Total Sa and Its Work in Myanmar

-Total and the Yadana pipeline-

14.10.2011

Table of contents

Table of contents i

Introduction ii

Total S.A iii

Earth Rights International iii

Doing business in Burma iv

Yadana Gas Project v

Human rights violations vi

Tax evasion vii

Corruption vii

French government position viii

Criticism regarding the French position viii

EU`s position ix

Total’s response ix

Conclusion x

Introduction

Since 1962, Burma has been ruled by a military dictatorship, the Junta, which suppresses nearly all oppositions and use absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions. In this process the nation has become one of the least developed nations in the world, despite their abundant natural resources and important gas and oil deposits.

At the end of the 1980’s, the Junta looked for an associate after the discovery of an important gas deposit in the Andaman Sea. The French firm Total, and the American Chevron obtained the rights to the project. This commitment was very debatable for both firms. Indeed, a lot of accusations have been made since the project’s startup. Total is accused of hiring the Burmese Army to secure the projects area, who is accused of serious human rights violations and corruption.

The Earth Rights International, among other NGOs, started documenting human rights violations in 1994, and still today this is the reality. Several reports concerning the Yadana project have been published with different recommendations to Total, which the company has not followed.

First we will present the facts about Total, Earth Rights International and the Yadana pipeline project in Burma. Next we will highlight the human rights abuses in Burma, the tax evasion and the corruption related to the project and its actors. Further, we present the French government position, the EU position and Total`s respond to the Earth Rights International and their accusations. At the end of the report...