Newsletter for the week of Mar 15–21

Dear GM4MD members,

We hope this newsletter finds you as well as you can be. On all-teams meeting we had on Mar 15, we got to hear updates from different committees.

Advocacy committee is working on campaigns especially in the EU to impose global arms embargo on the Burmese military and take sanctions of MEC and MEHL. There are also grassroots efforts happening in Australia and Canada. Data Science committee is using the DICA database to find traces and connections between companies, investors and the Burmese military. Such data can be used as evidence to show how the Burmese military is using private companies to fund the senseless killings and brutal crackdowns of protestors on the ground. Design committee is also working on graphics, artworks, and visual design aspects. Media committee is connecting with media contacts and individuals via social media around the world and doing research on relevant collectives and organizations.

Partnerships committee is working with student networks, advocacy networks, and protest groups. They have been in contact with Progressive Voice, HBS from Germany, Milk Tea Alliance in Thailand, Mote Oo, and some universities in the U.S. Social Media committee has started using TikTok and has been sharing posts about self-defense and security for protestors. Story Collecting committee has been working on launching this weekly newsletter and a longer writing piece on Medium. Website committee is making improvements on the GM4MD website, working on the Medium blog, and sending out emails to urge people to sign petitions.

Wellness committee has been active on their mental health support group on Facebook with daily postings and weekly events. They are also networking with therapists inside Myanmar and also in the diaspora to connect them to people inside the country. PM committee is pressuring international brands to not punish workers from Burma for participating in the CDM. Exec committee has been doing some interviews with the Straits Times and Thai Enquirer as well as talking to some of the Congress members.

There is an upcoming national virtual protest happening on Mar 20th at 6:30 pm (PST) in the U.S. organized by The US Advocacy Coalition of Myanmar (Burma). A global protest will also be upcoming in Mar 27 which is scheduled to start around 9 am local time in Myanmar. In-person protests are also scheduled to take place on the same day in many locations.

With solidarity and prayers,

Story Collecting Committee