In Myanmar, Western fashion brands are taking advantage of the military coup

Many people have some common countries in mind to find on fast fashion clothing labels: Cambodia, Bangladesh or even Vietnam. Another country of particular concern, suspected by several NGOs of “extreme risk” of modern slavery, is Myanmar. In this Southeast Asian state (formerly Burma), surrounded by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand, political instability has allowed several brands to reap even more profits.

The consequences of the military coup in Myanmar on the fashion industry

In summary, Aung San Suu Kyi, a figure of the nonviolent opposition to the military dictatorship that rages in Myanmar (and Nobel Peace Prize in 1991) was head of government from 2016 to 2021 (as Minister of the State Council of President-elect Htin Kyaw of the National League for Democracy). Until February 1, 2021, when the army arrests him and declares a state of emergency for a year. A sort of coup that many Western fashion brands established in the country have publicly condemned … before re-ordering in private.

A new report from the Business and Human Rights Resource Center, released on July 26, 2022, highlights the inhumane working conditions of mostly female textile workers in Myanmar. This NGO, which studies human rights to promote them around the world, has thus identified more than one hundred violations of labor and human rights:

“The Myanmar military illegally seized power on February 1, 2021. Since then, textile workers – mostly women – have been at the forefront of the country’s civil disobedience movement, risking their lives and livelihoods. to demand an end to the dictatorship and the restoration of democracy in Myanmar. To maintain power, the military responded to opposition and dissent with lethal force. It was reported thatat least 55 union activists were killed and 301 union leaders and members of the labor movement were arrested.

[…] Factories have called for the presence of the army or police to threaten workers and used dictatorship to revoke the hard-won labor rights and protections that unions have fought for over the past two decades. “

Against this violence, the International Labor Organization (a specialized agency of the United Nations since 1946) created a commission of inquiry in March 2022. It therefore deplores ” harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrest and detention of workers
activists, trade unionists and others, including the Rohingya, in the exercise of their human rights. “

These Western fashion brands profit from the coup in Myanmar

Observed the Business and Human Rights Resource Center among 60,800 textile workers in 70 textile factories in Myanmar more than 100 serious violations of human and labor rights, relating to systemic abuses in the supply chains of international trademarks. The factories studied would supply or refuel recently C&A, Inditex (Zara, Bershka), Fast Retailing (UNIQLO), GUESS, H&M, Lidl, New Look or even Primark.

While local and international unions are demanding that international brands withdraw from Myanmar until democracy is restored, only two companies have complied in recent months: Tesco and ALDI South. According to the unions, brands that remain in Myanmar benefit from the suppression of workers’ rights under the military regime. A sign that profits are privileged over human rights these workers, 90% of whom are women (and they make less than $ 2 a day under these circumstances).

Contacted by specialized media Fashion business Regarding this relationship, the brands concerned played several cards to discard:

Inditex disputed some of the allegations and said it was working with suppliers to resolve any issues in a written response to the report. Mango said it no longer operates in Myanmar. The H&M group declined to comment. “

Featured photo credit: pduyma from pixabay via Canva.