Total withdrawal would be totally wrong

Jonathan Holslag (‘Burma is EU's chance to prove itself', 11-17 October) is right to note the belated willingness of France to discuss its immense investment in the gas pipeline from Burma to Thailand, its collaboration with the ruling military junta and the human rights abuses this has involved.
But the sad truth is that it is almost certainly best if Total does not disinvest at this time. Thanks to relentless pressure from human rights groups in Europe, the company has at least introduced and financed some social welfare projects to help affected villagers. If Total goes, so will the projects. Two wrongs do not make a right.
It seems that everyone now has a prescription for peace and prosperity in Burma and there is general agreement about the urgent need for dialogue. What is almost always ignored is that Burma's ethnic ‘minorities' make up at least 40% of its population, living in 60% of its territory.
The root cause of Burma's difficulties is not their historic quarrels, but the Burmese army's attempt, for well over half a century, to impose by force its policy of ‘One blood, one voice, and one command'.
This cannot be the basis for the peaceful settlement and transition to democracy just agreed by the UN Security Council. Releasing political prisoners is a starting point, but it is not really adequate. Nor are the EU sanctions just agreed particularly useful, given the trickle of trade.
Of more practical help would be for countries such as Singapore to focus attention on the Burmese generals' bank accounts. Similarly, India, Russia, Ukraine and Israel should desist, as China appears to have done, from continuing to sell arms to Burma.

Harn Yawnghwe
Director, Euro-Burma Office
Brussels