Accused by an article in "Le Monde" of having come to terms with the military junta in Burma, the Total group puts its employees on the spot in the embarrassment, between the desire to rally the protest and the economic weight that the group represents in a country ravaged by poverty and inflation.

NGOs are increasing the calls to boycott the Burmese regime.

Since the seizure of power by the junta on February 1, 770 civilians have been killed.

Present on site, the Total company was also called upon to cease its activities.

But the group would share a large part of income realized in the country with the military junta in power, according to the revelations of the daily

Le Monde.

 The Burmese employees of the oil giant are facing an inextricable situation, caught between pressure from their management and the desire to demonstrate.

The consequences of leaving Total

Those who try to join the protest would risk being enlisted by the army, Total's hierarchy warned on the spot. So only a few made this choice. The others continue to produce. Éric Sellini, CGT coordinator of the group in France, is in contact with his Burmese colleagues, who explain to him their way of circumventing the constraint. "The wages of these employees are relatively higher than the average for the country, thanks to that, those who have been made redundant can continue to live, just like those who are on strike to be able to protest in the street", reports- it to Europe 1.

After asking Total to withdraw from the country, some Burmese employees seem to be changing tack.

Another union official from the company confides that leaving Total would be a handicap for the population, since the gas exploited there is used to produce electricity.

If the group ceases its gas production, the city of Rangoon, which has 5 million people, could be deprived of energy.

It would be another blow to the head of inhabitants already struck by poverty, inflation and repression. 

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Total cancels an advertising campaign in the newspaper

Le Monde

In a long article published Tuesday,

 Le Monde

claims to have had access to documents according to which the oil giant, via a financial package, would have shared some of its income from Burmese gas with members of the military junta, now in power in Naypyidaw , and this in order to lower the amount of charges due to the Burmese State.

In the wake of this publication, Total canceled an advertising campaign in the newspaper.

Le Monde

 confirmed this decision, which could be interpreted as a retaliatory measure.

For its part, the oil group made no comment.