Myanmar Activists to Sue Norway's Telenor for Handing Data to Military
YANGON, Myanmar (Oct 7) - A group of civil society organizations in Myanmar plans to take legal action against Norwegian telecoms firm Telenor, accusing it of passing customer data to the country's military government for use in repression.
The activists sent Telenor a notice of intent to sue on Monday, according to a statement from the Netherlands-based nonprofit Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), which is backing the case. The claimants allege that Telenor, majority-owned by the Norwegian government, disclosed data from millions of customers to the military following its 2021 coup.
"Telenor's actions are a clear example of how companies can be complicit in human rights abuses," said Paul Seils, a senior advisor at SOMO. "We believe that Telenor has a responsibility to protect its customers' data and not hand it over to repressive regimes."
The case states that the data shared by the telecoms giant was used by the military following its 2021 coup to trace and target civilians. The activists claim that this data was used to suppress dissent and maintain control over the population.
Myanmar has been under military rule since February 2021, when a coup ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The military's actions have been widely condemned by the international community, with many countries imposing sanctions on the country.
The Norwegian government, which owns 54% of Telenor, has faced criticism for its ties to the telecoms firm and its role in Myanmar. In a statement, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it was aware of the allegations and would review them carefully.
"Telenor's actions are a concern not just for Norway but also for the international community," said a spokesperson for the ministry. "We will continue to work with our partners to ensure that companies operating in Myanmar respect human rights."
The case against Telenor is part of a broader trend of corporations being held accountable for their actions in countries with poor human rights records. In recent years, several multinational companies have faced lawsuits and criticism for their involvement in human rights abuses.
The activists plan to file the lawsuit in Norwegian courts, where they will argue that Telenor's actions were complicit in human rights abuses and violated international law. The case is expected to be a test of Norway's commitment to upholding human rights and its role as a responsible investor in Myanmar.
As the situation unfolds, the international community will be watching closely to see how this case develops and what implications it may have for companies operating in countries with poor human rights records.
*Reporting by Aljazeera.*
