More than 52,000 people have signed a petition to Nick Clegg, the Facebook Vice-President of Global Affairs, calling on him to take down the Facebook pages of Burmese military companies.
United Nations investigators have detailed how these military owned companies help fund the military and the human rights violations they commit. Nick Clegg and Facebook have ignored calls to take down the pages, and so far appear determined to keep allowing the genocidal Burmese military to use Facebook to help it make money.
Since the military coup on 1st February, 30 countries have imposed sanctions on military companies because of the role they play in funding the military.
“So far genocide, crimes against humanity and a military coup have not been enough to persuade Facebook that allowing the military to use Facebook to make money is a bad idea,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “We hope they will listen to the 52,000 people, mostly from Burma, who have signed this petition calling on them to kick Burmese military companies off of Facebook.”
Despite years of discussions with Facebook, Burma Campaign UK has been unable to extract a single clear rationale from Facebook as to why they are so determined to keep on allowing the Burmese military to use their platform to make money. Policies also appear to be applied inconsistently, arbitrarily and incoherently.
“Even if Nick Clegg and other Facebook executives are unconcerned that a military which rapes and shoots children is using their platform to make money, you would think a company with such an appalling track record on Burma would want to avoid further controversies,” said Mark Farmaner. “As a member of the British Parliament, part of the Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs team, and later as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg supported sanctions on Burmese military companies. Now he helps them make money.”