The events currently occurring in Myanmar are serious but not well understood by the average American. Read on to expand your knowledge of the wider political world beyond the borders of the United States.
By Evan Spry, Politics Editor
Myanmar has been under the global spotlight recently for a number of reasons, none of them good. The military takeover of the country was reminiscent of past events in Myanmar’s political history, with tensions and casualties being severe and catastrophic.
It has been four months since the Tatmadaw (the Myanmar Army) seized control of Myanmar’s government after an election they lost and claimed was rigged. As of, May 4th, 769 people had been killed while 4,737 had been arrested, according to the nonprofit Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (aapp.org). These numbers are rising, and it doesn’t seem like anyone is doing anything to stop it. This begs the question What can we, the average American citizen, do to impact this situation? Well, besides donating to local activists and humanitarian organizations or calling your local representative, there may be an alternative that is much easier.
The New York Times reports, “[Chevron] has a longstanding relationship with Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise.” This gas company, also known as MOGE, is “state-owned” and “closely connected to the military generals who seized power from elected leaders on Feb. 1” (nytimes.com).
The plot thickens when we head over to the Yadana Gas Field, discovered as recently as 1980. It has produced on average since its start of operation “660 million cubic feet” of natural gas (offshoretechnology.com). This is with the help of Chevron. Because of Chevron’s involvement in the Yadana Gas Field, they have been “…netting annual profits of $100 million to $150 million from its stake in Yadana” (nytimes.com). This same field also bankrolled up to “70 percent of [Myanmar military] operations in past years” (nytimes.com). The New York Times reports Chevron has been sending highly professional lobbyists out to stop legislation that would be contrary to their profits, like sanctions on the military junta and its gas company (nytimes.com).
As you can see, Chevron appears guilty of aiding and profiting off of a military junta’s violent regime. In my opinion, they should be held accountable. The easiest way to hurt Chevron is to just not buy their gas. The situation in Myanmar is a tragedy, and the biggest issues the country faces are within. The various ethnic groups need to band together in the name of democracy and defeat their oppressors. This is obviously easier said than done, but I am praying for everybody in the struggle.
First Editor-in-Chief: Elizabeth Shay
Sources:
https://www.hrw.org/asia/myanmar-burma#
www.offshore-technology.com
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