Unocal Corporation (Union 76 gasoline) is one of the only American companies still doing business in Burma. Since 1988, this Southeast Asian country has been under the rule of a brutal military dictatorship. According to Amnesty International, the United Nations, and the U.S. State Department, the dictators there are responsible for numerous human rights abuses. There have been documented cases of government-sponsored murder, torture, rape and utilization of slave labor.
Unocal has had major investments in Burma for 5 years. Already, the construction of Unocal's natural gas pipeline is resulting in displacement without compensation of ethnic villages on the route. The planned pipeline would ravage rainforests. Adding to this outrage, the villagers are forced to work as slave laborers to clear their own land for the pipeline.
Many American companies like Eddie Bauer, Levi Strauss and Liz Claiborne have already left Burma because they do not want to give financial support to the country's dictators. As a Levi Strauss spokesperson put it, "Under present conditions it is not possible to do business in [Burma] without directly supporting the military government and its pervasive violations of human rights."
Unocal claims its presence has a positive impact on Burma. South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu disagrees: "Tough sanctions, not constructive engagement, finally brought the release of Nelson Mandela and the dawn of a new day in my country. This is the language that must be spoken with tyrants for it is the only language they understand."
Support the sanctions on Burma, the South Africa of the 90's! Every second Saturday of the month, the Westerville Social Action organization holds a demonstration from 3-4 p.m. at the Unocal station at the corner of Schrock Road and Cleveland Avenue to advocate a boycott of the station and to support human rights and democracy for the people of Burma. For more information, call Westerville Social Action: 882-7168.
Urge Ohio Senators Mike DeWine and John Glenn, as well as central Ohio Representatives Deborah Pryce and John Kasich to support upcoming legislation calling for sanctions on Burma.
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