Myanmar and International: Call on President Macron and the French Government to refuse to allow TotalEnergies to use exemptions to EU Sanctions,

459 Organizations from 20 countries

June 20, 2022

Myanmar and International civil society organizations urge President Macron and the French Government not to give TotalEnergies the authorizations it needs to bypass EU sanctions on the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE).

We call on the French Government to listen to the voices from inside Myanmar, over 230,000 people, who have demanded sanctions on MOGE. Not a single cent of gas revenues should reach the genocidal junta. Since taking control of MOGE in February 2021, the military has killed over 1,900 people and seized an estimated USD 1.5 billion in gas revenues that it can use to purchase arms and weapons to kill more civilians.

On June 4, the French foreign ministry and the French embassy in Myanmar declared the military’s actions an illegal coup d’etat. The French Senate and National Assembly have said that the junta is not to be recognized as a government. The  French Senate instead recognizes  the National Unity Government (NUG) to be the legitimate representative of the State of Myanmar.

However, TotalEnergies is treating the genocidal junta as if it were the legitimate government of Myanmar by bankrolling it with gas revenues of hundreds of millions of dollars that can fund its mass atrocities, tyranny and human rights abuses. TotalEnergies’ contracts are with the Myanmar Government, yet – the company is failing to take practical steps to comply with its contracts and divert revenues away from the junta. Instead, TotalEnergies has breached its contracts with the Myanmar Government by transferring millions of dollars each month to the junta since its coup attempt began on Feb 1, 2021.

The genocidal military’s continued access to these revenues enables its brutality and disincentivizes it from ending its failing coup attempt. TotalEnergies has compounded this by completely disregarding its human rights obligations and trying to exit Myanmar in a manner that will ensure that the junta is able to continue misappropriating government assets and will even increase the proportion of revenues that the junta is able to seize through MOGE each month.

According to the terms of EU sanctions on MOGE, TotalEnergies needs the French Government’s approval to authorize continued payments to MOGE (an estimated USD 250 million during TotalEnergies’ six-month withdrawal process), transfer its shares and interest to MOGE, and bring in a new operator (PTTEP) to continue the looting of gas revenues once TotalEnergies exits.  In other words, the French government has the ability to stop TotalEnergies from allowing further gas revenues from reaching the criminal junta.

We urge President Macron and the French Government

1. To prevent millions of dollars of gas revenues reaching the Myanmar military criminal junta by refusing to authorize TotalEnergies’ use of exemptions to EU sanctions.
2. It is imperative that the French government continues to support the Myanmar people’s efforts to end the brutal military dictatorship and build a federal democracy and stop TotalEnergies from funding genocidaires.

President Macron must listen to his own lawmakers and officials and stop capitulating to a corporation that has demonstrated a willingness to disregard the Myanmar people and fund a military junta that is actively engaging in genocide and crimes against humanity.

Contact for more information

• Blood Money Campaign –  [email protected]
• Free Rohingya Coalition –  [email protected]
• Progressive Voice           –  [email protected]

The following 459 Myanmar, regional & international organizations, including Civil Society Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Human Rights Organizations, Humanitarian & Charity Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Strike Committees, Unions and Anonymous Civil Society Organizations endorsed from 20 countries

Endorsed Organizations

• Australia

1. Publish What You Pay (Australia)

• Canada

1. Burmese Canadian Network
2. Myanmar Emergency Fund (Canada) MEF Canada
3. Myanmar Student Association Ontario

• Czech Republic

1. Educational Initiatives Prague
2. Transparency International Czech Republic

• France

1. Burmese Community in France
2. Doh Atu – Ensemble pour le Myanmar
3. Info Birmanie

• Germany

1. Citizens Summons
2. FAU (International Committee)
3. Free Rohingya Coalition

• Global

1. Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy (GM4MD)
2. MilkTeaAlliance Calendar Team
3. MilkTeaAlliance Friends of Myanmar
4. Sisters 2 Sister

• India

1. CRPH/NUG Support Group India
2. Forum for IT-ITES Employees (FITE)
3. India For Myanmar
4. Myanmar CDM Association

• Ireland

1. CRPH & NUG supporters Ireland
2. CRPH funding Ireland
3. Myanmar people from Ireland
4. Ah Nah podcast- conversation with Myanmar

• Japan

1. Association of United Nationality in Japan (AUN)
2. Burma Refugee Saving Association (B.R.S.A)
3. Chin Community of Japan (CCJ)
4. Chin Youth Organization of Japan (CYO-JP)
5. Colorfulspring (ရောင်စုံနွေဦး)
6. Dawei Youths in Japan (DYJ)
7. Dragon Dawn
8. Federation of Worker’s Union of Burmese Citizens in Japan (FWUBC)
9. GenY For Revolution Japan
10. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution (Japan)
11. Hope For Youth -Kyushu Japan
12. International Society of Myanmar Scholars and Professionals (Japan)
13. Japan Myanmar Future Creative Association (JMFCA)
14. Kachin Affairs Organization -Japan (KAO (Japan)
15. Kansai Group Japan
16. Karen National League Japan-KNL
17. Karenni National Society (KNS)Japan
18. KnowUsMoreMyanmar (KUM)
19. Kobe Myanmar Community (KMC)
20. League For Democracy in Burma (L.D.B Japan)
21. MASBO-Myanmar Active Students & Businesspeople Organization
22. Mon Youth For Federal Democracy (MYFD)
23. Myanmar Development Support Group (MDSG)
24. Myanmar Nationalities’ Support Organization – JP (MNSO)
25. Myanmar Spring Revolution Japan (MSRJ)
26. Myanmar Tozan Club (MTC)
27. Myanmar Youth and Student Association, Japan (MYSA)
28. Myanmar’s Youth Association Hokkaido (MYAH)
29. Okinawa Myanmar Association (OMA)
30. Palaung National Society Japan, PNS-Japan
31. People’s Hope Spring Revolution (PHSR)
32. Punnyakari Mon National Society Japan,PMNS-Japan
33. Revolution Tokyo Myanmar (RTM)
34. Shan Community in Japan (SCJ)
35. ShizuYouth For Myanmar
36. Sone See Yar (Volunteer Group)
37. Spring Revolution Restaurant
38. Tai Youths Network Japan (TYNJ)
39. Try Together At Japan (TTAJ)
40. Union of Myanmar Citizen Association – Japan
41. Voice For Justice
42. We Are One Saga MOSA
43. We for All
44. We Support
45. Yaw Funding Japan
46. Yokohama Pamphlet Campaign – Myanmar
47. ဂျပန်ပြည်မှ တွဲလက်များ
48. 一般社団法人　ミャンマーグローバル支援財団 (MGSF)

• Malaysia

1. We Love Motherland-MM
2. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)

• Myanmar

1. “Do” farmer Organization
2. 7 Stars
3. 88 Generation Peace & Open Society
4. 8888 New Generation (Mohnyin)
5. Action Committee for Democracy Development (ACDD)
6. Action For Dignity &Development (ADD)
7. La. Ka (12) Hta Khwe. Primary Education Student Union
8. All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress (AASYC)
9. All Burma Federation Trade Unions (ABFTU)
10. All Religions Strike Column
11. All Sagaing Township Basic Education Students’ Union
12. All Schools of Aungmyaythazan Township Strike Group
13. Alternative Solutions for Rural Communities (ASORCOM)
14. Asia Myanmar Research Institute (AMRI)
15. Aung Myay Thar Zan Education Schools Strike Column)
16. Aung Myay Tharzan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
17. Aung Pin Lae Main Strike Column
18. Ayeyarwaddy Youths’ Union (AYU)
19. Bago Basic Education Students’ Union
20. Bank Trade Unions Federation of Myanmar- BTUFM
21. BEHS-1,Hpa-An Basic Education Students’ Union
22. BEHS-1,Mandalay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
23. BEHS-11, Aungmyethazan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
24. BEHS-24,Maha‌aungmyay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
25. BEHS-4,Mandalay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
26. BEHS-8, Aungmyethazan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
27. Blood Money Campaign
28. Board of Education Palaw
29. Burma Refugee serving association
30. CDM Board of Pauk-Khaung Township
31. CDM Support Team Mandalay (CSTM)
32. Chan Mya Thar Si Township People Strike Column
33. Chanayetharsan Basic Education Students’ Union
34. Chanmyathazi Township People Strike
35. Chin Youth Organization (Matupi)
36. Coalition of Mandalay Engineers
37. Computer University (Mandalay) Student Union
38. Cooperative University Student Strike Column
39. Daik-U Basic Education Students’ Union
40. Daung Sit Thi
41. Dawei Basic Education Students’ Union
42. Dawei Development Association
43. Dawei Youth’s Revolutionary Movement Strike Committee
44. Dawna Tenasserim – IDPs Supply Force
45. Democracy, Peace and Women’s Organization-DPW
46. Democratic Youth Council
47. Demoso Basic Education Students’ Union
48. EAR – Enemy Air Route Channel
49. Education Family (Anti – Fascists Education Strike Columns Coordination Committee)
50. Ethnic Youths General Strike Committee (Mandalay)
51. Family Private School Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
52. Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)
53. Future Thanlwin
54. General Strike Committee of Nationalities (GSCN)
55. Golden Heart Organization
56. Grassroots People
57. Hinthada Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
58. Hinthada University Distance Students’ Organization
59. HKASHI
60. Hlaing Thar Yar Basic Education Students’ Union
61. Hopin Basic Education Students’ Union
62. Human Right Education Network
63. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
64. Inter-Faith Strike Column
65. Interfaith Youth Coalition on Aids in Myanmar (IYCA-Myanmar)
66. Justice For Myanmar
67. Kachin Human Rights Watch – KHRW
68. Kanbung Youth (Matupi)
69. Kanpetlet Land Development Organization
70. Karen Human Rights Group
71. Karenni State Consultative Council – KSCC
72. Katha Basic Education Students’ Union
73. Kayan Internally Displacement Supervising Committee (KIDSC)
74. Keng Tung Youth
75. Khanthar Farmers Network
76. Khumzup Local Development Committee
77. Kyaikhto Basic Education Students’ Union – KBESU
78. Kyaikhto Students’ Union – KSU
79. Kyaukse Basic Education Students’ Union
80. Kyauktada Strike Committee (KSC)
81. Labor Union Federation
82. Labutta Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
83. Langkho Basic Education Students’ Union
84. Lashio Basic Education Students’ Union
85. Launglon Basic Education Students’ Union
86. League of Labour Union
87. Letpadan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
88. LGBTIQ Strike Column
89. Maha Aung Myay Township People Collective Strike Column
90. Mandalar College Students Strike
91. Mandalar University Student Strike Column
92. Mandalar University Student Union
93. Mandalay Alliance Strike Collective Column
94. Mandalay Based People Strike Column
95. Mandalay Civil Society Organizations
96. Mandalay Computer University Student Union
97. Mandalay Engineer Group
98. Mandalay Engineer United Force
99. Mandalay Kachin Youth (MKY)
100. Mandalay People Strike
101. Mandalay Poets’ Union
102. Mandalay Private University Student Union (MPUSU)
103. Mandalay Technical University Student Union
104. Mandalay Technology University (MTU) Students Union
105. Mandalay Universities, Degree and College Teachers and Staffs Strike
106. Mandalay University Alumni Strike
107. Mandalay University of Foreign Languages Students Union
108. Mandalay University Student Alumni Union
109. Mandalay Wholesale Strike Column
110. Mandalay Women Strike
111. Mandalay Youth Strike Column
112. Matu Forum Committee
113. Matu Women Association
114. Mawkmai Basic Education Students’ Union
115. Mawlamyine Basic Education Students’ Union
116. Medical Family – Mandalay (MFM)
117. Medical University (Mandalay) Student Union
118. Meikhtila Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
119. Midwives Training School (Mandalay) Student Union
120. MIIT Student Strike Column
121. Minbu Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
122. Minority Affairs Institute – MAI (Myanmar)
123. Mogaung Basic Education Students’ Union
124. Mohnyin Basic Education Students’ Union
125. Monywa Basic Education Students’ Union – ABFSU
126. MRJ (Maraja)
127. Mudon Basic Education Students’ Union
128. Muslim Youth Network
129. Muslim Youth Union
130. Muslim Youths Association
131. Mya Taung Strike Column
132. Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability – MATA
133. Myanmar CDM Association
134. Myanmar Information Technology University (Mandalay) Student Union
135. Myanmar Institute of Information and Technology (Mandalay) Students Union
136. Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
137. Myanmar Railway, Region (3) CDM Strike Column
138. Myanmar Scout Network – MSN
139. Myanmar Secret Informations – MSI
140. National University of Arts and Culture (Mandalay) Students Union
141. National Youth League for Politics and Leadership
142. No (12) Basic Education Middle School Student Union
143. No (7) Basic Education High School Alumni Strike
144. No 7 State High School Alumni Strike Column
145. 12 Basic Education Middle School (High Branch) Basic Education Students’ Union
146. Northern Spectrum Youth Association
147. NRFF – New Rehmonnya Federated Force
148. Nursing Training School Students Union (Mandalay)
149. Nursing University (Mandalay) Student Union
150. Nyaunglebin Basic Education Students’ Union
151. Open Development Foundation
152. Padaung Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
153. Pan Pa Wash People Strike Column
154. Paramedical Technical University (Mandalay) Student Union
155. PDG-People Discussion Groups
156. PEC Private School Basic Education Students’ Union
157. Pharmacy University (Mandalay) Student Union
158. Phayagye Peace Strike Column
159. Private Pre- school Teachers Association
160. Progressive Voice
161. Pyay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
162. Pyay Underground News (PUGN)
163. Pyi Gyi Ta Gon Strike
164. Pyin Nyar Nan Daw Private School Basic Education Students’ Union
165. Pyin Oo Lwin Basic Education Students’ Union
166. Pyinmana Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
167. Representing The Arrested People Strike
168. Sangha Samaga Strike Column
169. Sangha Union Strike Group
170. Save and Care Organization for Women at Ethnic Border Areas
171. Second Tap Root Org
172. Second Tap Root Organization
173. Sein Pan Strike
174. Shan MATA
175. Shan Women Development Network
176. Shwechinthae Farmers Network
177. Sintgaing Basic Education Students’ Union
178. Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
179. Solidarity of Trade Union Myanmar
180. Southern Youth Development Organization
181. Southern Youth Development Organization
182. Spring Revolution Interfaith Network-SRIN
183. Spring Revolution Myanmar Muslim Network (SRMMN)
184. Strike Column of Representatives of Arbitrarily Arrested People
185. Strike Column of Teachers from Universities and Degree Colleges of Mandalay
186. Student Union of Mandalay University of Foreign Language
187. Ta’ang Women’s Organization
188. Taekwando Sport Association
189. Taekwondo Federation
190. Tampawadi People Strike
191. Tanintharyi Nationalities Congress
192. Taunggyi Basic Education Students’ Union
193. Technological University (Yadanabon Cyber City) Students Union
194. Technological University Mandalay (TUM) Students Union
195. Tgi Anti-Coup Team
196. Tha Pyay Nyo Newsletter
197. Thaton Basic Education Students’ Union
198. Traditional Medicine (Mandalay) Student Union
199. Twitter Team for Revolution
200. Uakthon Local Social Development Organization
201. Union of Karenni State Youth – UKSY
202. University Muslim Students Network – Myanmar
203. University of Computer Studies (Mandalay) Students’ Union
204. University of Dental Medicine (Mandalay) Students Union
205. University of Dentistry (Mandalay) Student Union)
206. University of Medical Technology (Mandalay) Students Union
207. University of Medicine (Mandalay) Students Union
208. University of Nursing (Mandalay) Students Union
209. University of Pharmacy (Mandalay) Students Union
210. University of Traditional Medicine (Mandalay) Students Union
211. University Students’ Union Alumni Force (USUAF)
212. VEC Private School Basic Education Students’ Union
213. Wetlet Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
214. Winemaw Civil Society Network
215. Women Alliance Burma (WAB) အမျိုးသမီးမဟာမိတ်အင်အားစု
216. Women Development Society
217. Women’s Peace Network
218. Wundwin Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
219. Yadanabon University Students Union
220. Yangon Medical Network
221. Yangon Revolution Force – YRF (Strike)
222. Yedashe Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
223. Youth Development Institute (YDI)
224. Youth Network – Tanintharyi
225. Youth Poet Union
226. Zabuthiri Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
227. နယ်စပ်ဒေသရောက်တိုင်းရင်းသူအမျိုးသမီးများကယ်ဆယ်စောင့်ရှောက်ရေး (scoewba)

• Netherlands

1. Support Group for Democracy in Myanmar (The Netherlands

• New Zealand

1. 8888 Generation (New Zealand)
2. Auckland Kachin Community Inc.
3. Auckland Zomi Community
4. Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
5. Chin Community of Auckland
6. Citizen of Burma Award- New Zealand
7. Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
8. Karenni Society New Zealand
9. Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
10. Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
11. Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
12. New Zealand Doctors for NUG
13. New Zealand Karen Association
14. New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
15. Overseas Mon Association. New Zealand
16. Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
17. Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
18. Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
19. Save Myanmar Fund (New Zealand)
20. Shan Community (New Zealand)

• Norway

1. CRPH Support Group (Norway)

• Philippines

1. Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)

• South Korea

1. Activists group for Human Rights ‘BARAM’
2. Asian Dignity Initiative(ADI)
3. Caritas convent
4. Caritas Sister of Jesus
5. Congregazione delle Suore della Carità
6. Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
7. Interreligious Climate and Ecology Network
8. JPIC subcommitte of The Association of Major Superiors of Women Religious in Korea
9. KOREA MYANMAR SOLIDARATY
10. Korean House for International Solidarity
11. People’s Initiative for Development Alternatives
12. People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
13. Progressive 3.0
14. Salesian sisters (살레시오수녀회)
15. Salesian Sisters of St. Don Bosco
16. Sisters of NotreDame
17. Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help(SOLPH)
18. Solidarity for Another World
19. The subcommitte of The Association of Major Superiors of Women Religious in Korea

• Sweden

1. Karen Swedish Community (KSC)
2. Sweden Myanmar Supporting Community

• Taiwan

1. Taiwan Alliance for Myanmar

• Thailand

1. ALTSEAN-Burma
2. ETIs Watch Coalition
3. ETOs Watch Coalition
4. Friends Against Dictatorship (FAD)
5. International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice
6. Network for Human Rights Documentation-Burma (ND-Burma)
7. Spirit in Education Movement (SEM)
8. The Mekong Butterfl

• United Kingdom (UK)

1. Myanmar Youths Organization

• United States of America (USA)

1. Anti Dictatorship in Burma – DC Metropolitan Area (ADB – DC MA)
2. Burmese American Millennials
3. Campaign for a New Myanmar
4. Chin Community of USA, DC Area
5. Chin Leaders
6. EarthRights International
7. Freedom for Burma
8. Helping Hands for Burma (H2B)
9. International Campaign for the Rohingya
10. Karen Organization of America
11. Los Angeles Myanmar Movement
12. New York City Burmese Community
13. No Business with Genocide
14. Project Maje
15. SAVE MYANMAR
16. Save Myanmar (San Francisco)
17. Students for Free Burma (SFB)
18. US Advocacy Coalition for Myanmar (USACM)

• Unpublic (86) Organizations endorsed for this open letter.

Due to the continuous oppressions and serious human rights abuses of the Military junta and for the safety of the organization’s members, we will not disclose the name of these organizations.

Burmese version.

Download PDF in English I Burmese.