Author: Simon Billenness

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Will you help us for Human Rights Day?

Saturday was Human Rights Day. It’s a day to reflect on how we can take effective action in support the rights of others.

This is also a day when we can celebrate our successful week in Washington, DC. Because of our year-long lobbying for the BURMA Act, Congress is on the brink of passing a significant new package of support for human rights advocates and pro-democracy forces in Myanmar.

Today, would you honor Human Rights Day by making a gift to support our work?

Earlier this month, we woke up to horrific reports that Burmese military jets bombed a music festival in Kachin state in northern Myanmar, killing at least eighty people. Artists, musicians and families were there. And the Myanmar military sent warplanes to bomb it.

When the Myanmar junta commits atrocities, we respond immediately to hold them accountable. You are one of over 20,000 people in the United States who has taken action to lobby Congress or pressure companies that support the Burmese junta. Together, we can end the Burmese army’s brutal and corrupt rule.

We must keep up our struggle to end the Myanmar military’s atrocities. Today would you make a gift to support our work in 2023?

Every week, we swing into action. We provide you with the tools to make sure your voice is heard.

Working together, we’ve pushed the Biden Administration to impose sanctions on the Myanmar military and Congress to pass the BURMA Act. Our pressure was crucial in forcing oil giants Chevron and TotalEnergies to announce their withdrawal from Myanmar.

Today, would you help build on our momentum by making a one-time or sustaining recurring gift to support our work?

Our supporters have stepped up in impressive numbers. Our email list of supporters has grown almost exponentially to over 600,000. This includes over 300,000 people inside Myanmar who can take our actions targeting corporations from the safety of their homes.

However, we face a gap between the money we’re raising and the money we need. We have ambitious plans to help support and organize our supporters given the massive increase in their numbers. That’s why we ask you now for your additional financial help.

Please just click here make a one-time or sustaining recurring gift to support our work.

Each week, we make it easy for you to make your voice heard by your government or in corporate boardrooms.  Your gift will build our grassroots movement to end the atrocities and the repression of the Burmese army. Your support will fund our campaigns to:

  • lobby governments worldwide to impose sanctions on Burma’s generals and their business empire;
  • put our consumer, shareholder, and media pressure on corporations to end their business partnerships with Burma’s army;
  • organize students and faculty to press their campus to step up and join the movement to end genocide in Myanmar and throughout the world;
  • promote “end genocide” bills in cities and states globally.

To build up our campaigns, your one-time or recurring sustaining gift would have a significant impact.

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We must stop the flow of money to MOGE

Stop funding MOGE

Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, organized citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

You proved that right last week when you successfully pressed luxury jeweller Harry Winston to stop buying gems from Myanmar. This week, let’s stay focused on the oil companies Chevron, TotalEnergies, and POSCO. Together, we can stop the funding to MOGE.

Recently leaked documents published by Justice for Myanmar provide conclusive evidence that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is personally concerned that Myanmar’s oil and gas revenues (MOGE) keep flowing to the junta.

The Myanmar military receives about half of its funding from oil and gas revenues. Cutting this flow of blood money from the oil companies Chevron, Total, and Posco is crucial to ending the army’s reign of terror. This is also fundamental to what No Business with Genocide strives to do.

If you have already signed this petition to Chevron demanding it stop funding MOGE and the Myanmar military.

Please follow up by posting protest messages on the social media of Chevron and Total. Here’s a sample protest message for you to adapt and post.

I will boycott you until you stop the flow of money from the Yadana Project in Myanmar to the Burmese military junta.

Like their Facebook pages and post protest messages

Let’s make a point of posting on the social media of Chevron and TotalEnergies every day until they stop funding the Myanmar military.

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You did it! Harry Winston stops selling Burmese Rubies

Harry Winston

Under pressure, Harry Winston announces it will no longer sell #GenocideGems

International Campaign for the Rohingya applauds the announcement today by luxury jeweler Harry Winston that it will stop buying gems that originate from Myanmar (Burma). 

In a post to its social media, Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) announced today that it “will no longer source gemstones from its suppliers that have Burmese origins, regardless of their importation dates.” 

Harry Winston currently sells two jewelry pieces with gems originally described by the jeweler as Burmese. 

Harry Winston announced its decision on the day when International Campaign for the Rohingya and No Business With Genocide delivered to Harry Winston’s flagship New York city store a petition with over 25 thousand signers that demanded the jeweler stop buying Burmese origin gems that profit the Myanmar military. 

“Myanmar produces more than 90% of the world’s rubies and jade, and these stones command the highest prices on the international market. The military dominates the gemstone industry in Myanmar. Its extensive commercial interests in gemstone extraction and trade mean that the military profits when high-end jewelry retailers buy Burmese gems for their collections,” stated Simon Billenness, Executive Director of International Campaign for the Rohingya and Director of No Business With Genocide. 

The United Nations-mandated International Independent Fact-Finding Mission urged the international community to “sever ties with Myanmar’s military and the vast web of companies it controls and relies on” as “any foreign business activity involving the Tatmadaw (military) and its conglomerates MEHL and MEC poses a high risk of contributing to, or being linked to, violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. At a minimum, these foreign companies are contributing to supporting the Tatmadaw’s financial capacity.” 

Harry Winston item featuring Burmese gems 

“Dancing Flames Necklace” 

Original description: “A festival of fascinating colors, it symbolizes fiery passion with a 5.02 carat sugar loaf Burmese ruby with 11 round rubies weighing a total of approximately 3.72 carats.” 

“Winston Promise Pendant” 

Original description: “An inspiring sign of commitment, a heart-shaped diamond pendant formed of 32 baguette and 6 pear-shaped colorless diamonds weighing a total of approximately 3.73 carats is crowned with a 1.39 carat heart-shaped Burmese ruby.  

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Burma is burning

Burma is burning

The Myanmar military is building up troops and equipment in Chin State and neighboring areas in North-Western Burma. This past week, the Myanmar military has burned down homes and churches in the Chin town of Thantlang. We are concerned that the military is on the verge of a large-scale offensive against civilians, using tactics ominously reminiscent of its attacks against the Rohingya in 2016 and 2017.

According to new satellite data analyzed by Human Rights Watch, the Myanmar military has used incendiary rockets in Thantlang to burn down over a hundred buildings, including homes, churches, and an orphanage. Save the Children stated that one of its facilities had been destroyed, leaving the charity concerned about the safety of 20 children believed to remain in the town. In response to these new war crimes, we demand that Congress pass the Burma Act of 2021 imposing tough sanctions on the Myanmar military.

Even if you’ve sent a message before, click here today to urge your U.S. senators and representative to co-sponsor the Burma Act of 2021.

Introduced in the Senate (S.2937) and the House (H.R.5497) by Senator Ben Cardin and Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Burma Act of 2021 will, not only hold accountable the Myanmar military but also provide support to Burmese civil society and much needed humanitarian assistance directly to the Myanmar people. Now, let’s demand our Members of Congress sign on as co-sponsors of the Burma Act of 2021.

Please follow up your message in these four easy – yet powerful – ways.

Follow up #1: Check out our training sessions. The Manager of our Campaign for a New Manager, Mike Haack, leads training sessions for the best ways to communicate with Congress and other elected officials. They are held on Sundays at 6:00 pm US EDT and Tuesdays at 9:00 pm US EDT. Simply join the Zoom call using this short link: https://www.tinyurl.com/CallCongress4Burma. You can also email Mike with any questions at [email protected].

Follow up #2: Join our lobbying efforts. We can support you with setting up meetings by Zoom with your Congressional offices. Again, contact Mike Haack, from the Campaign for a New Myanmar, to take part of that at [email protected].

Follow up #3: email and call your senators’ staffer

Call 202-225-2131 and ask for your Senator’s office. Ask them for the foreign affairs staff member’s name and contact information.

You may wish to use a succinct and direct subject line such as: “Please co-sponsor the Burma Act of 2021”

Start your message with a mention of where you live in the state. Feel free to include a sentence or two on why you care about human rights and Myanmar in particular. Please use or adapt the following text in your email. Please blind copy (bcc) us on your email at [email protected].

I ask that my senator co-sponsor and support the Burma Act of 2021 (S.2937).

The US. Congress must show leadership in forcing the Burmese army to stand down from its coup d’etat and release all civilian government and civil society figures from detention. Congress must also show support for Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and its democratic and multi-ethnic new National Unity Government (NUG).

Please write back and tell me what actions my senator will take in response to the Myanmar military’s coup d’etat. Thank you.

If you receive a reply, forward it to us at [email protected]. (And please tell us of any changes or additions to your senators’ staffers.)

Follow up #4: call your senators’ staffer

  • When you reach their office, ask to be connected directly to the staffer.
  • Simply tell the staffer – in person or on their voicemail – you want your senator to co-sponsor and support the Burma Act of 2021 (S.2937). (Ask them to contact Senator Ben Cardin’s office to sign up as a co-sponsor.)
  • Leave your name, number, and city of residence to indicate that you live in the state or congressional district.
  • Follow up with an email to the staffer and blind copy (bcc) us at [email protected]
  • Email us at [email protected] and tell us how your calls went. (And please tell us of any changes or additions to your senators’ staffers.)

Just one meeting, email, or phone call from a constituent can make a difference. Your Members of Congress need to know that you want Congress to act. The people of Myanmar can’t wait any longer.

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Facebook: Ban the Myanmar Military

Facebook

It’s long past time for Facebook to take down the pages of Myanmar military companies.

These military-owned companies help fund the army and the atrocities it commits. And the social media giant continues to allow the Burmese military to use its accounts to spread hate speech, recruit soldiers, and build its lucrative business empire.

Please click here to demand that Facebook delete the Myanmar military’s accounts

Since the military coup on 1st February, 30 countries have imposed sanctions on Myanmar military companies because of the role they play in funding the military.

“So far genocide, crimes against humanity, and a military coup have not been enough to persuade Facebook that allowing the military to use it to make money is a bad idea,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK.

Take action to stop the Myanmar military from making money off Facebook

Our pressure on corporations works. You successfully pressed Western Union and Kirin to end their business partnerships with the Burmese military. By sharing our petitions widely, we can build our movement to end the Myanmar military’s corrupt and brutal rule.

Please sign – and share – our petition to demand Facebook delete the Myanmar military.

Learn more about what’s happening to the Chin here.

If you have been following us, you know that we have been working hard to get the U.S. Congress to produce and pass the #BurmaBill. Your efforts made that happen! You can learn more about the bill here.

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Help us help the Chin

The Myanmar military is deploying tens of thousands of troops and heavy weapons to Chin State northern Myanmar. These tactics are ominously reminiscent of those the army employed in its genocidal attacks against the Rohingya in 2016 and 2017. The Chin people cannot wait.

In response, U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet urged Singapore to help restrict the Myanmar military’s access to foreign funds. Singapore is one of Myanmar’s largest foreign investors and its banks hold junta assets.

We can help stop more atrocities in Myanmar. We are doing this by pressing our governments and our corporations to end the flow of money to the Myanmar military. We’ve always known that we’ll be in this struggle for the long haul. With that in mind, would you make a sustaining gift each month to support our crucial work?

Click here to make a monthly sustaining gift of $10, $25, $50, or $100.

Thank you for your previous generous gifts. These past few months, you have stepped up your donations and helped build our campaigns that hit back hard against the Myanmar military.

Currently, we raise just over $1,700 per month through recurring gifts. Would you turn your one-time gift into a recurring donation to help put us over $2,500 in steady monthly support?

Please click here to make a monthly sustaining gift of $10, $25, $50, or $100 to build our pressure on Burma’s military.

Your sustaining monthly gift would help build our campaigns that both support the Civil Disobedience Movement and hit Myanmar’s military hard.

Your gift will build our grassroots movement to end the atrocities and the repression of the Burmese army. Your support will fund our campaigns to:

  • lobby governments worldwide to impose sanctions on Burma’s generals and their business empire;
  • put consumer, shareholder, and media pressure on corporations – such as Facebook, Cloudflare, Harry Winston, and Chevron – to end their business partnerships with Burma’s army;
  • organize students and faculty to press their campus to step up and join the movement to end genocide in Burma and throughout the world;
  • promote “end genocide” bills in cities and states globally.

To build up our campaigns, please make a monthly sustaining gift of $10, $25, $50, or $100.

Thank you so much for your time and your support.

Learn more about the #BurmaBill here.

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#Stop GenocideGems from funding the Myanmar Military

#GenocideGems

You may have heard of #BloodDiamonds, but how much do you know about #GenocideGems? Myanmar produces more than 90% of the world’s rubies and jade, and these stones command the highest prices on the international market. Because it dominates Burma’s gemstone industry, the Myanmar military profits when high-end jewelry retailers – like Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) – buy Burmese gems for their collections.

Today, let’s take four actions to hold Harry Winston – and its owner Swatch – to account. They need to stop profiting from the sale of #GenocideGems.

Action #1: Share our petition to Harry Winston

Since you’ve already signed our petition to Harry Winston, please share the petition with your friends and family. Use this link.

Action #2: Post on the social media of Harry Winston and Swatch

In addition to signing the petition, follow up by posting messages on the companies’ social media accounts.

Copy the message below and adapt it as you wish. Add it as a comment on posts showcasing jewelry or watches on the Facebook and Instagram pages of Harry Winston and Swatch.

I refuse to buy your brands while Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) buys #GenocideGems from Myanmar that profit the Burmese military and its atrocities against the peoples of Myanmar.

Read the truth about Harry Winston here. https://bit.ly/HarryWinston_NoGenocideGems

Use the links below to the jeweler’s social media.

Don’t neglect to post similar comments on the companies’ LinkedIn page. Join us in telling the companies on their job postings why you would never work for a company that supports the Myanmar military.

Action #3: Make an appointment to protest at your local Harry Winston store

In addition to signing the petition, would you follow up by visiting one of Harry Winston’s stores?

Click on this link to make an appointment at one of Harry Winston’s swanky stores. If you can turn up for the appointment, ask to see the jewelry with rubies. Then explain to the store manager why you would never buy from Harry Winston as long as it buys gems that profit the Myanmar military.

Breaking! One of our awesome activists in the UK just visited Harry Winston’s London store. Let’s make sure Harry Winston hears from us at every store worldwide!

Action #4: Attend our virtual comedy night. 

On September 16 at 8:00 pm, some of the funniest people on the planet will come together to support our work on behalf of the Burmese people. You can learn more about the event here and you can buy your tickets here.  This is a virtual event.

We can and must build our pressure on Myanmar’s military. Your actions have moved your governments to pass tough sanctions and successfully pressed companies, such as Western Union, online jeweler Angara, and Kirin brewery, to end their business partnerships with the Burmese military. We can stop the sale of #GenocideGems.

Your gifts will help us keep building the campaigns and tools that we need to take effective action together. Please click here to make a gift of $30, $60, $120, $250, or more. Learn more about our other actions for the Rohingya here.

Harry Winston item featuring Burmese gems

For Further Reading:

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When will Secretary Blinken recognize the genocide in Myanmar?

Antony Blinken

Let’s hold the Myanmar military accountable.

Last week, we joined over 90 organizations calling on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to publicly determine that Myanmar has committed genocide and crimes against humanity against the Rohingya people. This is a crucial initiative to hold the Myanmar military accountable for its atrocities throughout the country.

Lead sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin and Rep. Gregory Meeks, the new Burma bill to be introduced shortly in Congress will, not only hold accountable the Myanmar military for its mass atrocities, but also to provide much needed humanitarian assistance directly to the Myanmar people. Now, let’s make the final push to get this bill introduced!

Even if you’ve sent a message before, click here today to urge your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the new Burma bill.

This Wednesday, we will mark the fourth anniversary of the Myanmar military’s worst crackdown on the Rohingya, a campaign that killed thousands and forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. It’s long past time for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to declare that the Rohingya are genocide victims.

Such a designation by the U.S. government will underpin the case for further US sanctions on the Myanmar military junta and assistance to Burmese civil society organizations. It would also improve the prospect for growing US recognition of the democratic and multi-ethnic National Unity Government of Myanmar.

Click here to join the thousands signing our petition to Secretary Blinken calling on him to recognize the Myanmar military’s genocide of the Rohingya.

We need your help to keep up our important work. Learn more about how you can help us here.

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We need your help

Six short months ago, we witnessed the Myanmar military depose the civilian government in a coup d’etat. Using the same tactics that it used against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities, the Burmese army has brutally cracked down on the new, young, and multi-ethnic Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).

In response, we immediately swung into action. Just hours after the military coup, we launched petitions to the Biden Administration and Congress to impose tough and targeted sanctions on the military and support the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). We threw everything we had into building on our campaigns to end the Myanmar military’s genocide of the Rohingya and launch our broader Campaign for a New Myanmar.Click here to make a gift. Your support will us raise together the $50,000 we need to sustain our crucial advocacy work through year-end.
When the Myanmar people most needed help, you stepped up. Your collective voices have had a significant impact.

  • You put effective pressure on the White House. Since the coup, the U.S. Administration has been the leader worldwide in imposing further tough and targeted sanctions on the military and its business interests.
  • Congress heeds your voice. Thanks to thousands of your emails, phone calls, and meetings, Congress will soon introduce a comprehensive new “Burma bill” supporting the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and further holding the military to account.
  • Your campaign of “citizen sanctions” forced companies to end partnerships with the Myanmar military. You successfully pressed Cartier, Western Union, and Kirin to end their business partnerships with the Myanmar military.Because of your pressure, oil giants Chevron and Total have suspended a portion of their payments to the military-controlled Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise.

This fall, let’s dig deep to support our work to hold the Myanmar military to account.
Your gift is crucial this fall as we further build our grassroots movement to end the atrocities and the repression of the Burmese army. Your support will fund our campaigns to:

  • lobby governments worldwide to impose sanctions on Burma’s generals and their business empire;
  • put consumer, shareholder, and media pressure on corporations – such as Facebook, Cloudflare, and Chevron – to end their business partnerships with Burma’s army;
  • organize students and faculty to press their campus to step up and join the movement to end genocide in Burma and throughout the world;
  • promote “end genocide” bills in cities and states globally.

Please make a gift of $30, $60, or $120 to help sustain and expand our vital work.

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Cut off the Myanmar military’s gem money

Myanmar produces more than 90% of the world’s rubies and jade, and these stones command the highest prices on the international market. Because it dominates Burma’s gemstone industry, the Myanmar military profits when high-end jewelry retailers – like Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) – buy Burmese gems for their collections.

Today, let’s take three actions to hold Harry Winston – and its owner Swatch – to account,.

Action #1: Share our petition to Harry Winston

Since you’ve already signed our petition to Harry Winston, please share the petition with your friends and family. Use this short link: https://bit.ly/HarryWinston_NoGenocideGems

Action #2: Post on the social media of Harry Winston and Swatch

In addition to signing the petition, follow up by posting messages on the companies’ social media accounts.

Copy the message below and adapt it as you wish. Add it as a comment on posts showcasing jewelry or watches on the Facebook and Instagram pages of Harry Winston and Swatch.

I refuse to buy your brands while Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) buys #GenocideGems from Myanmar that profit the Burmese military and its atrocities against the peoples of Myanmar.

Read the truth about Harry Winston here. https://bit.ly/HarryWinston_NoGenocideGems

Use the links below to the jeweler’s social media.

Harry Winston’s Facebook

Harry Winston’s Instagram

Swatch’s Facebook

Swatch’s Instagram

Don’t neglect to post similar comments on the companies’ LinkedIn page. Join us in telling the companies on their job postings why you would never work for a company that supports the Myanmar military.

Harry Winston’s LinkedIn

Swatch’s LinkedIn

Action #3: Make an appointment to protest at your local Harry Winston store

In addition to signing the petition, would you follow up by visiting one of Harry Winston’s stores?

Click on this link to make an appointment at one of Harry Winston’s swanky stores. If you can turn up for the appointment, ask to see the jewelry with rubies. Then explain to the store manager why you would never buy from Harry Winston as long as it buys gems that profit the Myanmar military.

We can and must build our pressure on Myanmar’s military. Your actions have moved your governments to pass tough sanctions and successfully pressed companies, such as Western Union, online jeweler Angara, and Kirin brewery, to end their business partnerships with the Burmese military.

Together, we can build our movement to end the Myanmar military’s corrupt and brutal rule.