Hope it does some good

Watchdog group says Chevron complicit in Myanmar

inShare.0Share thisEmailPrintRelated TopicsStocks »
Markets »
By Michael Erman

NEW YORK | Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:39am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A human rights watchdog group on Tuesday accused Chevron Corp (CVX.N) of complicity in human rights abuses along a natural gas pipeline in Myanmar in which it holds a stake and said Chevron could be sued.

Watchdog group says Chevron complicit in Myanmar | Reuters
 
Myanmar comin' outta its dark ages...
:eusa_clap:
EU agrees to halt sanctions on Myanmar
Fri, Apr 20, 2012 - JAPANESE HELP: Tokyo is reportedly planning to waive Myanmar’s US$3.7 billion debt and resume suspended assistance to the impoverished country
EU governments are to suspend most sanctions against Myanmar next week, EU diplomats said yesterday, in recognition of rapid political and economic reforms after decades of military dictatorship. Envoys of EU governments reached a preliminary deal on the issue late on Wednesday and foreign ministers of EU states are expected to approve the move formally at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, after which it can take effect, diplomats said. The suspension of EU sanctions, which include a ban on investment and trade related to timber and mining, is likely to open doors to a flood of investment in the country that neighbors the world’s two biggest markets, China and India. “There is now agreement in principle [on] ... a suspension of all sanctions, except for the arms embargo,” one EU diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

EU diplomats say sanctions are being suspended — not lifted altogether — to maintain pressure on Myanmar’s quasi-civilian government to keep up democratic transition. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, long an advocate of sanctions imposed for human rights abuses by Myanmar’s military rules, has spoken in support of such an approach. British Prime Minister David Cameron also urged caution, when addressing parliament on Wednesday about Myanmar: “While it is clear that the ... regime is making some steps towards greater freedom and democracy, we should be extremely cautious and extremely careful,” he said. “We want to see the further release of political prisoners, we want to see the resolution of ethnic conflicts, we want the democratisation process to continue,” he said.

EU governments are keen to ease access to Myanmar for their businesses, hoping to capitalize on the country’s rich natural resources, proximity to large markets and vast tourism potential. European firms fear Asian rivals are securing a foothold and already boosting their presence. The US Treasury on Tuesday relaxed sanctions on Myanmar to permit financial transactions to support certain humanitarian and development projects

Meanwhile, Japan is to waive Myanmar’s ¥300 billion (US$3.7 billion) debt and plans to resume suspended assistance to the country, the evening edition of the Asahi Shimbun reported yesterday. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is expected to announce the debt waiver during a meeting with Burmese President Thein Sein tomorrow in Tokyo, the paper said. “Following the debt waiver, [Japan] plans to resume full-fledged yen loans to the country for the first time in 25 years,” the daily said. Thein Sein will visit Japan from today through Tuesday, becoming the first Myanmar head of state in 28 years to make the trip. A foreign ministry official declined to confirm the report, but said: “It is true that the two countries are working on the debt issue as well as plans to pave the way for resuming Japan’s Official Development Assistance for Myanmar.”

EU agrees to halt sanctions on Myanmar - Taipei Times
 
Economy grew at 5.5% in spite of sanctions...
:confused:
Did economic sanctions play a role in Burma's reform?
22 April 2012 - Tourism to sites like the Shwedagon pagoda contributed to Burma's economic growth last year
As a reward for those reforms and to encourage more of the same, foreign ministers from the European Union are set to suspend economic sanctions against the South East Asian nation. But what role, if any, did economic restrictions play in steering the military government onto the path of reform? Last year, in spite of the sanctions, the Burmese economy grew 5.5%, an increase on the previous year. To a large extent, that was thanks to sustained investment from neighbours China and Thailand, coupled with a leap in tourist numbers.

The current sanctions regimen against Burma was assembled incrementally over two decades, as the world reacted to the continued house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi and several brutal crackdowns on protesters. Europe's own restrictions are not the most stringent. While the US introduced a comprehensive package of trade and financial sanctions, the EU always stopped short of a ban on all business with Burma. Instead, targeted sanctions imposed visa restrictions and froze the assets of leading members of the Burmese government and military. Investment was also prohibited in companies with known links to those individuals. Listed in a long EU directive, they range from soap and juice factories to luxury golf courses.

'Pathetic' measures

But when big money was at stake, high principle was put to one side. Since 1992, the French energy giant Total has, in partnership with Chevron, invested billions of dollars in gas fields and pipelines 60km (37.3 miles) off the Burmese coast. Activists say much of the revenue raised has gone directly into the pockets of the military. In 2007, in the wake of worldwide outrage at the brutal ending of the 2007 protests dubbed the "saffron revolution", EU sanctions on the Burmese authorities were expanded. Once again, energy was conveniently excluded, even as trade and investment restrictions were imposed on the timber, gem and precious metals sectors.

"Pathetic" is how Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK, describes the European measures. He would like to have seen restrictions also put in place on financial services such as insurance, which would have hampered Asian companies wanting to invest. Despite that, he still believes the sanctions have had an impact, and has argued against their hasty removal. "It's clear because government officials are constantly complaining about sanctions that they are causing them pain," he said. "They've got economic problems and they realise they are being left behind and the rest of Asia is moving ahead without them."

Diplomatic stalemate
 
Granny says, "Dat's right - squeeze `em till dey say 'uncle'...
:cool:
Syria says sanctions have cost country $4 billion
23 May`12 – Syria's oil minister blamed international sanctions Wednesday for shortages of cooking gas and other basic goods, saying the measures have bled $4 billion from the nation's ailing economy.
President Bashar Assad's regime must strike a delicate balance toward the U.S. and EU sanctions as it confronts a 15-month-old uprising against its rule, acknowledging their heavy toll while denying the regime's grip on power is in any way shaken. Sufian Allaw said the punitive measures were to blame for the shortages that have left Syrians across the country standing in long lines to pay inflated prices for cooking gas, fuel, sugar and other staples.

The U.S. ambassador to Damascus denied that the international sanctions are to blame for the shortages facing Syrians. "Our sanctions purposefully do not target oil and diesel imports, because we know that the Syrian people need both for their day-to-day lives," Ambassador Robert Ford wrote on the embassy's Facebook page.

Ford said the government is using fuel imports for its tanks. "If the Assad regime decided to cut its military expenditures, more diesel and oil would be available for the Syrian people to use," he said. Before the Syrian uprising began in March 2011, the oil sector was a pillar of Syria's economy, with oil exports — mostly to Europe — bringing in $7-8 million per day. This income was key to maintaining the $17 billion in foreign reserves that the government had at the start of the uprising.

Speaking to reporters in Damascus on Wednesday, Allaw said sanctions had cost Syria's oil sector about $4 billion. Prices for a tank of cooking gas have spiraled to some $25 as shortages have spread across the country. Allaw said Syria's gas production covers only half of the country's needs. Officials are seeking imports from countries not party to the sanctions. A Venezuelan tanker carrying 35,000 tons of fuel docked in Syria on Tuesday, Allaw said. Another is supposed to follow. He said officials were seeking to arrange further gas imports from Algeria and Iran.

MORE
 
I'm not buying any of it, and I don't agree with the aid.

The Generals are still in power, and will remain in power as long as the west empowers them. I think the opening up is a shadow game.

It's such a beautiful country and such lovely people...they deserve so much better.
 
I'm not buying any of it, and I don't agree with the aid.

The Generals are still in power, and will remain in power as long as the west empowers them. I think the opening up is a shadow game.

It's such a beautiful country and such lovely people...they deserve so much better.

Much better to open up Burma to the outside world than to try to isolate it.
 
Artevelde -

I take your poiint, but I disagree.

I think the aid will keep the Generals in power, whereas isolation would eventually have seen the Generals falls.
 
Artevelde -

If you know a tried-and-true means of ridding the world of dictators I'd love to hear it. I don't know of any method that has produced good results.

But I don't agree with throwing money at them myself.
 
Artevelde -

If you know a tried-and-true means of ridding the world of dictators I'd love to hear it. I don't know of any method that has produced good results.

But I don't agree with throwing money at them myself.

I have to agree, I have yet to see one case where throwing billions into a dictators lap made him change his ways.
 

New Topics

Forum List

Back
Top