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French MP Press Conference



Dawn Star wrote:
> 
> >
> > Subject: Re: French Parliament Press Conference
> > Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 08:14:29 +0100
> > From: Dawn Star <dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Organization: UVI/ Euro-BurmaNet<http://www.euroburma.com/
> > To: zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, info birmanie <info-birmanie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > CC: free-burma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx,
> >      burmanet-1@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > References: <3.0.3.32.19991015004205.006ef34c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >
> > Hello Infobirmanie. Given your mission to inform on Burma and your
> > contact with the French National Assembly parlimentary inquiry
> > commission, why was EuroBurmanet and Dawn Star NOT informed of this
> > press conference? This was an unfortunate exclusion by our group members
> > for which all of us pay the price.Bad organising.
> >
> > dawn star
> > >
> > > Quote of the Day:
> > >
> > > The French policy on Burma is only about protecting the oil sector
> > > interests. Yet, wether you like it or not, for all the burmese people,
> > > Total has become a symbol of active support to this criminal junta."
> > >
> > >                         -- Annie Faure, Info-Birmanie's chair women, "Libération," October 14, 1999
> > >
> > > This kiosk contains:
> > >
> > >         1).  SEAC National Free Burma Campaign Co-Coordinator's announcement
> > >         2).  French Parliament on Total
> > >         3).  notre weekly board member
> > >         4).  PRESS CONFERENCE: GOODWILL YOUTH MISSION TO BURMA
> > >
> > > Note:  SEAC stands for Students Environmental Action Coalition.
> > >
> > > From: "Pan Walker" <panwalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: November 6th Day of Action for Burma against Suzuki
> > >
> > > Hey everyone.
> > >
> > > The Free Burma Coalition is targeting November 6th as a International Day of
> > > Action Against Suzuki dealerships, because of Suzuki's
> > > manufacturing/assembly factory in Burma!!!
> > >
> > > I think this would be a GREAT action for the Students Challenging Corporate
> > > Power conference Nov 5-7 at Yale (http://www.corpreform.org).
> > >
> > > You can find your local Suzuki car dealer in the U.S. at:
> > > http://www.suzukiauto.com/dealer.html  or call 800-934-0934.
> > >
> > > You can find your local Suzuki motorcycle dealer at:
> > > http://www.suzukicycles.com/deal/dealfs.htm  or call 800-828-7433.
> > >
> > > You may know that Burma has the third highest rate of deforestation in the
> > > world, behind Brazil and Indonesia.  However, if you don't know what's up
> > > with Burma in terms of human rights abuses, basically the military regime
> > > (known as SLORC) nullifies elections, controls media, destroys villages,
> > > rapes and murders thousands, sends thousands into forced labor (especially
> > > to build an oil/gas pipeline through the rainforest), and is supported by
> > > transnational corporations (like Suzuki) and the international drug market.
> > >
> > > For more info, go to www.freeburma.org right now, check out our workshop(s)
> > > at the ECOnference2000 this weekend in Philly, or after this weekend go to
> > > www.seac.org/burma for more facts and info on how you can help coordinate
> > > something on the National Day of Action Against Suzuki on November 6
> > > (11-6-99), how to get someone to do a Free Burma presentation at your
> > > school, and other ongoing initiatives and campaigns, such as the push to
> > > unseat the SLORC from the United Nations, the Unocal lawsuits, the drive to
> > > kick burma out of the WTO, upcoming conferences and dates for action and
> > > info on how to get speakers, videos, brochures, etc.
> > >
> > > Pan Walker
> > > SEAC NC At-Large Rep, Region 11 (GA,FL,TN,AL,PR)
> > > SEAC National Free Burma Campaign Co-Coordinator
> > > panwalker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > (423)588-6722 home, 766-3375 pager
> > > http://web.utk.edu/~panic/seac
> > > ***************************************************************************
> > >
> > > From: info birmanie <info-birmanie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >
> > > Subject: french parliament on Total
> > >
> > > Paris, october the 14th
> > >
> > > A mission of information set up by the french national assembly to
> > > investigate upon the doings of  oil companies and upon their impact on
> > > the foreign policy decision making process has just released its
> > > conclusions.
> > >
> > > Marie Hélène Aubert, the MP who presided over the parliamentary mission
> > > organised a press conference this thursday morning to hand out the
> > > report and answer to the press. Most of the report is about proposals
> > > which would lead to a greater transparency in the accounts and the
> > > practices of the Oil giants. It also stresses the need for a legislative
> > > reform which would implement a stricter penal accountability of
> > > multinationals involved in criminal wrongdoings. It is almost
> > > impossible, given the french law as it stands today, to take legal
> > > action against a large corporation involved in human rights abuses. It
> > > is also very difficult to organise a commercial boycott.
> > >
> > > This report is released at a sensitive time for the french oil industry,
> > > given the fact that Total and Elf, the two national oil companies are in
> > > the process of a merger. The group would become the largest french
> > > private corporation and the fourth largest oil company in the world.
> > > During the auditions and the fact finding missions, the parliamentary
> > > mission of information has foccused it?s attention on the dealings of
> > > Elf in Tchad and Cameroun, in Africa, and on Total?s Yadana project in
> > > Burma. Concerning the latter, the commission had already released a
> > > press announcement on the 5th of may, stating « that it seems confirmed
> > > that in the preliminary stages of the pipeline, burmese authorities have
> > > used forced labour and that populations have been displaced ».
> > >
> > > During the press conference, Ms Aubert said that the members of the
> > > mission had unanimously agreed upon the fact tha Total?s investement in
> > > Burma had been a « mistake » and that the company should « freeze » its
> > > activity in the country.
> > > The mission has only a mandate to make proposals, so the importance of
> > > its conclusions shouldn?t be overevaluated. Nothing indicates that Total
> > > is about to change its position concerning Burma.
> > >
> > > Still, the medias have given a good coverage and french public opinion
> > > has been arosen. A boycott against Total has been launched in Belgium
> > > and two demonstations are being organised in Paris on the 15th of
> > > october and on the 5th of november to protest against the support given
> > > by Total to the burmese dictatorship.
> > >
> > > Sébastien Naar, for Info Birmanie.
> > > ****************************************************************
> > >
> > > Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 17:34:35 -0700 (PDT)
> > > From: Mirante MAJE Paisley <maje@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: oil listserve <burmaoil@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > cc: zarni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, petro listserve <petro@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: notre weekly board member (fwd)
> > >
> > > Continuing the campaign to convince oil companies to leave Burma by
> > > contacting members of their boards of directors, this week we write
> > > letters to a board member of TotalFina. Total is the French oil company
> > > which, in partnership with Unocal, Burma's military regime and Thailand's
> > > PTT, forced the Yadana pipeline through Burma and Thailand. Recently,
> > > Total took over the Belgian petroleum company Fina, forming TotalFina.
> > > Last month, TotalFina has also acquired the huge French oil company, Elf
> > > Aquitaine.
> > >
> > > This week's TotalFina board member is Prof. Bertrand Jacquillat, who is
> > > a university professor.
> > > This week (the week of October 10) please send Professor Jacquillat
> > > a brief note.
> > >
> > > Address:
> > >   Professor Betrand Jacquillat
> > >   Member, Board of Directors
> > >   TotalFina
> > >   24 cours Michelet
> > >   92800 Puteaux
> > >   France
> > >
> > > brief sample note:
> > > "Dear Professor Jacquillat,
> > >
> > > Total's pipeline project in Burma has not earned any profit for Total,
> > > and has instead earned the company huge amounts of negative publicity
> > > because of human rights violations.
> > > >From July 28's Nation newspaper (Thailand): "To begin receiving the gas
> > > from Burma now means an inevitable increase in the price of electricity
> > > (in Thailand). Egat (Thai utility) has complained several times that the
> > > Yadana gas costs substantially more than the price of gas purchased from
> > > other local sources, and also that the gas is of lesser quality than what
> > > was initially claimed."
> > > Professor Jacquillat, as an academic exepert, does this really seem
> > > like a worthwhile business venture to you? Isn't it time for Total's Board
> > > of Directors to wake up and put a stop to the company's involvement in
> > > this unholy mess?
> > >
> > > Sincerely,"
> > >
> > > ===
> > > Remember to use the proper postage to send your note to Professor
> > > Jacquillat care of TotalFina in France. Ask your friends, family and
> > > colleagues to do so as well. You may receive a polite "form letter" from
> > > TotalFina's pr department in reply, insisting that they are doing nothing
> > > wrong by their "constructive engagement" in Burma. Feel free to respond to
> > > that form letter, enclosing articles or documents describing human rights
> > > abuse in Burma with your response.
> > > ===
> > > letter campaign by
> > > Project Maje & No Petro$
> > > ***************************************************************
> > >
> > > From: info birmanie <info-birmanie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: BurmaNet Editor <strider@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Cc: "burmanews-l@xxxxxxxxxxx" <burmanews-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: Total
> > >
> > > Letter addressed to Mister Thiery Desmaret, TotalFina?s president, by
> > > Annie Faure, Info-Birmanie's chair women. Published in the french news
> > > paper "Libération" on the 14 th of october, 1999.
> > >
> > > Since the merger between Elf-Aquitaine and TotalFina, you are now
> > > leading the forth oil company in the world. What can we, non
> > > governemental organisations who care about humanism, expect from this
> > > weding? What can we hope for the oppresed and wounded people living in
> > > these totalitarian countries where oil money is only used to feed the
> > > wealthy?
> > >
> > > The wordings of your advertisement are done to be cheering, talking
> > > about «a friendly rapprochement»
> > > It is actually more of a peace agreement between two enemy brothers wo
> > > have similar methodes. We can recalll that recently, in Angola, Elf and
> > > Total where both denouncing the other?s guilty relationship with the
> > > UNITA to the president Dos Santos....
> > >
> > > Your union also promises «unequaled groth perspectives and an exeptional
> > > oportunity for the two companies, their shareholders and their staff ».
> > > It would be difficult to be clearer: the consummers and the populations
> > > from producing countries are not counted amongst those who will share
> > > the benefits. This is in line with the usual strategy of both Total and
> > > Elf. Each one in its area, Elf in Africa and you in Burma.
> > >
> > > Your atitude in this country reflects your indifference towards human
> > > right and is an example on that point.  Since 1988, Burma is under the
> > > grip of one of the worst dictatorships in the world, fed by drug
> > > cultivation and traficking. Your Yadana gaz project puts you in a
> > > leading position for the foreign investment there. This project was
> > > officialy launched in 1992 against all the recomandations coming from
> > > the burmese democrats incuding nobel peace price laureate Daw Aung San
> > > Suu Kyi. The burmese democrats won the parliamentary elections in 1990.
> > > The Junta never recognised the elections. But for these oponents, the
> > > contracts signed by Total with the regime have no legal value. This
> > > shows how much you have been beting on the junta staying in power.
> > > The International Federation of Human Rights and many NGOs have
> > > denounced gross human right abuses that occured in relation with the gaz
> > > field?s explotation. Total?s american partener himself -UNOCAL - has
> > > admited to the californian court of justice the use of forced labour and
> > > population deplacement which occured in link with your project. The
> > > International Labour Organisation has called these parctices « crimes
> > > against humanity »
> > > In France, the parliamentary mission on « the role of oil companies in
> > > international politics and their social and environmental impact » is
> > > going to release its report today. In a statement made public on the 5th
> > > of may, the mp?s have declared that « it seems established that in the
> > > first stages of the project, burmese authorities have been using forced
> > > labour and have displaced populations from the area. Practices which are
> > > unfortunately only too frequent in this country »
> > > At a european level, the european parliament has condemned the burmese
> > > regime whithout any ambiguitee. In 1998, a resolution stated that all
> > > foreign investement in Burma represented a substantial support to the
> > > SPDC. The parliament requested in the same resolution that oil companies
> > > such as Total and Unocal should freeze their investements. In a new
> > > resolution, on the 16th of september, the parliament accuses the regime
> > > once again and is « extremly preoccupied by the ongoing human rights
> > > abuses perpetrated by the burmese military authorities ». The parliament
> > > takes good notice of the fact that the oil sector accounts for a third
> > > of all the official foreign investements in the country. This european
> > > institution is firmly in favour of maintaining Burma?s exclusion from
> > > the EU-ASEAN dialogue.
> > > One of your key arguments to defend your presence in Burma is the
> > > economic developement it will induce and the spill over effect on civil
> > > society. The « developement » you mention only benefits the
> > > dictatorship. The regime uses the money to stay in power by relying to
> > > the only technique it knows: terror. The regime has no intrerest in
> > > sharing freely the benefits. It?s about its survival.
> > > Facts have made it clear time and time again: In spite of the monney
> > > invested, the country is getting poorer. Actualy, this year, the burmase
> > > authorities have not published the economic and financial statistics, as
> > > they usualy do, to hide the disastrous state of the economy. A political
> > > disaster also: Aung San Suu Kyi who has always promoted a non violent
> > > resistance, has just launched a new appeal for economic sanctions.
> > > Your merger with Elf is not a reason for us to hope. Even more so
> > > because the new french ambassador in Rangoon is an ex-member of the
> > > board of Elf...
> > > The french foreign affairs departement is clearly on your side. The
> > > french policy on Burma is only about protecting the oil sector
> > > interests. Yet, wether you like it or not, for all the burmese people,
> > > Total has become a symbol of active support to this criminal junta.From:
> > > info birmanie <info-birmanie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: BurmaNet Editor <strider@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Cc: "burmanews-l@xxxxxxxxxxx" <burmanews-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: Total
> > >
> > > Letter addressed to Mister Thiery Desmaret, TotalFina?s president, by
> > > Annie Faure, Info-Birmanie's chair women. Published in the french news
> > > paper "Libération" on the 14 th of october, 1999.
> > >
> > > Since the merger between Elf-Aquitaine and TotalFina, you are now
> > > leading the forth oil company in the world. What can we, non
> > > governemental organisations who care about humanism, expect from this
> > > weding? What can we hope for the oppresed and wounded people living in
> > > these totalitarian countries where oil money is only used to feed the
> > > wealthy?
> > >
> > > The wordings of your advertisement are done to be cheering, talking
> > > about «a friendly rapprochement»
> > > It is actually more of a peace agreement between two enemy brothers wo
> > > have similar methodes. We can recalll that recently, in Angola, Elf and
> > > Total where both denouncing the other?s guilty relationship with the
> > > UNITA to the president Dos Santos....
> > >
> > > Your union also promises «unequaled groth perspectives and an exeptional
> > > oportunity for the two companies, their shareholders and their staff ».
> > > It would be difficult to be clearer: the consummers and the populations
> > > from producing countries are not counted amongst those who will share
> > > the benefits. This is in line with the usual strategy of both Total and
> > > Elf. Each one in its area, Elf in Africa and you in Burma.
> > >
> > > Your atitude in this country reflects your indifference towards human
> > > right and is an example on that point.  Since 1988, Burma is under the
> > > grip of one of the worst dictatorships in the world, fed by drug
> > > cultivation and traficking. Your Yadana gaz project puts you in a
> > > leading position for the foreign investment there. This project was
> > > officialy launched in 1992 against all the recomandations coming from
> > > the burmese democrats incuding nobel peace price laureate Daw Aung San
> > > Suu Kyi. The burmese democrats won the parliamentary elections in 1990.
> > > The Junta never recognised the elections. But for these oponents, the
> > > contracts signed by Total with the regime have no legal value. This
> > > shows how much you have been beting on the junta staying in power.
> > > The International Federation of Human Rights and many NGOs have
> > > denounced gross human right abuses that occured in relation with the gaz
> > > field?s explotation. Total?s american partener himself -UNOCAL - has
> > > admited to the californian court of justice the use of forced labour and
> > > population deplacement which occured in link with your project. The
> > > International Labour Organisation has called these parctices « crimes
> > > against humanity »
> > > In France, the parliamentary mission on « the role of oil companies in
> > > international politics and their social and environmental impact » is
> > > going to release its report today. In a statement made public on the 5th
> > > of may, the mp?s have declared that « it seems established that in the
> > > first stages of the project, burmese authorities have been using forced
> > > labour and have displaced populations from the area. Practices which are
> > > unfortunately only too frequent in this country »
> > > At a european level, the european parliament has condemned the burmese
> > > regime whithout any ambiguitee. In 1998, a resolution stated that all
> > > foreign investement in Burma represented a substantial support to the
> > > SPDC. The parliament requested in the same resolution that oil companies
> > > such as Total and Unocal should freeze their investements. In a new
> > > resolution, on the 16th of september, the parliament accuses the regime
> > > once again and is « extremly preoccupied by the ongoing human rights
> > > abuses perpetrated by the burmese military authorities ». The parliament
> > > takes good notice of the fact that the oil sector accounts for a third
> > > of all the official foreign investements in the country. This european
> > > institution is firmly in favour of maintaining Burma?s exclusion from
> > > the EU-ASEAN dialogue.
> > > One of your key arguments to defend your presence in Burma is the
> > > economic developement it will induce and the spill over effect on civil
> > > society. The « developement » you mention only benefits the
> > > dictatorship. The regime uses the money to stay in power by relying to
> > > the only technique it knows: terror. The regime has no intrerest in
> > > sharing freely the benefits. It?s about its survival.
> > > Facts have made it clear time and time again: In spite of the monney
> > > invested, the country is getting poorer. Actualy, this year, the burmase
> > > authorities have not published the economic and financial statistics, as
> > > they usualy do, to hide the disastrous state of the economy. A political
> > > disaster also: Aung San Suu Kyi who has always promoted a non violent
> > > resistance, has just launched a new appeal for economic sanctions.
> > > Your merger with Elf is not a reason for us to hope. Even more so
> > > because the new french ambassador in Rangoon is an ex-member of the
> > > board of Elf...
> > > The french foreign affairs departement is clearly on your side. The
> > > french policy on Burma is only about protecting the oil sector
> > > interests. Yet, wether you like it or not, for all the burmese people,
> > > Total has become a symbol of active support to this criminal junta.
> > >
> > > *******************************************************************
> > >
> > > From: ALTSEAN-BURMA <altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: Presser TODAY: GOODWILL YOUTH MISSION TO BURMA
> > >
> > > PRESS CONFERENCE: GOODWILL YOUTH MISSION TO BURMA
> > > FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS CLUB OF THAILAND
> > > 12 noon, FRIDAY OCT 15, 1999
> > >
> > > Youth leaders who participated in a democracy dialogue with Burma's
> > > National League for Democracy Youth Wing will speak about their experience.
> > >
> > > The young people from Malaysia and Japan met youth members of the NLD in
> > > Rangoon yesterday (October 14).
> > >
> > > Videotape of the meeting will also be presented.
> > >
> > > Speakers:
> > >
> > > Ms Latheefa Koya, Secretary - Youth Wing, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (People's
> > > Party of Malaysia)
> > >
> > > Mr Niimi Tatsuya, Student, People's Forum on Burma, Japan
> > >
> > > Mr Lum Chih Feng, Student, SUARAM (Voice of the Malaysian People / Suara
> > > Rakyat Malaysia)
> > >
> > > Time:
> > >
> > >         Friday October 15, 1999
> > >         12 noon
> > >
> > > Location:
> > >
> > >         Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand
> > >         Penthouse, Maneeya Plaza,
> > >         South Ploenchit Road (nr Sogo Department Store) Bangkok
> > >
> > > Inquiries tel:
> > >
> > >         Altsean-Burma   (BKK) 275 1811