Unocal in Myanmar - Myanmar’s Military Position Paper

case position memorandumto:Unocal upper managementfrom:subject:unocal in myanmar (Burma)date:February 2, 2017cc:Dr. SmithGiven the record of human rights violations committed by Myanmar’s military, I recommend you, Unocal’s management, to not invest in countries or companies that do not promote, respect, protect and fulfill human rights. Your company, Unocal, decided to invest in a gas pipeline from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, to Thailand, despite your knowledge of Myanmar’s military dictatorship reputation for violating the human rights of the villagers from Myanmar’s Tenasserim region. Therefore, I agree with the plaintiffs allegations that your decision to invest in the pipeline was wrong and that your company is morally responsible for the injuries and deaths of those individuals involved in the Myanmar gas pipeline project. Your company, Unocal, was attracted to the natural gas field that belonged to Myanmar due to Myanmar’s cheap and relatively educated labor, abundant natural gas resources, and entry point into other international markets, particularly in and around Southeast Asia. The only real problem with the project was the government of Myanmar, known for their partnership with the military and for continuously violating human rights of their own people. This made it extremely risky for your company to get involved in international business in Myanmar. Knowing all of these claims, you hired a consulting firm, the Control Risk Group, to assess the risk of the situation. Despite the negative feedback received from the consultants, you decided to invest in the project. You felt that the benefits to yourself and the people of Burma and Thailand outweighed the risks.