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 exports are a major source of income for the Burma’s brutal military dictatorship. The Burma Campaign UK is campaigning to persuade high street retailers not to source clothing there. Most major high street clothing retailers, including M&S, Next, ASDA, H&M, Littlewoods, Debenhams, Warehouse, House of Fraser and BHS, now have policies not to source from Burma.
On July 16th 2003 JJB Sports told the Burma Campaign UK: “We do not source any of our stock from Burma and have no intentions of doing so.”
“JJB Sports have broken their word,” said Yvette Mahon, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “It is pointless having a policy if it is not enforced. JJB must now get an assurance from Kappa that they will stop sourcing from Burma or refuse to carry any more Kappa stock. JJB must also demonstrate how they plan to enforce their policy in the future.”
Italian sportswear giant Kappa – makers of the Tottenham Hotspur and Welsh national football team kits – is already the target of a boycott campaign in Italy because of its links with Burma.
The Burma Campaign UK is urging its supporters to bombard JJB Sports and Kappa with campaign emails telling them they will be boycotting the companies until they cut their ties with Burma.
“Companies sourcing clothes from Burma are helping to fund a dictatorship that uses rape, torture and murder to oppress its own people,” says Yvette Mahon. “Customers of JJB and Kappa will be shocked to hear they are involved with this dictatorship.”
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has also condemned companies trading with Burma. In June he told the House of Commons: “..we do not believe that trade is appropriate when the regime continues to suppress the basic human rights of its people.”
In addition to the boycott campaign, JJB Sports and Kappa will also be added to the “Dirty List’ of companies directly or indirectly funding the regime in Burma.
In August another Italian sportswear company, Lotto, announced it would stop sourcing from Burma after being lobbied by the Burma Campaign UK.
For more information contact Yvette Mahon, Director of the Burma Campaign UK, on 020 7324 4714 or Mark Farmaner, Media Officer, on 020 7324 4713