Activists Protest Chinese Oil Project in Burma
2009-11-5 11:26
The Chinese regime’s top oil producer, China National Petroleum Corp, has begun construction of an oil pipeline across Burma. When completed, the 480-mile pipeline will carry 12 million tons of oil into China.
The project is controversial because Burma is run by a military junta that many Western countries say is a major human rights abuser. For that reason, the U.S. and the European Union have imposed trade sanctions with Burma. But the Chinese regime is one of Burma’s major allies and trading partners.
Activists in the Philippines protested in front of the Chinese consulate in Manila as part of a global day of action on Wednesday, October 28th. They want the Chinese regime to stop investment in the oil pipeline project.
[Isagani Abunda, Free Burma Coalition Philippines]:
“The Chinese regime should stop this project, this oil and gas exploration project in Burma, because this project will just result in more human rights violations in Burma, including forced labor and possible rape of women and girls inside Burma."
Advocacy groups say that over the next 30 years, the project will generate hundreds of millions of dollars for Burma’s military regime.
