27th October 2007
Around 30 activists blockaded a Total petrol station in Bradford to protest against the company’s heavy involvement with the military junta in Burma which is responsible for the deaths of several protesters in just the last few days.
Total is in a joint venture with the Burmese dictatorship in the Yadana gas project, which earns the regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Aung Sun Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of the Burmese government under house arrest, says: “Total has become the main supporter of the military regime”.
A mix of students and locals stood, sat or drummed across both entrances to the forecourt for an hour and a half. Holding a banner reading “Totalitarian Oil-Fuelling Oppression in Burma” they leafleted and spoke to passers-by and motorists.
Staff at the petrol station threatened protesters with sticks, car and lorry drivers attempted to run over protesters, but despite this things remained peaceful. The station was closed almost completely for over an hour whilst protesters played drums, gave out fliers, held placards and banners, and sat in the entrances to the forecourt.
A few drivers were not so supportive, including one truck driver who carried on driving into the protesters in the entrance way even as they banged frantically on the windscreen. Even a local cop (who had previously tried to shove protesters off the road) decided to tell the driver to back off. Most drivers however were supportive and chose not to try and cross the blockade. Although many people were aware of the situation on Burma they had not heard of Total’s involvement.
Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSrPVltBMkA
http://www.bradfordcampaigners.co.nr
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Also solidarity demo at embassies in London
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Total Oil’s London offices targeted this morning, 2nd October
Total Oil’s London offices were targeted this morning in order to highlight the company’s involvement with Burma’s regime. Total’s investments have been earning the regime millions of dollars and have been marked by human rights abuses such as the use of forced labour. Activists staged a die-in and handed out leaflets from the Burma Campaign UK to inform office workers going into the building on what Total, Europe’s greatest financial backer of the Burmese junta, is really up to.
As the streets of Burmese cities are patrolled by soldiers and thousands of monks and protesters are still missing after having been killed, beaten up or arrested during last week’s demonstrations, support for the Burmese people’s struggle is vital. With thousands taking to the streets on Sunday, it is also important to expose those who make the military dictatorship possible – corporations such as Total Oil. Aung San Suu Kyi, the most respected figure of Burma’s democracy movement, has identified Total as “the biggest supporter of the military regime in Burma”, earning the junta hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Total’s joint venture with Burma’s rulers in the Yadan gas project in the south of the country provides crucial revenues to the regime and has had its own horrific record of human rights abuses such as the use of forced labour and widespread torture and rape against those who oppose the project.
On top of all this, Total Oil has been successfully lobbying the French government to veto European Union sanctions against Burma in order to protect its investments, yet another example of corporations showing where the real power really lies in world affairs.
Activists decided to take this matter to Total’s London offices, showing up early this morning to talk to office workers as they made their way into work, and to inform others working in the building what their neighbours are really up to. A banner reading ‘TOTALitarianOil Out of Burma Now’ was unfurled, leaflets from the Burma Campaign handed out, while three activists staged a die-in in the lobby of the building. Police forces showed up within 20 minutes, demanding to speak to the ‘leaders of the demonstration’, and eventually forcefully removing those inside the building. The protesters were not deterred, continuing the die-in outside the doors. It was decided by all to end the demonstration at 11am, after all leaflets were handed out and traffic into the building slowed down.
As the Burmese military continues its repression of dissent, we must keep up the struggle and continue to target those who financially back the regime, exposing them for what they really are: capitalists who care about nothing but profit.
Press release:
Holding a banner reading ‘TOTALITARIAN OIL: OUT OF BURMA NOW’, they are demanding that the company immediately halts its operations in Burma, including the multi-million dollar Yadana gas project [1], and announces a full divestment from the country until human rights abuses end and a democratic regime is in place.
Tom Shapiro, one of those at the protest, said:
“As reports filter out that thousands of people may have lost their lives in Burma this week standing up for their democratic rights, we are here to say that TOTAL, which funds the regime, has blood on its hands – and these workers have blood on their desks. TOTAL’s financial partnership with the Burmese junta enables the oppression of 48 million people. They claim this is an ‘ethical’ approach that other investors would not replicate – rather, it’s an affront to humanity. We urge everyone who supports the monks in their protest to target TOTAL in every way possible until they leave Burma.”
The demonstration lends strength to the growing calls for consumer action against TOTAL over its role in Burma, after calls by Dutch political parties, Anglican church groups and French trade unions this week for the company to be targeted [2]. It is also indicates the increasingly grassroots nature of the solidarity protests that have spread across the world, with ordinary people targeting the companies and embassies with most leverage during the current crisis, rather than relying on more conventional channels.
Michelle Doyle, another of those at the protest, said:
“The Foreign Secretary, David Milliband, has been on television promising tough EU sanctions, but while bureaucrats talk, people are being killed in the streets. We couldn’t bear just to watch it happening on TV and trust the government to make a difference. We are here to use people power to target the corporations which are keeping the Burmese junta in business – British timber companies, tourism providers, and above all TOTAL, the fourth biggest oil company in the world. It is these companies that are paying the wages of the soldiers who are shooting monks. We must make sure that not one more dollar of our money goes towards keeping the regime in power.”
The demonstrators describe themselves as supporters of but not acting for Burma Campaign UK. They met on Sunday’s demonstration in central London and via social networking site Facebook, and intend to take part in the International Day of Action on Saturday [3].
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
1. TOTAL Oil has had a joint business venture with the Burmese government since 1992. Its major project is the Yadana gas project in southern Burma, which earns the military regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year. See http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total.html
2. Four Dutch political parties, including the Dutch Labour Party, part of the governing coalition, last week called for a boycott of Total: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/28/europe/EU-GEN-Netherlands-Myanmar.php.
The French CGT union called for Total to halt all gas extraction and freeze all transfers: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3010197.ece
Meanwhile, there have been demonstrations and calls to boycott in Bradford, Bristol, and Nottingham in the UK in the last week:
Bradford: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/09/382211.html
Anglicans call for boycott:
http://www.energypublisher.com/article.asp?id=11254
Nottingham: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/09/382268.html
Bristol: http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=26882
3. This Saturday, 6 October, will be A Day of International Action for a Free Burma – Free Aung San Suu Kyi & Support the Monks in Burma. Over 1,000 people have already confirmed via Facebook that they will be attending. See: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=4973307490
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Activists staged a protest at Total petrol station on Oxford Road in Oxford on Saturday 29th. They tried to block the access to the station but were low on numbers and unfortunately the immediate police presence meant that they were moved to one side. Still, the large banner sent out a clear message about Total Oil’s support of the Burmese junta to lots of motorists on the busy Saturday afternoon. Many indicated to turn in before changing their minds. Those who chose to refill their tanks were handed leaflets and given a lecture on the situation in Burma and Total’s decision to exploit it.
I’ve also noticed some anti-Total graffiti about.
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Protest Total Oil this Friday in London
CALL TO ACTION: ‘Die-in’ and demo at London TOTAL Oil HQ over Burma links
FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER
8:30 – 10:30 am
33 Cavendish Square, London, WC1
Show your solidarity with the protestors in Burma – join the action!
A mass action has been called to take place at the headquarters of TOTAL OIL in London on Friday October 5th from 8:30 – 10:30 am. A demonstration and a mass die-in will take place outside of the central London office to express our outrage at Total’s involvement with the military junta in Burma.
All are welcome to attend – bring placards, instruments, noise and props if you can. A symbolic ‘die-in’ will be happening. A similar action happened on Tuesday, October 2nd at the same location with 20 activists (see above).
Across France and in other parts of the UK pressure has been mounting against Total in a number of solidarity actions.
It is important to continue pressure on this company to demand Total’s withdrawal from Burma.
TOTAL Oil’s business partnership with the Burmese government is providing vital funding that enables the brutal military dictatorship in to oppress 48 million people.
An uprising against the junta in Burma, led by monks, has been met with violent repression. Security forces and armed military troops have launched a violent crackdown on demonstrators, most of which is not being reported due to a state-imposed media freeze. Some estimates suggest that thousands could be dead and many more imprisoned.
We demand that the company immediately halts its operations in Burma and announces a full divestment from the country until human rights abuses end and a democratic regime is in place.
This action is called by people who met at a Burma solidarity march and decided that we needed to do more by targetting the companies that have blood on their hands.
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
Map:
http://tinyurl.com/2oardl
For more information see:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total.html
Further information on actions against Total Oil:
TOTAL Oil has had a joint business venture with the Burmese government since 1992. Its major project is the Yadana gas project in southern Burma, which earns the military regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
Four Dutch political parties, including the Dutch Labour Party, part of the governing coalition, last week called for a boycott of Total:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/28/europe/EU-GEN-Netherlands-Myanmar.php.
The French CGT union called for Total to halt all gas extraction and
freeze all transfers:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3010197.ece
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Cardiff Burma/Total Protest Saturday 6th October
DO SOMETHING ABOUT BURMA IN CARDIFF – SPREAD THE WORD!
French oil company Total is one of the biggest foreign investors in Burma. It has been propping up the violent and oppressive regime there for years. It has even used army-imposed forced labour to construct a gas pipeline accross the country.
People in Britain have been protesting outside Total garages and offices all week with demos in places like Bradford, Oxford, and London – now it’s our turn!
Protest at the Total Garage, Cathedral Road, Cardiff, 11am Saturday 6th October.
Assemble: 10.30am outside Glamorgan Staff Club, Westgate Street to march on the garage.
As the media’s attention span wanes, and a spectacle-weary public grows tired of seeing South East Asians getting battered and shot on primetime TV, a full-scale state and military backlash against Burma’s people is underway. Demonstrators are being routinely rounded up, put in prison, and quite probably tortured, and more monks are being murdered and beaten every day.
Let’s target the companies that prop up Burma’s murderous military dictatorship and let them know that they can’t get away with supporting despots with impunity.
Bring banners, placards, and whatever else you expect to find – wear saffron or dark red if you want to.
This demonstration is called by the South Wales Anarchists – all are welcome, and please spread the word to your networks!
Get good and reliable news about Burma at:
http://www.burmanet.org/news/