Total in Burma : the yadana pipeline project

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Presentation by Total of the Yadana gas development project and the supporting Socio-Economic Program in Burma. Total also responds to criticism of its presence in a country whose military regime shows little concern for human rights and where forced labor has not been eradicated.

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Total E&P Myanmar's Code of Conduct

Description of the Yadana Project

The Pipeline Project

Project Security


		Presence of the Myanmar Army



		Total's careful monitoring



			Total's Ethical Guidelines
				(PDF 33Ko )

			Total in Myanmar, download the web site contents
				(PDF 591Ko)


	Presence of the Myanmar Army

Security for the Yadana pipeline should be considered against this backdrop. Initially, the project's backers had no reason to believe that special security issues would be raised, and security was only mentioned in very general terms in the contracts signed with MOGE. Although Myanmar was experiencing problems in some regions related to the sometimes century-long struggle of ethnic minorities against the central government, the pipeline region was remote from areas of active conflict and sparsely populated, even uninhabitable in the eastern area bordering Thailand. The Army already had a camp at Kaleinaung and a presence on the border. There had been sporadic clashes between rebel ethnic minorities and the military since 1988 when the Army, as in many other regions of Myanmar, tried to tighten its grip, but calm seemed to have been restored several years previously.

Michauglang, a Karen village located further east, had been forcibly relocated in 1991 or 1992, well before Total decided to build the pipeline in the region. However, in fall 1994 when the first teams arrived in the field, the region was apparently untroubled. Preparatory topographic and geological surveys were conducted without problems, as well as socio-economic surveys to improve knowledge of the way inhabitants lived and define a program to benefit them.

The situation changed suddendly in March 1995 when a truck carrying a team from Compagnie Générale de Géophysique was ambushed. Five people were killed and eleven persons injured. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but a group of Karen guerillas are thought to have been behind it. Work was immediately halted while security measures were revamped to take into account potential future attacks. Work did not resume until October 1995.

In the interim, Total introduced a set of precautions to protect site personnel, such as strengthened security teams, very strict access and movement rules, protective enclosures around facilities, field work scheduled to avoid geographic scattering of personnel, and permanent radio links between field teams and the security control center. Security measures have always been purely passive; security personnel are not armed.

Shaken by the attack, the Myanmar Army increased its strength in the region from fall 1995. It also asked to be informed in advance of the construction schedule and the locations where Total teams would be operating. Consequently, the site security officers and the Army regularly exchanged information via local partner MOGE.

Contrary to certain allegations, Total has never had a contractual relationship with the Myanmar Army. The Group has never paid the Army, supplied it with arms, provided it with logistical support, transported troops or provided vehicles for this purpose, or given it instructions.