The American energy giant Chevron has been accused of complicity in human rights abuses through its investment in a natural gas pipeline in Burma.

Human rights group, EarthRights International, made the allegation in a report released in Bangkok.

It says the Burmese military was committing widespread abuses including forced labour, rape and killing while engaged by Chevron to protect the Yadana pipeline.

Marco Simons of EarthRights International has told ABC Radio Australia's Connect Asia program Chevron has a responsibility to acknowledge that abuses are taking place.

"They have not tried to claim that yes there are serious abuses going on but they are powerless to stop them," he said.

"The line that they're taking so far is to essentially deny that there are human rights abuses in the pipeline region.

"So in fact they have taken the opposite tack, the oil companies have essentially said that they do have the power to prevent these abuses and that's what they have done."

Chevron acquired US energy giant Unocal in 2005 and took over its 28 per cent stake in the project alongside France's Total, Thailand's PTT Exploration and Production and the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise.

Mr Simons says Chevron's position, that programs in the pipeline region have increased health care and educational opportunities for the local people, does not make up for its silence on right issues in the region.

"If this pipeline region was really the paradise that the oil companies make it out to be then people would be screaming to get in there," he said.

"In fact as we've seen refugees are still clamouring to get out ... there's still a large scale exodus from this area which suggests that whatever Chevron and other companies may be doing on the social front, it's certainly not offsetting the burdens of the military presence."