Written by U Ne Oo on 2001-05-06
[To the Burmese exile activists, any business financially supporting the military junta can make enough ground to call for its dis-investment. However, the Premier Oil PLC went much further than financially supporting the junta. In its disgraceful act, the Premier Oil PLC approached the corrupt Australian officials and sponsored the human rights training program in Burma. In doing so, the Premier Oil PLC has crossed the boundry of being "apolitical enterprise" that "mind its own business" ; but directly lending its hand to the military junta with strategic and political advice. This is certainly unacceptable to the Burmese people. Help write letter to Premier Oil to immediately withdraw all its investment from Burma. -- U Ne Oo.]
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia
6 May 2001
Mr Charles Jamieson
Chief Executive
Premier Oil PLC
23 Lower Belgrave St.
London SW1W ONR, UK
Dear Mr Jamieson:
re: Premier Oil PLC to withdraw from Burma
I am a Burmese national currently residing in Adelaide Australia. I
write to you regarding with the Premier Oil PLC's sponsorship of the human
rights training program in Burma, and I request that your company be immediately
withdrawn from Burma. Since this matter is of serious concern to us, I
have also written a letter of objection to the Government of Australia.
Enclosed is the copy of letter to Australia's Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander
Downer.
Regarding with the Premier Oil's sponsorship to the human rights trainig program in Burma, the Australian officer who run the program has informed me that it has been arranged by the Premier Oil PLC without the knowledge of Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. You must be aware that, from the beginning, the Burmese pro-democracy groups consider the training program as an affront to them. That human rights training program can come into operation only because of Australian Government's political weight. Now, it has become clear that the program is intended to diminish the efforts of Burmese human rights and pro-democracy groups. The Premier Oil's involvement in that program, obviously, is your own responsibility.
You should understand that any private company operating in Burma must be apolitical. The Premier Oil PLC's involvement in that human rights training program, in fact, is considered as the Premier Oil Company providing the military junta with strategic and political assistance. Any private business such as Premier Oil PLC comes meddling in our internal political affairs is beyond tolerance of the Burmese. As such, I don't think your company will have a good future in Burma. Therefore, I cannot suggest any other alternatives but to urge that the Premier Oil PLC to immediately withdraw all its investment from Burma.
Yours sincerely,
Sd. U Ne Oo
