The Burma Campaign UK - Insuring Repression - Take Action

Campaigning for Human Rights and Democracy in Burma



Insuring Repression Campaign Report July 2008

This report reveals for the first time how insurers around the world have underwritten the Burmese regime by insuring the multinational companies that are its financial lifeline. Foreign businesses operating in Burma give the regime millions of dollars everyday. Without this money Burma’s brutal regime wouldn’t be able to finance the military machine that keeps it in power. This report exposes how foreign insurance companies from London to Singapore have been working closely with the regime’s insurance company – to ensure that foreign businesses can operate in Burma.

View this report in PDF format here Acrobat can be downloaded here

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		Take Action Stop Insurance companies funding Burma's General's

		Please write to the companies listed below and tell them to stop supporting a regime that shoots innocent protestors and uses rape as a weapon of war. You can also write to the managers of the Lloyd's market directly on our automated form here. Over the last 6 years your campaign emails and letters have helped us force over 100 companies to withdraw from Burma - depriving the regime of millions of dollars. Insurance companies have never been targeted like this, our report, shows that when insurance is withdrawn the regime loses millions of dollars, money they'd normally using on the military. You can read the report here. TAKE ACTION Please take a moment and write, fax or email the companies listed below. Please let us have a copy of any replies you receive.

		SAMPLE LETTER Here is a sample letter you may wish to use to send to the companies mentioned below. Please do send us any replies you receive. Dear Sir or Madam, I wish to draw your attention to the Burma Campaign UK's new report, Insuring Repression, which highlights how insurance companies and organisations, including your own, have helped to finance the Burmese regime. 13 of the top 30 insurance companies, including AIG, Munich Re and Aon, have taken the ethical step of not providing insurance services to companies in Burma, but yours hasn't. Burma's regime use the money they make from foreign trade and investment to fund their campaigns of repression, they don't spend it on the people. This is a regime that shoots peaceful protestors in the streets and denies aid to cyclone victims. Your business is helping raise the money they need to stay in power. Burma's democracy movement asks companies not to invest in Burma, as by doing so they entrench military rule - yet your company or members are facilitating trade and investment in Burma. Please respect the wishes of the people of Burma and immediately stop providing insurance services to companies in Burma. Yours faithfully

		THE INSURANCE DIRTY LIST Lloyd’s of London. Lloyd’s, located at the heart of the City of London, describes itself as, “the world’s leading, specialist insurance market.” According to the Burmese Ministry of Finance and Revenue, Lloyd’s provides reinsurance to Myanma Insurance. Lloyd’s syndicates (Lloyd’s terminology for their member companies that sell insurance) have also sold insurance to a regime owned airline. Lloyd’s admitted in April 2008 that some shipping and aviation reinsurance for companies in Burma goes through Lloyd’s. As a consequence of the actions of their syndicates Lloyd’s were placed on our “2005 Dirty List”. Later that year Lloyd’s stated that they were not able to compel their members to end their involvement in Burma and claimed that it would be “against competition law for members to collectively decide not to operate in Burma”. Pending investigations of these claims Lloyd’s were removed from the Dirty List. Our investigations failed to identify any UK law or act to substantiate Lloyd’s’ claims. Lloyd’s conceded in July 2008 that “Competition Law is not relevant in this case”. When asked to make a statement to their syndicates alerting them to the human rights concerns associated with selling insurance to companies in Burma Lloyd’s refused, instead issuing the following statement on July 23rd 2008: “Unless there are official UN sanctions in place, Lloyd's does not instruct the market where it can and cannot write business. Competition Law is not relevant in this case. However, we do not make public comments on the politics or economic policies of national or international bodies.” Please either email the managers of the Lloyd using this form or send polite messages to: Address: Lord Levene, Chairman of Lloyd’s Lloyd's One Lime Street London EC3M 7HA UK Telephone: +44 (0)20 7327 1000 Email: peter.levene@lloyds.com enquiries@lloyds.com louise.shield@lloyds.com Hannover Re Hannover Re describes itself as “one of the leading reinsurance groups in the world.” Its website states that it is represented in the Burmese market by its Malaysian subsidiary. Address: The Chief Executive Hannover Rückversicherung AG P.O. Box 61 03 69 30603 Hannover Germany Telephone: +49 / 5 11 / 56 04 - 0 Fax: +49 / 5 11 / 56 04 - 11 88 E-mail: info@hannover-re.com Catlin Catlin describes itself as “an international specialist property and casualty insurer and reinsurer, writing more than 30 classes of business”. It has four “underwriting platforms”: the Catlin Syndicate at Lloyd's, Catlin Bermuda, Catlin UK and Catlin US. The company has provided insurance services to a regime owned airline. Address: The Chief Executive Catlin Group Limited Head Office Catlin Bermuda (Catlin Insurance Company Ltd.) Cumberland House 6th Floor 1 Victoria Street Hamilton Bermuda HM 11 Telephone: +1 441 296 0060 Fax: +1 441 296 6016 Email: catlininfo@catlin.com Atrium Underwriting Atrium Underwriting manages two Lloyd’s Syndicates. Atrium has provided insurance services to a regime owned airline. It is owned by the Bermudan company Ariel Re. Address: The Chief Executive Room 790 Lloyd's 1 Lime Street London United Kingdom EC3M 7DQ Email: info@atrium-uw.com Telephone: +44 (0)20 7327 4877 Fax: +44 (0)20 7327 4878 Address: The Chief Executive Ariel Reinsurance Limited P.O. Box HM 1727 Hamilton, HM GX Bermuda Telephone: 441.295.5485 Fax: 441.295.4750 Email: info@arielre.com Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Tokio Marine describes itself as Japan’s largest and longest established non-life insurance company. The company’s recently acquired Lloyd’s subsidiary, Kiln, has provided insurance to a regime owned airline. Tokio Marine company also maintains a representative office in Burma. Address: The Chief Executive Tokio Marine Global Ltd 2 Minster Court London EC3R 7BB Email: enquiries@tokiomarineglobal.com info@tokiomarine.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0)20 7397 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7397 4040 Address: The Chief Executive Tokio Marine Nichido Building Shinkan 1-2-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005, Japan Email: ir@tokiomarinehd.com Sompo Japan Sompo Japan is one of the three largest non-life Japanese insurers. The company admits to operating a “Liason office” in Burma to “provide insurance information to customers”. Sompo Japan has offices across the world, including in the UK. Evidence indicates the company has applied to form a joint venture with regime owned Myanma Insurance. Address: The Chief Executive 26-1,Nishi-Shinjuku 1-chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8338, Japan Email: publicrelations@sompo-japan.co.jp Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Mitstui is one of Japan’s largest non-life insurers. Included in its large overseas network is a representative office in Rangoon. Evidence indicates the company has applied to form a joint venture with regime owned Myanma Insurance. Address: The Chief Executive 27-2,shinkawa 2-Chome Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8252,Japan TEL:81-3-3297-1111 Email: msi_ir@ms-ins.net QBE QBE describes itself as “Australia’s largest international general insurance and reinsurance group, and one of the top 25 insurers and reinsurers worldwide”. Company websites state it has two correspondent offices in Burma. Address: Frank O'Halloran Level 2, 82 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: 61 2 9375 4444 Fax: 61 2 9235 3166 Email: corporate@qbe.com ACE ACE is a global insurance and reinsurance company based in Bermuda. Its subsidiary, Ace Marine, offers insurance for Burma through its London office. Address: The Chief Executive ACE European Group The ACE Building 100 Leadenhall Street London EC3A 3BP United Kingdom Telephone: +44 20 7173 7000 Fax: +44 20 7173 7800 Email: lee.simpson@ace-ina.com andrew.atkin@ace-ina.com Labuan Re Labuan Re headquartered in Malaysia describes itself as “an international reinsurer”. The company lists Burma as one of its “overseas markets”. Address: The Chief Executive Labuan Re Level 4 ( B ), Main Office Tower, Financial Park Labuan, Jln Merdeka, 87000 Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia Tel : 6087 452 886/887/889, Fax : 6087 425 070, E-mail : headoff@labuanre.com.my kctan@labuanre.com.my majid@labuanre.com.my OCBC Bank OCBC is Singapore’s longest established bank, and is today one of Asia’s leading financial services groups. Its subsidiary, Great Eastern Holdings, describes itself as the “leading insurer in Singapore”, it has stated it provides insurance services to Singapore owned companies in Burma. Insurance and reinsurance is vital to the Burmese regime, find out more in our report Insuring Repression. Address: The Chief Executive Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited 65 Chulia Street #08-00 OCBC Centre Singapore 049513 Fax: +65 6535 7477 Email: corpcomms@ocbc.com.sg Pana Harrison Pana Harrison is a Singaporean based insurance broker. It lists Burma as part of its network. Our sources indicate the company is active in the aviation sector, providing insurance services for regime owned airlines. Address: The Chief Executive Pana Harrison 371 BEACH ROAD #03-01/02 KEYPOINT Singapore 199597 Telephone: +65 6294 8966 Fax: +65 6298 1500 Email: mktg@panaharrison.com Target Insurance Broker Target is a Singaporean broker which works in the Lloyd’s, Australian and European markets. It also provides insurance brokerage services for companies in Burma. Address: The Chief Executive Target Insurance Brokers 80 Marine Parade #10-01 Parkway Parade Singapore 449269 Telephone: +65 6345 5151 Fax: +65 6447 1806 Email: philipphang@targetbrokers.com Arab Insurance Group (ARIG) ARIG is the “largest reinsurance company in the Middle east and North Africa”. It is part owned by the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Libya and Kuwait. The company’s website states that its Singapore branch is responsible for activities in Burma. Address: The Chief Executive Arab Insurance Group (ARIG) Arig House Building 131, Road 1702 Diplomatic Area 317 Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Postal Address P.O. Box 26992 Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Telephone: +973 1754 4444 Fax: +973 1753 1155 Email: info@arig.com.bh Al Wasl Al Wasl is a Dubai based (re)insurance reinsurance broker. The company’s website states that its Bangladesh offices is responsible for marketing the companies operations in Burma. Address: The Chief Executive Al Wasl Post office Box No 76129 Dubai United Arab Emirates. Office No. G-8, Sultan Building Opposite Dubai Muncipality,Karama, Bur Dubai, Dubai Telephone: +971 4 3571086 Fax: +971 4 3571087 Email: contact@al-wasl.com