The Shwe Gas Project is a large scale natural gas project in Myanmar developed by Daewoo International Ltd. of South Korea (51 percent stake), Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS), ONGC Videsh Ltd. of India, GAIL Ltd. of India, in a joint venture with the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). Daewoo has been exploring for gas in Myanmar since 2000 and discovered the Shwe gas in western Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal in 2004. A Chinese national oil company, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), signed a deal for the sale and transport of the Shwe gas through 1,200 km overland parallel oil and natural gas pipelines from Rhakine State, Myanmar, to Yunnan Province, China, in partnership with the Daewoo-led consortium. The natural gas pipeline became operational in 2013, and the oil pipeline in 2014. CNPC is in the planning and surveying stages for the construction of a second pipeline project, an oil transport pipeline that will bring oil to China from Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
Adverse impacts of the Shwe project on local people have already been documented and little consultation with impacted communities has occurred. In the absence of credible and transparent mechanisms designed to prevent human rights abuses, and in the absence of other preconditions for responsible investment, the Shwe project has had serious and direct human rights and environmental impacts, including forced relocation, forced labor, and other abuses committed by Myanmar Army battalions providing “security” for the project.
Additional resources:
EarthRights photo essay: https://www.earthrights.org/multimedia/essay/photo-essay-selected-impacts-shwe-natural-gas-myanmar-china-oil-transport-projects
The open letter condemning Daewoo International’s support to Burma’s military regime: https://earthrights.org/wp-content/uploads/statement-Daewooarm-sept2006.pdf
Publications:
https://www.earthrights.org/publication/there-no-benefit-they-destroyed-our-farmland
https://www.earthrights.org/publication/turning-treasure-tears
