Burma Campaign UK
CAMPAIGN SUCCESS IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR The Burma Campaign UK and Federation of Trade Unions (Burma) are celebrating today’s news that British American Tobacco (BAT) is to pull out of Burma. The two organisations launched a global campaign to get BAT out of Burma in November last year. BAT announced today that they have …
The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that Italian sportswear giant Kappa have stopped sourcing clothes from Burma. Kappa – makers of the Tottenham Hotspur and Welsh national football team kits – had been the target of a boycott campaign in the UK and Italy because of its links with Burma. Clothing exports are a …
Unions make formal complaint that BAT’s Burma factory breaches OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The International Union of Foodworkers (IUF), supported by Amicus MSF, which represents BAT’s workers in the UK, has made a complaint to the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) that British American Tobacco (BAT) is in breach of OECD Guidelines for …
JJB Sports Boycott Called Off The Burma Campaign UK welcomed news that JJB Sports – Britain’s largest sports retailer – is withdrawing stock manufactured in Burma and implementing a strict policy to ensure no new stock will be manufactured there. The Burma Campaign UK had found Kappa shirts and shorts made in Burma at JJB …
As Aung San Suu Kyi returns to house arrest for the third time, the Burma Campaign UK calls for increased pressure on the military dictatorship. “We are relieved that Aung San Suu Kyi is recovering well after surgery,” said Yvette Mahon, Director of Burma Campaign UK, but she warned now is not the time to …
JJB Sports Break Promise not to Source from Burma The Burma Campaign UK today condemned JJB Sports – Britain’s largest sports retailer – for breaking a promise not to source any stock from Burma. The Burma Campaign UK has found Kappa shirts and shorts made in Burma at JJB Sports flagship Oxford Street store. Clothing …
Broughton Misleads Shareholders over Burma Fish Exports. BAT’s Putrid Prawns Denied Entry to the USA. An investigation by the Burma Campaign UK and Federation of Trade Unions- Burma (FTUB) has exposed the bizarre story of BAT’s trade in fish and prawns. Early this year the FTUB received reports that BAT’s Burmese subsidiary – a joint …
The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that AIR MILES will no longer offer Orient Express’s Road to Mandalay tours in return for AIR MILES points. The Burma Campaign UK had contacted AIR MILES asking them to withdraw the promotion – which had featured on their website. “This puts even more pressure on Orient Express,” …
As concerns grow for the health of Aung San Suu Kyi following reports she is on hunger strike, the Burma Campaign UK today called for the UN Security Council to take action. “Britain has just taken over as chair of the Security Council,” said John Jackson, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “They must use …
The Burma Campaign UK today dismissed an announcement by Burma’s new Prime Minister Khin Nyunt that the regime would restart a national convention that would lead to free and fair elections. “We have been here before,” said John Jackson, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “There have already been elections and the generals lost. The …
MTV Network Europe announced today the launch of a Europe wide on-air campaign supported by Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin, Bono, Bob Geldof, Macy Gray and Lenny Kravitz urging the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, who was arrested by Burmese authorities on 30 May, 2003. The promo …
The Burma Campaign UK is celebrating today after WPP confirmed it is to close its office in Burma. WPP acquired a subsidiary in Burma – Bates Myanmar – when it won its takeover battle for Cordiant Communications. As a result WPP had been added to a ‘Dirty List’ of companies supporting the regime in Burma …
Burma campaign groups across Europe are today joining forces to persuade Germany to support EU sanctions on Burma. Despite the recent massacre and crackdown in Burma, Germany is defying calls from Burma’s democracy movement and its EU partners for sanctions against the dictatorship. EU members have committed themselves to a joint foreign policy on Burma …
The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that Intrepid Travel is suspending trips to Burma. Intrepid Travel, an Australian travel company with offices in the UK, USA and Canada, had been boycotting Burma since 1999 but in March announced it was returning to Burma, citing improvements in human rights in the country. Intrepid Travel’s decision …
The Burma Campaign UK today publishes an updated version of its ‘Dirty List’ of companies whose operations are directly or indirectly helping to finance the military dictatorship in Burma. Advertising giant WPP, Ernst & Young, P&O Cruises, Deutsche Post, and Hutchison Whampoa subsidiaries Superdrug and 3 Mobile have all been added to the Burma Campaign’s …
The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed an announcement by Italian sportswear giant Lotto that it is to stop sourcing clothes from Burma. Clothing exports are an important source of income for Burma’s brutal military dictatorship. The Burma Campaign UK is campaigning to clean the high street of clothing sourced from Burma as part of its …
MEDIA ADVISORY – PHOTO OPPORTUNITY ON FRIDAY THE 8th AUGUST – THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEMOCRACY UPRISING IN BURMA – BURMESE EXILES WILL PROTEST IN PARLIAMENT SQ RELEASE OF BALLOONS 12noon. 8.8.88 was a momentous day in Burmese history. It was the day a mass uprising for democracy began. The uprising was brutally put down …
NEW BURMA ‘DIRTY LIST’ PUBLISHED AUGUST 20TH 2003 ON AUGUST 2OTH 2003 THE BURMA CAMPAIGN UK WILL BE PUBLISHING AN UPDATED VERSION OF ITS ‘DIRTY LIST’ OF COMPANIES HELPING TO FINANCE BURMA’S MILITARY DICTATORSHIP. “The Dirty List exposes companies who are directly or indirectly helping to finance one of the most brutal regimes in the …
The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that luxury travel firm Abercrombie & Kent is to stop operating tours to Burma at the end of this year. The company has been on a ‘dirty list’ of companies in Burma published by the Burma Campaign UK. “This is excellent news,” said Anna Roberts, Campaigns Officer at …
The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that the Royal Society for Asian Affairs is cancelling a planned tourist trip to Burma. The Burma Campaign UK has been lobbying for the Society to call off the trip. Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under arrest in an unknown location, has called for …
The Burma Campaign UK today accused Germany of protecting Burma’s brutal military dictatorship. European Union foreign ministers meeting today were expected to discuss what action they would take against the dictatorship in Burma. However, Germany’s refusal to consider economic sanctions meant that Burma had to be dropped from the agenda. “Than Shwe, the dictator of …
The Burma Campaign UK today described Mondays meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers as crucial in deciding whether the EU will ever be able to agree tough action on Burma. At last month’s meeting Foreign Ministers failed to agree tough action in response to the May 30th arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi and crackdown …
The British government has announced it will be writing to all travel organisations with links to Burma asking them to end their involvement in tourism to the country. Foreign Office minister Mike O’Brien made the announcement in a debate on Burma in the House of Commons just before calling on British American Tobacco to close …
A Dutch campaign against British American Tobacco (BAT) was started today because of BAT’s investments in junta-controlled Burma. Some 30 campaigners from Burma Center Netherlands and Burmese refugees in Holland conducted campaigning activities at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, near the main office of BAT in The Netherlands. The campaigners had made a 2 by 2 by …