>**Ames Holiday Boycott** **Please distribute widely**
>
>Dear Friends of Burma,
>
>Last time you took a moment to strike you a blow for justice we succeeded in
>getting goods made in Burma out of Pottery Barn stores! Now, please let Ames
>Department stores know that you have joined the boycott against them for
>selling goods from Burma. Burma's military regime gets only richer because
>of these deals and Ames ought not help keep them in power. Let them know you
>will do your shopping elsewhere this holiday season and remind them that.
>
>Email Ames at
[log in to unmask], tell them you are boycotting
>them this holiday season and until they stop sourcing goods from Burma.
>Don't forget to remind them that even Wal-Mart and K-Mart don't sell goods
>from Burma.
>
>Thanks, and please distribute this as widely as possible!
>
>Jeremy Woodrum
>
>Free Burma Coalition
>
>========================================================================
>
>Why Ames?
>
>Ames is a major retailer of garments from Burma – a Southeast Asian country
>ruled by a brutal military dictatorship. But Ames should know better: the
>garment industry in Burma is closely tied to a modern form of slave labor.
>
>Garment companies in Burma are controlled completely by the dictators, whom
>have been criticized by the U.S. State Department, the United Nations,
>Amnesty International, and others for brutal violations of human
>rights --killing, torture, a modern form of slave labor, and rape. Nobel
>Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is among the many democracy supporters
>in Burma who have called for foreign businesses to stay away from
>
>Burma until there is democracy and rule of law. It is bad enough that
>companies like Ames prop up Burma’s military dictators, but Burma’s garment
>sweatshops are especially destructive. "Industrial parks" and infrastructure
>have been built with forced labor, and since these sweatshops are always
>controlled by the military –the profits from Burma’s sweatshop products and
>taxes allow the junta to further their oppression.
>
>Why does Ames sell goods from Burma when it has been informed that people
>suffer as a result and over 25 other companies, including Ames’ main
>competitors, refuse to do so? We’ve tried to figure this out. In May 2001,
>over twenty human rights groups and labor unions, including the Lawyers
>Committee for Human Rights, Global Exchange, UNITE!, and others sent a
>letter to Ames CEO Joseph Ettore asking that Ames clean up its act and stop
>importing from Burma. Six months later, Ames has not replied.
>
>Given Ames’ lack of response, the one possible reason they continue the
>despicable practice is simple: profits. Ames may be making millions of
>dollars off goods from Burma, while helping Burma’s dictators reap millions
>more.
>
>What YOU can DO:
>
>Ø Boycott Ames Department Stores THIS HOLIDAY SEASON until Ames stops
>importing and retailing from Burma!
>
>Ø Send an email to CEO Joe Ettore and let him know you are boycotting Ames
>until they stop selling goods from Burma:
[log in to unmask] Be
>sure to mention:
>
>1). That you are outraged that Ames is having their own products made in
>Burma
>
>2). You are outraged that Ames retails such huge quantities of other
>products made in Burma,
>
>3). You won’t shop at Ames until they clean up their act and cut ties to
>Burma, and
>
>4). You will encourage your family and friends to also boycott Ames
>
>For more info. on the Ames Holiday Boycott: www.freeburmacoalition.org
>
>202-547-5985
>