Paddy Briggs, who worked for Shell for 37 years before retiring in 2002, has criticised oil giants for continuing to be involved in countries accused of human rights abuses, despite issuing statements insisting they support those rights. Briggs cites Shell's involvement in China and Saudi Arabia, and Total's investment in Burma as examples of this hypocrisy...Shell rebutted Briggs's article..."We take our commitment to human rights seriously, and to suggest otherwise is just not the case...We believe that companies have a role to play in upholding and promoting human rights in practical ways directly related to their business activities, and in supporting governments' efforts to improve their human rights performance." [also refers to Total]