London Total Oil’s offices targeted again this morning
5.10.2007
Total Oil’s London HQ was targeted again this morning as workers made their way into the building in order to highlight the company’s involvement in financially supporting the Burmese military junta.
After a mass call out, activists showed up again this morning to speak to office workers at Total Oil’s London HQ about the company’s involvement in Burma. Police forces were already present at the site, actually outnumbering protesters at 8:30, guarding the entrance and checking everyone entering the building, which caused significant nuisance and slowed things down a bit. A FIT team was also present, happily snapping pictures of people. After staging a die-in outside the entrance and handing out leaflets, it was decided to end the action and re-group for breakfast.
We shall be back.
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Cardiff Total closed in Burma protest
7.10.2007
A Total garage in Cardiff was closed for three hours in a solidarity action for the people of Burma
Around 30 people marched from the centre of Cardiff to the Total garage, where more protesters had already gathered.
Despite the normal threats of arrest from the police, activists blocked the entrance and exit routes to the garage, shutting it down. The garage remained closed by the action for three hours. There were no arrests.
The level of public support for the action was amazing, and car horns were beeping their support almost constantly. Even the motorists that turned up to use the garage were (on the whole) supportive, and happily drove off to find somewhere else to fill up.
This was an effective and successful action – it would be nice to see more of these in the weeks and months to come.
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Text of leaflet that was given out:
Total Oil – the current situation in Burma
French Oil Company Total is the biggest corporate investor for the undemocratic, military dictatorship of Burma. For the last 45 years a military dictatorship has ruled Burma with an iron fist. Total oil has provides the dictatorship with 30% of there export revenue, which is estimated at $450 million.
This is the largest foreign investment supporting the brutal regime, and Total is fully aware of this. It has been funding the regime since 1992, which has permitted them to execute some atrocious human right violations including:
70,000 child soldiers.
One of the largest armies in South East Asia, despite no external enemies.
Rape of women and children as a weapon of war.
Mass oppression of freedom of speech and opinion, which has lead to 1,350 political prisoners.
Almost half of the budget is spent on the military while only 19p is spent on health care per person, per year.
Total funded the creation of a 63-kilometer pipeline, secured by the army, which has lead to:
Between 600,000 and 1 million people forced from their homes and internally displaced.
Some of the worse forced labour abuses on thousands of Burmese people.
Forced transporting of weapons, beatings and torture.
And the use of civilians as human minesweepers.
Total Oil is funding and protecting this violent regime, to defend its assets and profits made form Burmese oil and gas.
In 1988 mass demonstrations occurred across Burma due to the brutality of the Military regime, and a 500% increase in oil and natural gas prices. This resulted in over 5000 people indiscriminately being slaughter by the army, and thousands more imprisoned, 1, 350 of which are still there.
2007 UPRISE – A REPEAT OF HISTORY – On the 15th of August, petrol prices rose by 500%, sparking mass protests for the next 2 months. The protests were lead by tens of thousands of social activist, monks and civilians. The military fought back with tear gas, beatings, arrests, shootings and pre dawn raids on monasteries.
It’s estimated that up to 3000 people, including elderly monks, children between 5 and 10 years old, nuns and women have been arrested, enduring atrocious conditions in prison. It has been internally estimated that 130 people have been killed.
Even though the media coverage is disappearing today, the oppression and violence directed towards the Burmese’s people continues to escalate.
Stop the military regime. Act now before another 5000 die.
Action
www.burmacampaign.org.uk To sign petitions pressuring Total and other corporations to withdraw investment in Burma.
www.burmanet.org/news/ For up to date reliable news in Burma.
www.southwalesanarchists.org A group of like-minded individuals into civil disobedience.
www.avaaz.org To sign a petition targeting and pressuring China, the main supporter of the regime.
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Total Totally Blockaded in Oxford
6.10.2007
Protesters peacefully blockaded a Total petrol station in Oxford today, in support of the democracy movement in Burma (Myanmar); activists were there for two hours and seriously disrupted Total’s business for the day.
This protest took place in solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Burma, who have asked for international support now that the regime is cracking down on them. Total Oil is the fourth largest oil company in the world and one of the biggest foreign investors in Burma. Its joint venture with Burma’s dictatorship earns the military regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
People began to gather outside the petrol station in East Oxford at 2.30 pm, and at 2.45 moved into the entranceway, holding a banner which read ” Fuelling Oppression In Burma”. We blocked the entrance for a while until the police arrived and threatened to arrest people. However, even after we shuffled to either side of the main driveway, just the presence of the protesters, the banner and the police was enough to put most customers off – we saw numerous people eyeing up the entrance and then choosing to drive by.
Those few who did plunge past the crowd of protesters onto the forecourt were quickly pounced upon by friendly leaflet-wielding activists who managed to persuade the majority to take their business elsewhere.
The Total staff were less than overjoyed, but we gave them all leaflets too and explained why we were there. The police, too, were less than delighted by our presence but seemed willing to tolerate us, even though we’d pretty much closed the petrol station down for the afternoon. We got lots of waves and horn-toots of support from passers-by.
Total has been a longstanding supporter of Burma’s brutal regime. Widespread human rights abuses have been associated with the Total pipeline in Burma, including forced labour, torture and rape. In addition, tougher European sanctions against Burma have been blocked by the French government in its effort to protect Total’s interests in the country.
Today’s action was part of a growing international movement against Total. Forcing the company to pull out of Burma would be a major blow to the legitimacy of the regime, jeopardise a vital source of income for the junta and would make it even more difficult for other companies to do business in the region.
For more information see www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total_briefing.html. To get involved in action in Oxford email oarc@riseup.net.
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2nd Report from the Oxford Total demo
A brief explanation of some of the situation in Burma and a report on the demonstration in Oxford which took place on the 6th of October, 2007.
Global Day of Action for Burma
The 6th of October was the global day of action for Burma (also known as Myanmar), and activists and supporters demonstrated around the world for an end to the appalling actions of the repressive and vicious military junta (group of army generals) that rules the country. If you watched the news recently you might remember images of thousands of monks marching on the streets, before the brutal military crackdown. There is little or no news getting out of Burma now because the government shut off the internet and has started to seize mobile phones and cameras so that images of violent repression cannot escape. The junta has banned protesting and the expression of any other view apart from their own, which is that they are creating a “discipline-flourishing democracy” and unusually for a democracy, all opposition must be crushed. Contradictory? It sure is, but it is no laughing matter for fifty million Burmese.
Demonstrators marched in countries as varied as Thailand, France, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as many more. One of the biggest protests in this country was in London, but they took place in every major city in the country. One of the less publicised, but nonetheless very well attended protests was in Oxford, where protesters managed to successfully stop almost everyone filling up at a Total garage from doing so for over two and a half hours.
On the face of it this action might seem to have little to do with Burma, since Total is a jointly owned French and American company. However, Total has a contract with the Burmese government, signed in 1992, and is the sole company operating in the country. Two oil pipelines have already been built, one to Thailand and one across Burma, and a third one is on its way, despite the fact that new investments from French companies in Burma were banned in 2004. The pipelines have been associated with serious human rights abuses for those working on them, such as forced labour, the use of civilians as human minesweepers, the use of children, and systematic rape of women. Total has been said to be the single biggest company propping up the junta’s regime.
Total is one of the five biggest oil companies in the UK and therefore wields an enormous influence both here and abroad. The French government has blocked measures such as sanctions against the junta due to the fact that Total has such heavy involvement there.
With all this in mind I went to a demonstration close by to Reading, by a Total garage in Oxford. A huge banner reading “Fuelling Oppression in Burma” left people in no doubt as to what the protest was about. Volunteers handed out leaflets showing a brief summary of the injustice of the military’s rule, and Total’s role in it, as well as petitions that concerned citizens could sign. The turnout was excellent, considering that the demonstration had not been as well publicised as other, larger ones in cities such as Birmingham and Manchester. In two hours we managed to stop the majority of people filling up at Total. The workers at the garage were understandably not very pleased but we gave them leaflets too and let them know that we have nothing against them since they are only doing their job. Many people did not have any idea of the things which this company is involved in and once they were informed most of them chose to fill up at one of two nearby petrol stations further along the road.
The atmosphere was very jolly and everyone was eager to meet new people and help each other out. The good weather helped with this as did the fact that most people were very friendly. We had support both from the local police who were assigned to watch the demonstration, and from passers-by, many of whom honked their horns at us as they drove past. Many people who had filled up promised not to do so again. The protest began at 2:30, and although most people had gone by half past four, three of us chose to stay until five, handing out leaflets to drivers.
We do accept that some people have no choice but to fill up there and we have nothing against people who do so, but I feel it is important that people have an informed choice about what it is that they are supporting when they fill up at a Total garage. At a time when many oil companies are regarded as unethical the idea that a company would openly fund one of the world’s most despicable regimes produces bad publicity and a lack of trust, so it is in Total’s best interest to pull out of Burma and in so doing, increase their profits due to winning back respect from people who have lost it for them. They should see that in the long term, due to the situation in Burma (with some states having had a civil war for over 20 years) staying in the country is unsustainable and bad for their business as well as for human rights.
Should you wish to find out more about Total and their involvement in Burma, please visit www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total_report.html. Please also sign the petition to help the Burmese protesters, which will be presented to the president of China after it receives a million signatures, at www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma .
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Aside from these direct actions, various demonstrations have happened around the country over the last few weeks – for full details, search at indymedia.org.uk
Greenpeace campaigners have staged a dawn protest at a power plant which could be the site of Britain’s first new coal-fired station for 20 years.
Total Oil’s London offices targeted this morning, 2nd October
The Climate Camp on its own didn’t stop climate change – but it’s part of a growing social movement that can! Come and take the next steps forward at the upcoming UK-wide meeting on Nov 3-4 in Oxford. Everyone is welcome, whether you came to the camp, or were simply inspired by it.
The camp is now located near Balcombe, West Sussex, south of Crawley.