Statement 925 Views

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

June 20th, 2022  •  Author:   459 Organizations from 20 countries  •  13 minute read
Featured image

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

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.