EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 ESTABLISHED IN 1890
 OIL BUSINESS (EXTRACTION, REFILING, DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING AND
RETAILING)
 MOST OIL FIELDS IN THE UNITED STATES WERE NEARING DEPLETION
 WAS ATTRACTED TO THE YADANA FIELD PROJECT
 LOCATED IN THE ANDAMA SEA BENEATH 150 FEET OF WATER OFF BURMA’S
SHORE.
 CONTAINED MORE THAN 5 MILLION CUBIC FEET OF NATURAL GAS
 TRANSPORT GAS TO THAILAND
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 UNOCAL DID A RESEARCH ON THE SOCIALPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT OF
THE COUNTRY
 BURMA IS A SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRY THAT IS BOUNDED BY OTHER
ASIAN COUNTRIES.
 KAREN ARE HOSTILE TO THE GOVERNMENT
 THE BURMESE GOVERNEMENT WAS ACCUSED OF CONTINUALLY
VIOLATING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE.
 BASED ON THE COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES, 1991, THE
BURMESE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINED LAW AND ORDER BY VIOLATING SOME
HUMAN RIGHTS.
 UNOCAL HIRED A CONSULTING FIRM WITH WHOM WARNED UNOCAL THAT
THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT HABITUALLY MAKES USE OF FORCED LABOR.
 UNOCAL DECIDED TO INVEST IN THE PROJECT.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 IN 1992, M.O.G.E. WAS FORMED.
 THE GOVERNMENT SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH TOTAL S.A
 BURMESE GOVERNMENT SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH TOTAL AGREEING TO
PROVIDE SECURITY AND RIGHTS OF WAY.
 TOTAL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL COORDINATION OF THE
PROJECT.
 UNOCAL WOULD CONSTRUCT THE 256- MILE PIPELINE THAT WOULD
CARRY THE GAS FROM YADANA TO THAILAND.
 THE MILITARY HAD BUILT ROADS, AND OTHER FACILITIES SUCH AS BASE
CAMPS, BUILDINGS, BARRACKS, FENCES, AIRPLANE LANDINGS STRIPS,
RIVER DOCKS, AND HELIPADS.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP CLAIMED
THAT THERE WERE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DONE TO THE
PEOPLE RESIDING NEAR THE PROJECT AREA.
 FORCED RELOCATION WITHOUT COMPENSATION
 FORCED LABOR
 IMPRISONMENT AND/ OR EXECUTION BY THE ARMY OF THOSE
OPPOSING SUCH ACTIONS.
 IN 2000, GAS PRODUCTION BEGAN.
 THE COMPANIES HAD INSTITUTED A NUMBER OF SOCIAL-ECONOMIC
PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE AROUND THE PIPELINE.
 PROVIDED 7,511 PAID JOBS TO BURMESE WORKERS
 WILL CONTINUE TO EMPLOY 587 MORE BURMESE WORKERS.
 DELIVERED 500-600 MILLION CUBIC FEET OF GAS PER DAY TO THAILAND,
BENEFITTING THE NATION’S RAPIDLY GROWING ECONOMY.
 SALES TO THAILAND YIELDED SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS A
YEAR TO BURMA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 NOT ALL BURMESE CITIZENS WERE PLEASED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE YADANA FIELD.
 15 MEMBERS OF THE BURMESE KAREN MINORITY GROUP FILED CLASS
ACTION SUIT IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT AND SCOND IN CALIFORNIA STATE
COURT.
 BOTH SUITS ARGUED THAT UNOCAL SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE INJURIES INFLICTED ON HUNDREDS OF KAREN BY THE BURMESE
ARMY.
 ON DECEMBER 20, 2004, UNOCAL ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD SETTLE
THE FEDERAL LAWSUIT
 COMPENSATE THE KAREN GROUP
 PROVIDE FUNDS FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE PEOPLE FROM THE
PIPLINE REGION.
POINT OF VIEW
 UTILITARIAN PERSPECTIVE
 JOB OPPORTUNITIES
 ECONOMY GROWTH
 SOCOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
 Should UNOCAL be morally responsible and liable
for the injuries inflicted on hundreds of Karen
caused by the Burmese military wherein the activity
of the military were conducted on behalf of the
pipeline project which UNOCAL, whom with prior
knowledge about the repressive Burmese
government, had invested and held a major stake
and from which UNOCAL and a lot of the Burmese
people benefitted?
OBJECTIVES
 UNDERSTAND THE MORAL OBLIGATIONS OF
UNOCAL
 UNDERSTAND THE RIGHTS OF THE AFFECTED
KAREN GROUP
 TO KNOW THE EFFECTS OF “ENGAGEMENT” IN
COUNTRIES WITH REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT.