PARIS, KOMPAS.com – Newspaper from France The world report, energy company Total pay military junta Myanmar of his income in Myanmar’s gas fields.
The article was published The world by title, Myanmar: How Total finances the generals through offshore accounts. If translated approximately to be Myanmar: How Total funds the generals through offshore accounts.
These payments are made through the region tax haven alias tax haven as reported AFP, Friday (7/5/2021).
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Tax haven is a jurisdiction, territory, or country that provides a very low or no tax rate.
After The world publishing the report, Total withdrew its ad from the newspaper. In fact, Total will advertise on The world over the next few weeks.
Total did not respond to questions asked AFP on Thursday (6/5/2021) about his decision to withdraw ads from The world.
Total comes under pressure from pro-democracy activists to stop “financing” Myanmar military junta.
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The Myanmar military took power in a coup on February 1 which was followed by brutal crackdowns on demonstrators.
The world reported, they have documents showing that Total operates a gas pipeline from Myanmar to Thailand via joint venture with the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise.
Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise is an oil and gas company controlled by the Myanmar military.
The financial scheme is registered in a country tax haven, Bermuda, under the name Moattama Gas Transportation Company (MGTC) in 1994.
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Total told The world that they did not know the “exact reason” for entering the MGTC in Bermuda three decades ago.
Total added that the company no longer includes new subsidiaries in the country tax haven.
The world said the profits from Myanmar’s gas fields did not pass through the coffers of the Myanmar state, but through a company that was completely controlled by the military.
A few years ago, The world, together The Guardian from England, also published the results of an investigation which revealed a series of tax evasion known as “Swissleaks”.
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As a result, the newspaper was “punished” by banking giant HSBC in 2015.
The world itself has succeeded in shifting dependence on its income from advertising to subscriptions in recent years.
Now, the advertising sector is in The world accounted for about 22 percent of its total income.
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