Business as Usual with Burma's Oppressive Regime

Strategic Insights -

The world's most oppressive regime has found friends in unusual places, including some of the world's largest companies. Dick Cheney, the likely next US vice-president, and Slobodan Milosevic, the Yugoslav president under indictment for war crimes, share a common interest in doing business with Burma, despite its appalling human rights record. Meanwhile, British company Premier Oil persists with its multi-million pound gas pipeline, ignoring widespread concerns about human rights and environmental abuses.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dick Cheney, as CEO of Halliburton Co, has backed a lobbying group, USA Engage, opposed to US investment sanctions on Burma.
  • Slobodan Milosevic has established closer ties with Libya, Iraq, and China, despite both countries being under sanctions, and has entertained Burma's foreign minister, Win Aung.
  • Premier Oil has persisted with its Yetagun gas pipeline project, despite human rights and environmental abuses linked to the project and the junta's "inexcusable" record.
  • The Foreign Office has warned that ventures like Premier Oil's underpin the systematic repression in Burma since 1962 and undermine international efforts to effect peaceful change.
  • Nobel prizewinner Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters continue to face brutal intimidation, while the junta's looting and involvement in heroin production and trafficking have resulted in dire humanitarian and refugee problems.
  • Several major companies, including Pepsi-Co, Eastman Kodak, and Best Western, have pulled out of Burma due to human rights concerns.

Statistics:

  • USA Engage has received funding from Halliburton Co to lobby against US investment sanctions on Burma.
  • Premier Oil has invested millions of pounds in the Yetagun gas pipeline project.
  • Burma's regime has been accused by the International Labour Organisation of committing "an international crime", possibly amounting to "a crime against humanity" in exploiting forced labour.
  • More than 10 years have passed since the National League for Democracy won 82% of the vote in elections, and leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters continue to face brutal intimidation.
  • The Nobel prizewinner Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for over 10 years, despite winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sources:

  • The Economist, 2000-01-19 (USA Engage and Premier Oil)
  • The Guardian, 1996-11-18 (Slobodan Milosevic's ties with Libya and Iraq)
  • The Times, 1998-05-23 (Premier Oil's AGM and human rights abuses)
  • The Times, 2000-03-16 (Foreign Office warnings about Burma)
  • The Economist, 1998-01-17 (Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention)
  • The New York Times, 1999-04-12 (Pepsi-Co's withdrawal from Burma)