Myanmar nationals in the United States are building pressure on US petroleum company Chevron over its involvement with the Myanmar military junta, according to a report by Upstreamonline.com.
Houston Peace and Justice Center, Texas Drought Project and Texas Sunrise Movement on behalf of the Burmese community in the US are planning on Saturday to demonstrate against the military coup and Chevron in front of the US energy major’s building in Houston.
A statement on behalf of Burmese community in the USA said they vehemently condemn and reject the military coup d’etat and they have made five demands of the junta with immediate effect. That all detainees including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint are released, the democratically elected civilian government is restored, human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected, the killing of peaceful protesters stops, and that the military relinquishes “illegitimate power”.
According to a report by DVB, 387 Myanmar NGOs support the stand by people in the USA who are planning to “to pressure Chevron to stop providing revenue payments to Myanmar Oil and Gas
Enterprise (MOGE) which is now under the control of the military junta.” The joint statement released on Thursday claimed payments from oil and gas are estimated to be about USD 1.5 billion this year.
The Burmese community in the US also urged the US government and Congress to impose targeted sanctions against the junta and an additional targeted sanction on state-owned Myanma Oil & Gas Enterprise (MOGE), according to Upstreamonline.com.
Also on their wish list is the passing of Senate Resolution 105 to assist the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Myanmar and the provision of “necessary assistance and resources to overturn Burmese military”.
“We are committed to coordinating all efforts with the US governments, US Congress and all International communities to apply all necessary pressures and measures against the Burmese military dictatorship and its enablers like China and Russia,” the statement added.
They also want international oil and gas companies such as Chevron, Total and Petronas with operations in Myanmar to place revenue payments into escrow accounts until the democratically elected government is reinstated, cut any ties with the junta, support MOGE’s CDM and respect and honour any imposed sanctions.
Chevron told Upstream that as a non-operating partner in Total's producing Yadana offshore gas field develpment, its local subsidiary "does not direct nor control the payments of export revenues to MOGE".
