The cargo cult mentality dominating discussions about Darwin’s Inpex venture has dodged a large moral issue. It certainly was not raised by the media at the orchestrated official announcement here when the emperors appeared to be wearing fashionable clothing. While the project is billed as Japanese , it has an influential French partner , Total, fourth biggest oil company in the world , which has a 40 per cent holding in the WA properties that will be tapped. Strangely, Chief Minister Paul Henderson flew to Paris, not Tokyo, to assure the “ Japanese ” company that the ALP backed Inpex to the ceremonial hilt.
Total has been strongly condemned for being one of the international companies fuelling the oppressive dictatorship in Burma. The London based Campaign for Human Rights and Democracy in Burma states that Total is one of the biggest foreign companies in Burma which in joint ventures pumps “ hundreds of millions of dollars ” each year into the illegal, corrupt, brutal military regime running the country. Apart from the in group of corrupt people, the bulk of the Burmese populace receive little or no benefit from the plundering of the country’s resources by overseas companies.
The campaigners charge that widespread and sustained human rights abuses were associated with the Total pipeline in Burma, including forced labour, torture and rape. In addition, tougher European Union sanctions against Burma have been blocked by the French government in its efforts to protect Total’s interests. Remember how the French blew up the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland because of widespread objections to the Mururoa Atoll atomic tests which were polluting the Pacific ? A dash of Strontium 90 , we were told, added zest to milk and was harmless for children’s bones.
The well documented London website for justice and freedom in Burma has a graphic which shows TOTAL making part of the word TOTALITARIAN intertwined with a machine gun . The message is abundantly clear.
Aung San Suu Kyi , whose party won 82 per cent of seats in the l990 election , still under house arrest by the predatory thugs strutting about in military uniforms, has spoken out about foreign companies aiding and abetting the economic rape of the country. Other parties to the oppression are China and Thailand.
While Inpex is the operating partner in the project, Total has a large part of the action. This surely raises a moral issue for the NT , especially Aboriginal members of the NT Government with ministerial portfolios. These members protest about the treatment of their own people from time to time and in the case of Community Services Minister Malarndirri McCarthy she has actively campaigned against the diverting of the McArthur River by a mining company.
What should they do or say to an outfit which is accused of aiding and abetting an illegal regime which is plundering a country and guilty of many atrocities against its own people ? At the next photo opportunity involving the CM could some journo ask in depth questions about the matter, like : Do you know that Total is accused of being hand in glove with the murderous Burmese junta which openly rejects UN approaches to establish democracy ? Have you ever discussed the Burmese situation with Inpex / Total ? Did you visit Total offices in Paris when you went there to hold talks with the “ Japanese”? Will you now, alerted by Little Darwin ,which knows where many skeletons are buried , ask Total to outline its involvement in Burma and use its influence with the illegal regime to step aside for the people’s party which should be governing the unfortunate country ?
Little Darwin acknowledges the inglorious moment when former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans was snapped drinking champagne with his Indonesian counterpart in a plane over the Timor gap after signing a contract to divvy up the oil spoils, some of which had been stolen from the subjugated East Timorese. Hypocrisy, like oil on water, spreads far and wide . An interesting development took place a few days ago when the giant WA energy producer Woodside put a clamp on hiring extra staff and expressed concern about being able to raise finance for major future projects. Will blood money pouring out of Burma help Inpex overcome this potential problem ?
.
Total has been strongly condemned for being one of the international companies fuelling the oppressive dictatorship in Burma. The London based Campaign for Human Rights and Democracy in Burma states that Total is one of the biggest foreign companies in Burma which in joint ventures pumps “ hundreds of millions of dollars ” each year into the illegal, corrupt, brutal military regime running the country. Apart from the in group of corrupt people, the bulk of the Burmese populace receive little or no benefit from the plundering of the country’s resources by overseas companies.
The campaigners charge that widespread and sustained human rights abuses were associated with the Total pipeline in Burma, including forced labour, torture and rape. In addition, tougher European Union sanctions against Burma have been blocked by the French government in its efforts to protect Total’s interests. Remember how the French blew up the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland because of widespread objections to the Mururoa Atoll atomic tests which were polluting the Pacific ? A dash of Strontium 90 , we were told, added zest to milk and was harmless for children’s bones.
The well documented London website for justice and freedom in Burma has a graphic which shows TOTAL making part of the word TOTALITARIAN intertwined with a machine gun . The message is abundantly clear.
Aung San Suu Kyi , whose party won 82 per cent of seats in the l990 election , still under house arrest by the predatory thugs strutting about in military uniforms, has spoken out about foreign companies aiding and abetting the economic rape of the country. Other parties to the oppression are China and Thailand.
While Inpex is the operating partner in the project, Total has a large part of the action. This surely raises a moral issue for the NT , especially Aboriginal members of the NT Government with ministerial portfolios. These members protest about the treatment of their own people from time to time and in the case of Community Services Minister Malarndirri McCarthy she has actively campaigned against the diverting of the McArthur River by a mining company.
What should they do or say to an outfit which is accused of aiding and abetting an illegal regime which is plundering a country and guilty of many atrocities against its own people ? At the next photo opportunity involving the CM could some journo ask in depth questions about the matter, like : Do you know that Total is accused of being hand in glove with the murderous Burmese junta which openly rejects UN approaches to establish democracy ? Have you ever discussed the Burmese situation with Inpex / Total ? Did you visit Total offices in Paris when you went there to hold talks with the “ Japanese”? Will you now, alerted by Little Darwin ,which knows where many skeletons are buried , ask Total to outline its involvement in Burma and use its influence with the illegal regime to step aside for the people’s party which should be governing the unfortunate country ?
Little Darwin acknowledges the inglorious moment when former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans was snapped drinking champagne with his Indonesian counterpart in a plane over the Timor gap after signing a contract to divvy up the oil spoils, some of which had been stolen from the subjugated East Timorese. Hypocrisy, like oil on water, spreads far and wide . An interesting development took place a few days ago when the giant WA energy producer Woodside put a clamp on hiring extra staff and expressed concern about being able to raise finance for major future projects. Will blood money pouring out of Burma help Inpex overcome this potential problem ?
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