Saturday, November 24, 2007

Newham “Total out of Burma” pickets

On route this morning to Lyn’s T Party I stopped off at the East Ham “Total out of Burma” picket outside the "Total" Petrol garage in High Street North. Today there has been a national day of action outside the French oil company “Total” Headquarters and their petrol garages across the UK.

"Total" is simply a dreadful and unethical organisation, which despite being the 5th biggest oil company in the world, is one of the very few that insists on investing in Burma and gives the military junta hundreds of millions of dollars each year in taxes and kick backs.

This money is used to buy guns and bullets to shoot and kill monks and other unarmed peaceful protesters who just want democracy and freedom for their country.

After the “T Party” I went to the picket outside the "Total" garage in Romford Road, Manor Park with another Labour Party colleague, former Councillor and UCL branch Chair, John Whitworth (seen wearing the placard “Total-ly out of order”).

There were 9 of us on this picket, 5 of which were Burmese. This is very good for an overseas solidarity picket. (There were 12 picket lines across London alone). We were carrying placards and leafleting motorists who were caught up in the usual very heavy traffic along that stretch of Romford Road.

I was on the entrance to the petrol station speaking to motorists who had pulled over for fuel. I must admit that this was one of the most successful pickets that I have ever been on. Nearly all vehicles pulled over allowed us to speak to them. They remembered the awful scenes of soldiers shooting unarmed monks in Burma. Most agreed to drive away to Tesco’s at Barking (I also told then that it was cheaper!).

Nearly everyone was pretty horrified at the connection of "Total" with the murderous regime in Burma. They did not know that their money was being used to profit a company that condoned mass murder.

Many were dismayed that they would in anyway at all be supporting the Burmese junta and insisted that I look at their petrol gauges, which were near empty and that they had to get fuel in case they ran out. We agreed that maybe they could get a gallon of petrol to get them out of trouble.

Lyn Brown MP had asked if she could attend however after the T Party she had to go to a service for a new church in Stratford. The protest had to finish before she could get to us, but she will send the Burma campaign a message of support.

I’m not going to romanticise this protest too much. However, I have been on a fair number of pickets over the years. It was firstly good to be out numbered by Burmese members of the picket (even though I suppose we should have been able to get more non-Burmese protesters out).

It was also encouraging to speak to ordinary people about something “political” and get what I thought to be a thoughtful and positive reaction. I don’t think that I have ever been on a picket line were we have ever turned back so many people. People also understood the argument and agreed that boycotting was an appropriate and legitimate response to what has gone on in Burma.

It was something that all East End Brits regardless of race, religion, nationality or class wanted to support. Chauffeur driven Rolls Royce’s and Citroen 2CVs were all turned back when we spoke to them about why we were picketing.

We had loads of cars “hooting” in support and people shouting supportive remarks as they went by. OK, as you can imagine not all remarks were 100% supportive, especially as traffic was held up at times when motorists stopped to talk to us. But overall the protest was very successful. As you can see from the pictures, we persuaded lots of people to boycott Total, this is normally their most busy day. I suspect that this will contribute towards the long term "reputational risk" that "Total" faces for its policy towards Burma.

I couldn’t make it to the final picket tonight at the "Total" HQ in Baker Street. Hope it went OK. Will speak to Labour Party comrades about organising further pickets at these garages in the future. Maybe monthly? Next week I am due to go to a Local Government Pension Union trustee conference. I will try and bring this issue up here as well. Watch this space.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I completely support your demonstrations. I was in Burma a decade ago and nothing has changed except that conditons for the Burmese are worse, Total are richer and the Military Junta is stronger.

John Gray said...

Hi Ana

What is the French take on “Total” and “Burma”?

Tom Powdrill said...

"Next week I am due to go to a Local Government Pension Union trustee conference."

LAPFF? If so would be good to catch up. Have a couple of ideas for you!

John Gray said...

Hi Tom

Talk about London buses – no, I’ll have to give LAPFF a miss this year (send my regards). On Tuesday and Wednesday it is the joint GMB and T&G Unite pension conference at Eastbourne. Meet up sometime in Brick Lane for a curry?

Tom Powdrill said...

Oh yeah, have been to that one a couple of times. Curry sounds like a good idea. I'll email you from work once LAPFF conf out of the way.

Anonymous said...

This week Sarkozy is in China and will 'raise the question of Burma' with the Chinese. There is no linkage in the French national concience between human rights violations in Burma and Total. The whole thing is dispicable. When I was in Rangoon there were many five star Chinese owned hotels filled with Total executives and workers and more being built.

John Gray said...

Hi Ana
Thank you for your contribution. It is a bit depressing. Is there nothing that can be done to influence French public opinion or consciousness on this issue?