On February 1, the Blood Money Campaign and ETO Watch took a significant step in advocating for justice and human rights by sending a letter to the Move Forward Party. In this letter, the organizations diligently explained the dire situations unfolding in Myanmar and shed light on PTT's alleged involvement in crimes against humanity. The focus of the communication centered on exposing the financial support provided by PTT to the Myanmar Junta, a contribution that, directly implicates the company in supporting oppressive actions.
The letter outlined specific instances and evidence of PTT's financial ties to the junta, emphasizing the gravity of such involvement in crimes against humanity. By reaching out to the Move Forward Party, the campaigners sought to garner political support and collaboration in addressing this pressing issue. The Move Forward Party, as a political entity, would play a crucial role in advocating for policy changes, raising awareness, and potentially pressuring relevant authorities to investigate and take action against entities involved in supporting oppressive regimes.
This coordinated effort between the Blood Money Campaign, ETO Watch, and political entities like the Move Forward Party reflects a strategic and comprehensive approach to addressing human rights violations and holding those complicit accountable. The hope is that such advocacy efforts contribute to a broader international movement against injustices in Myanmar and promote ethical business practices, urging companies to disengage from supporting regimes involved in human rights abuses.
On February 8, 2024, the Blood Money Campaign and ETO Watch met with the leaders and parliament members of the Move Forward Party. In that meeting, BMC and ETO watch discussed the ongoing conflicts, human rights violations, airstrikes, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the military junta and the involvement of PTT-PTTEP by continuing oil and gas payments to illegal junta. We also illustrated the alternative ways to avoid payment to the junta and clarified that the junta is not our government. We encourage the MFP to address this issue as an election-won party as soon as possible and stand in solidarity with the Myanmar people. MFP asked for the information that wanted to be more understood and clarified. Also, MFP invited BMC to share this information more widely at the event in Parliament House, Bangkok on May 3-4, 2024.
BMC, AltSEAN Burma and Inclusive Development International sent a complaint letter to the Dutch and US National Contact points on February 12. The complaint to the Dutch and US National Contact Points (NCPs) outlines concerns raised by Inclusive Development International (IDI), Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma), and Blood Money Campaign of Myanmar (BMC) against S&P Dow Jones Indices and its subsidiary, S&P DJI Netherlands B.V. The complaint alleges that S&P DJI failed to adhere to the OECD Guidelines in its business relationships with seven companies linked to the Myanmar military, implicated in severe international law violations, including genocide and crimes against humanity.
As a prominent provider of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings and index products, S&P DJI wields significant influence in the ESG investment landscape. The complaint contends that S&P DJI included seven companies with documented ties to the Myanmar military in its ESG indexes, underscoring its failure to fulfill human rights due diligence responsibilities and exert its leverage to address the associated human rights risks. The Complainants urge the Dutch and US NCPs to intervene and facilitate dialogue with S&P DJI, emphasizing their role in addressing the alleged non-compliance with the OECD Guidelines.
Background:
In 2006, the 88 Generations Students group and political activists, including Ko Jimmy @ Kyaw Min Yu, led the White Campaign as one of the public movement strategies to release political prisoners. Now, the White Campaign is inspired once again in 2024. With the arrival of three years after the terrorist junta coup attempt, it is necessary to continue the revolution with multiple ways and tactics, utilizing people power to demolish the military dictatorship.
Demands of the White Campaign in 2024:
1) Myanmar People urge international governments and companies to stop jet fuel exports to the junta immediately to demolish the military dictatorship as fast as possible.
2) Local request to Myanmar people living overseas in situations where possible: Refuse to pay Blood
Taxation to the Junta.
3) Myanmar People urge the soldiers who are under the terrorist junta forces not to give up their lives
for the criminal junta and to raise white flags, collaborating with the people of Myanmar as fast as possible.
These three messages are the demands of the White Campaign, encouraging people from Myanmar, both locally and globally, to wear white shirts, white utilities, and other related items.
White Campaign Activities:
To join the White Campaign, start by wearing a white shirt, a symbol of peace and solidarity embraced by many movements. Cross the arms in a gesture of unity and determination, showcasing the commitment to the cause. People carry a paper plane, representing their aspirations for freedom and change and symbolizing flight and movement. They write campaign slogans on paper, emphasizing key messages such as opposing fuel exports to the Myanmar regime and resisting unjust taxation. Capture the essence of their involvement by taking pictures holding the paper plane while donning the white shirt and crossed arms. Share these images on social media platforms, using relevant hashtags and campaign information, to raise awareness and inspire others. Extend their impact by engaging with the community, participating in events, joining discussions, and collaborating on actions that support the campaign's goals.
Campaign slogans:
“Ban Jet Fuel Exports To Myanmar Fascist Dictator”
“Stop Blood Taxation”
“Stop Paying Tax to Junta”
“ပြည်သူ့ရင်ခွင် အမြန်ခိုလှုံကြပါ” “Defect to where people's love is”
Movement Success
The broad participation of the White Campaign on both national and international levels, including within Myanmar, the diaspora group, and international communities, significantly amplifies its impact. The collective effort demonstrates a unified stance against unjust practices and fosters a sense of solidarity across borders. By engaging a diverse range of participants, the campaign can effectively draw attention to its key messages and advocate for change. The international support adds a valuable dimension, bringing in varied perspectives and reinforcing the importance of the cause on a global scale. As participants from different backgrounds join forces, the White Campaign gains strength and influence, contributing to a more comprehensive and impactful advocacy for the campaign's goals.
Blood Money campaign started a campaign to target Junta’s Access to Jet Fuel in December 2023. Jet Fuel Accountability Campaign 2024: The Blood Money Campaign is focused on curbing military junta access to jet fuel. We urge states and companies to halt the export of aviation fuel to Myanmar, demanding a commitment to ending impunity for both international and domestic companies involved in shipping, importing, providing insurance, storing, and distributing jet fuel utilized by the military junta in their campaign against humanity. The campaign sheds light on the distant port of origin for the fuel, tracing its path to unlawful air strikes that have resulted in civilian casualties. Amnesty International's report highlights the pivotal role played by Puma Energy, majority-owned by global commodity giant Trafigura, in supplying the Myanmar military since 2015 through its local entities. The report also exposes the involvement of global and regional oil companies, maritime insurers, vessel owners, shipping agents, and truck distributors in this supply chain. The revelation underscores the interconnected web of support that enables the Myanmar military's actions. Depriving the military junta of aviation fuel is crucial, as it would render them incapable of powering the aircraft responsible for committing crimes through air strikes against civilians. The campaign seeks to hold all involved entities accountable and disrupt the supply chain supporting these reprehensible activities.