YANGON, Myanmar, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Two giant oil companies have helped prop up the military junta in Myanmar with billions of dollars in payments for a gas pipeline, a rights group charges.

Earth Rights International said the Myanmar government has siphoned $5 billion from the project, hiding it in banks in Singapore, the BBC reported Thursday. The group says it spent two years researching the relationship between the generals and the two oil companies -- Total and Chevron, which have headquarters in the United States.

''Total and Chevron have essentially provided the military regime with its single largest lifeline -- that being the revenue generated from the project," said Matthew Smith, coordinator of the Earth Rights Burma project.

Myanmar was formerly called Burma.

While the two companies operate the Yadana pipeline, the Myanmar military guards it, Earth Rights International said. Smith said Total and Chevron ignore human rights abuses by the regime.

Total and Chevron say they have provided educational and economic assistance in areas where they operate.