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Total’s presence in Myanmar (Burma) has been surrounded
by controversy and misperception. The European Parliament
has
denounced the “dire political situation”*
in Myanmar and the International Labour Organization (ILO)
regularly criticizes the country’s “widespread
and systematic”
resort to forced labor. A number of Western companies have
withdrawn from Myanmar under pressure from activist groups.
The question
now is what Total is doing there, what it has already done
and why it is staying in Myanmar.
Unfortunately, the
world’s oil and gas reserves are not necessarily located
in democracies, as a glance at a map shows. As a result,
oil companies often face criticism and questions from civil
society concerning their operations in countries with repressive
regimes, their relations with governments, the security measures
deployed to protect their facilities, and the way in which
host countries spend oil revenues.
Wherever we operate, we
are dedicated to developing economically viable projects
while adhering to national and international
laws and ensuring compliance with our Code of Conduct. Long
before joining the UN Secretary-General’s Global Compact
initiative in 2002, we had demonstrated a constant commitment
to responsible corporate citizenship and have always aimed
to contribute to economic and social
progress and environmental stewardship in our host countries.
Total
has been the subject of numerous allegations and accusations
that challenge both our presence in Myanmar and our actions
there. This web site provides a history of our engagement
in Myanmar and describes the initiatives that have been implemented.
Rather than respond to the unwarranted criticism, we want
to restore balanced debate on whether a responsible multinational
company can contribute positively to the economic and social
development of a country that faces sharp internal divisions.
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