Myanmar Military: Never in Fashion – Protest outside H&M, Zara and Primark

 

Stop doing business with murderous dictators!

 Protest outside H&M, Zara and Primark

 Saturday 11 June 2-3pm Oxford Street London

Start at H&M, 250 Oxford St, London W1B 2ES, we will march to ZARA,215-219, Oxford St, London W1D 2LG and then Primark, 14-28 Oxford St, London W1D 1AU for a speak-out outside each shop.

H&M, Primark, Zara and other brands are still operating in Myanmar despite the military coup on 1 February 2021, which deposed elected parliamentarians and has since killed, detained, raped and tortured thousands of people. The same army that repressed ethnic groups for decades and carried out the genocide against the Rohingya people, forcing hundreds of thousands into exile in Bangladesh, has now forced almost a million more people to flee their homes and hide in the jungle while villages are being bombed.

Garment workers were among the first to oppose the coup. Since then, women trade union leaders and workers in the garment industry have been targeted for arrest and torture; some have been killed. Military personnel have been deployed at factory gates, arresting workers who don’t support the dictatorship. Working conditions have plummeted – long hours for little or no pay, trade unions not recognised, factories closed temporarily or permanently with no compensation.

How can brands claiming ethical standards continue to operate under the military regime in Myanmar? It is impossible for brands to implement the “due diligence” needed to protect their workers, which their own Codes of Conduct call for. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, international brands suspended their operations in Russia, furloughed their Russian workers, and put large sums into funding the humanitarian effort in Ukraine. Why are they not doing the same in Myanmar?

We demand a responsible exit

Myanmar trade unions have condemned employers who collaborate with the military and exploit the situation to undermine workers’ rights. They are calling on brands to stop sourcing their products from Myanmar suppliers. Our campaign “Myanmar Military: Never in Fashion” supports their call.

More info:

www.myanmarmilitaryneverinfashion.org/

info@myanmarmilitaryneverinfashion.org

Myanmar Military: Never in Fashion is an international campaign for brands to cease all production in Myanmar to weaken the military dictatorship and force it to step down. The campaign is supported by 200+ unions and other organisations and is co-ordinated by Global Women’s Strike @WomenStrike and No Sweat @No_Sweat.