Oil Giant Chevron Urged to Cut Ties with Burmese Military Junta

Chevron is partners with the French oil company Total in operating a natural gas pipeline from Burma to Thailand. Chevron became involved in the project in 2005 when it bought the oil company Unocal, which helped build the pipeline. Eleven years ago, the group EarthRights International sued Unocal on behalf of 15 Burmese villagers. The lawsuit accused Unocal of assisting the Burmese military junta in the torture, murder and rape of villagers during construction of the pipeline. Unocal settled the lawsuit out of court. Weeks later, Chevron bought Unocal. Chevron has been allowed to continue to operate in Burma despite U.S. sanctions. This is because a loophole exists for companies grandfathered in. Unocal's exemption from the Burma sanctions was passed on to its new owner.

In a moment we will be joined by Katherine Redford, one of the attorneys who brought the suit against Unocal. But first I want to turn to excerpts of a documentary about the lawsuit. It is called Total Denial. The film features interviews with some of the Burmese villagers who sued Unocal.

• Excerpts of “Total Denial” by Milena Kaneva. It opens in New York on October 26 at Cinema Village. For more information on the film visit TotalDenialFilm.com.

• Katherine Redford. Co-founder and co-director of EarthRights International. She founded the organization with her husband, the Burmese human rights activist Ka Hsaw Wa.