 Protest
against uniforms (made in Burma) of Olympic torch bearers
8 Feb 2002, At the same day that the official opening of the Winter
Games 2002 takes place in Salt Lake City, the Dutch Clean Clothes
Campaign, the Dutch Trade Union Federation FNV, NOVIB (Oxfam NL)
and the Burma Centre of the Netherlands organized an alternative
opening ceremony on the Damsquare, situated in the heart of Amsterdam.
 
The protest was organized because the torch bearers of the Wintergames
wear uniforms that are made in Burma (the supplying company is based
in the US and called "Marker"). A 12 metre high olympic
tower was erected, and Agnes Jongerius, board member of the FNV,
gave a speech and following ensured that the Olympic flame also
burned on top of the 12 meter high tower. She told the audience
that Burma is a country with a violent and undemocratic regime,
where forced labour and torture are practiced at a large scale.
Companies cannot make use of Burmese products without the military
regime benefitting from it. She called upon the International Olympic
Committee to change it's buying policy. Two nine metre high inflatable
Buddha's (national symbol of Burma) watched peacefully over the
proceedings.
Activists from the CCC and the other organizations for this day
observed"wintersport dresscode" and came with skates,
ski's, parka's and sunglasses.
The protest followed an original report of US torchbearer Leslie
Kretzu, who found out that her uniform was made in Burma and ran
barefoot as a protest in general against the bad working conditions
found in sportswear producing factories. A letter was sent to the
IOC on february the 4th, signed by many organisations. We will continue
to gather signatures for this letter in the event that the IOC does
not adopt a position against the purchase and use of products in
Burma as requested. You can find the
letter here. Please sign on!
Earlier this week the International Confederation of Free Trade
Unions also called upon the IOC to investigate official Olympic
Games clothing supplier 'Marker' . In a letter sent to Jacques Rogge,
President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), ICFTU General
Secretary Guy Ryder stated that, "no responsible organisation
or body should make use of products originating in Burma. This is
particularly true for an organisation that has a goal to 'contribute
to building a peaceful and better world"
Clean Clothes Campaign
PO Box 11584
1001 GN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: + 31 20 4122785
fax: + 31 20 4122786
e-mail:info@cleanclothes.org
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