Today we bring you an update on the crisis of the violent military occupation of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Earlier this week the military occupiers of Myanmar executed four human rights campaigners. They were found guilty in secret trials.

There was a military coup in Myanmar carried out on Feb 1, 2021. People responded with peaceful protests, with garment workers, the majority of whom are women at the forefront of the protests. The military responded by killing thousands, and many more have been arrested, and rape and torture happen in custody. Many may recall that the military in an earlier operation committed genocide and other atrocities against the Rohingya people. Other lesser- known ethic groups were also attacked and brutalized. Hundreds of thousands were forced to flee their homes. In this round of conflict thousands have also been forced to flee including the tribal Karen people many of whom have had to flee into the forests with their children.

International outrage is growing in part as a result of the recent executions, but also a global campaign has been launched against fashion brands still doing business in Myanmar despite a call from trade unions in Myanmar for the fashion brands to pull out and do it in a way that ensures transparency and that compensation be paid to workers and that they contribute humanitarian aid to people in Myanmar. Well-known brands in the U.S. still doing business in Myanmar where wages of garment workers are $2.50 a day include: Adidas, Guess, H&M and Zara.

There is a bill in the US Congress now called the Burma Act calling for sanctions vs the Myanmar military as well as for humanitarian aid to the people. The bill is now held up in the US Senate. However, the bill fails to call for companies based in the US to pull out of Myanmar. Many companies that pulled out of the Ukraine in protest of the Russian invasion of that country nevertheless have remained in Myanmar.

Under the banner Myanmar Military: Never in Fashion a series of protests have been held in London England against brands including Pimark who are still doing business in Myanmar.

Our guests are Khaing Zar Aun, President of the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar, and London, England-based Laura Watson who works with the Myanmar Military: Never in Fashion campaign and the Global Women’s Strike.