A triumph for human rights!!

The Switzerland based company Triumph International will close down their facility in Burma because the military regime violates human rights and continues the use of forced labour. With this step Triumph reacts to the international protests of the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC). The CCC in Switzerland first demanded Triumph International to cease production in Burma in January 2001, following the call for disinvestments made by the Burmese opposition. Actions were rapidly taken up by CCCs and many others in Europe and abroad: tens of thousands of protest cards and letters were send and several actions were organized at different offices of Triumph. In Norway the Olympic Team refused a sponsoring contract with Triumph because of the facility in Burma.

The CCC expects from Triumph International that it will assume the responsibility for the Burmese workers through a generous social plan. In order to prevent socially unacceptable production conditions we expect Triumph to agree to the model code of the CCC (based on the standards of the International Labour Organisation) and ensure its independent verification.

The withdrawal is a victory for the many activists and consumers that participated in the protests organized in Europe and abroad over the past year, and a victory for the Free Trade Union of Burma (in exile) and the entire Burmese opposition.

The CCC will continue its campaign regarding Burma. It has recently come to our attention that the uniforms from the Olympic torch bearers for the Salt Lake City Winter Games are made in Burma by a US based company named Marker. Together with the Free Burma Coalition and other activists worldwide we are preparing appropriate actions.

Christa de Bruin, International Secretariat Clean Clothes Campaign,
Tel.: 0031 (0)20 412 27 85 or 0031 (0)6 52 04 10 87, fax 0031 (0)20 412 27 86
Stefan Indermuhle, co-ordinator of the Swiss Clean Clothes Campaign
Tel.: 0041 (0)1 277 70 10, fax 0041 (0)1 277 70 01