIDE TOTAL BOYCOTT. No one must have
illusions here. TOTAL is a formidable adversary not to be underestimated.
It will take a lot of coordinated and organised lobbying here in Europe
and in the United States if we are to accomplish our common objectives.
Let us all work together now.
Please send your suggestions of ways and means for a better campaign. We
will do our best to respond quickly.
And please be sure to send a copy of your letters e-mail to
Euro-Burmanet. If you would like it posted, we will put it on the Web
site annoncing your participation and support.
Thank you,
Dawn Star
cd@xxxxxxx
EuroBurmanet
> http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma
> http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma/total
>PS Let's make it a presidential election issue, part of the campaign
activity. Target TOTAL's distribution network in the United States.
Hit'em where it hurts. Burma has become a national issue. Keep it so.
You may wish to Email your Congressional reps, and the White House :
President@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Send a copy of your letter to your State
representatives and Federal legislators in Congress.
Euro-Burmanet endorses the Free Burma Coalition in the Free Burma
Movement.