Buffalohair: People Power Sanctions will Defeat Burma’s Tyrant
Posted in Asia on May 19, 2009 by buffalohair 
Whether or not a cab driver gave John William Yettaw a ride from the airport to Aung San Suu Kyi’s compound on May 2nd would be of no importance to the junta. Video and a host of eye witnesses would have no bearing in this case either since it’s not about justice or the rule of law. No one in their right mind would testify since it would be a death sentence if they opposed the junta. It’s all about securing the 2010 election and Aung San Suu Kyi needed to be neutralized in order to guarantee success for the military junta. Sadly, Gen. Than Shwe shot himself in the foot with this latest egregious and criminal act. Not only world leaders are appalled by his conduct but the average citizen’s of the world have joined the ranks of the disgusted.
More and more Asian nations are taking a stand on the side of sensibility and honor as this drama unfolds. Call it a marketing ploy but it will soon come to pass when consumers realize their power over corporations and politicians. If millions of people across the globe decide not to buy products from countries and corporations favorable to Than Shwe they can negatively influence the corporate bottom line and cripple economies. Now that everyone on the planet is aware of Than She’s scam it is time to launch a financial offensive.
Store shelves in every country on the planet are filled with goods and supplies manufactured by a myriad of corporations who are invested in Burma in spite of sanctions imposed on Than Shwe’s government. This is the primary reason sanctions did not succeed in the first place. It is time to sanction companies who’ve supported Burma in earnest, but really mean it. If everyone who is aware of Aung San Suu Kyi’s plight is truly sincere about their concern they will pay more attention to the names of corporations and countries that finance Burma. Nations can’t achieve what the average citizen can as far as sanctions are concerned. We have the same financial clout as The World Bank if we put our minds to it. Daewoo is only one of many corporations heavily invested in Burma’s tyranny and they fill shelves with electronic contraptions and cars on every highway on the Globe. If everyone “just said no” to Daewoo products Daewoo would be forced to divest in Burma. Suzuki is another one of Japans corporations who are in partnership with Than Shwe. US and European firms also share the dishonor of working with Asia’s devil. See *“Dirty List” for more details.
CPG a subsidiary of **Australian engineering firm Downer EDI pulled out of the lucrative Naypyidaw Airport project when a freelance journalist exposed their involvement with Than Shwe. If you don’t buy corporations will die proving the all mighty dollar is a corporate weapon of mass destruction. Than Shwe may ignore the outcry from the world but he will not be able to ignore nations and corporations who divest themselves of Burma. China is waiting in the wings to see how far the world will go to before they state their position. Why, well according to sources inside of China it is all about commerce to them and if it is deemed more profitable to join the movement to free Burma, they will. But if this is nothing but another impotent attempt with no momentum they will side with Burma. It’s all about the money and this is why it is absolutely important that the people of the globe unite in a grass roots boycott of goods, countries and corporations who are invested in Burma. That will wipe the smile off Than Shwe’s face.
If one freelance journalist can expose and force a billion dollar corporation to cease and desist operations in Burma then an army of zealous people from around the world can cripple all the major corporations of the globe if they do not cease and desist in operations within Burma. China would side with humanity since it would be more profitable. If we isolated companies and countries doing business with Than Shwe this would send a financial weapon of mass destruction into their already frail economies. With the eyes of the world on Burma today participation in a massive financial crack down would be a resounding success. Governments and Sanctions can’t do it alone. But if everyone on an individual basis were to take the time to expose companies involved in Burma we can make a difference. Without consumer cash corporations and economies will die.
If corporate and economic issues are to take precedents over humanity then it’s time for humanity to use economics in its battle for human rights. Fight fire with fire.
*Dirty List provided by Burma Campaign UK
Your Devil’s Advocate
Buffalohair
http://buffalohair.wordpress.com/
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