First of all thanks to all of you who carried out the GAP 'Guerrilla Pickets' two weeks ago. From what we gather it made an impact. Some stores are getting wind of our protests and two refused to accept a leaflet! Others took them and expressed sympathy for the campaign. Ultimately of course the decision lies with their board and the more pickets we run and the more stores that report 'boycotting activity' the greater our chance of success.
This Saturday you can help the campaign to get GAP (and eventually all companies) to cut off their Sri Lankan trade by carrying out two actions.
Firstly, organise a picket of your local GAP store on Saturday 4th or turn up to our Central ones in Oxford Street, London (we suggest you go the one 15 yards to the right of Oxford Circus exit 7. You will be allocated one of the stores) or in East London go to Romford (in the Brewery complex). We aim to start at 12.00 noon so please don't be late. Contact us urgently if you need leaflets.
Secondly, we have prepared a letter for you to take to your local GAP store (http://gap.eu/stores/). This is attached. You should print it off, place it in an envelope and hand it into your local store(s). Just think of the impact we will have if we can reach every store!!
Directors of Act Now Tim Martin and Graham Williamson are sending an official letter to GAP head office pointing out that tho claim they are 'ethical' they must take account of the environment within which they are operating. They also point to the EU's decision to withdraw the GSP+, the UN's appointment of an Advisory Panel to look at the accusations of War Crimes and the US Government's investigation into labour conditions in Sri Lanka. If Sri Lanka is regarded as 'suspect' then why does GAP keep on trading with them?
We can win this one, Boycotting can work but we need your help. Let's build up the pressure!
Remember - Oxford Street 12.00 noon Sat 4/9 & deliver letter to your local GAP store
War Crimes?
Whilst welcomed, the recently UN appointed Advisory Council will not be hauling the Rajapakse family into the International Court in the Hague. Their remit is not to investigate War Crimes but simply to look at the 'way forward'! This is clearly a half-way house to appease those who wish to cover up wrong doings in Sri Lanka.
Act Now has therefore launched a petition asking the President of the USA, the Prime Minister of the UK and the UN Secretary General calling for a full United Nations Commission of Inquiry with a specific, fact-finding mandate to address the question of whether international crimes against humanity including war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka.
On the August Bank holiday weekend Act Now activists launched the petition at the Shambala festival (in central England) by collecting thousands of signature from festival goers. An online letter version will soon be available on our upcoming revamped website. Watch this space!
If you can't make the Boycott pickets you can.........donate to the campaign!
* For just £10 a month you will help us keep up the boycotting pressure upon the IC and Sri Lanka to bring peace and justice to Tamils (please request one via info.actnow@gmail.com)
* Alternatively you can give a one-off donation via our website by clicking on the link below to donate via PayPal. PayPal is a secure and a simple way to send and receive money online at http://www.act-now.info/Site/Donations.html
* Or contribute directly to our ethical bank account at the Co-operative at:
Act Now - Sort Code: 089299 A/C No: 6537322200.
* Or send a cheque ASAP to ACT NOW, c/o of our address at PO Box 4351, Hornchurch RM12 4PJ. We will acknowledge your donation and keep you posted.
Please contact us if you wish to help any of our campaigns on info.actnow@gmail.com and also forward this message to all.
For further information, please contact:
Tim Martin, Director, Act Now
Tel: +44(0)7817 504 227
Email: info.actnow@gmail.com
Site: www.act-now.info
Graham Williamson, Director, Act Now
Tel: +44(0)7970 455 445
Email: info.actnow@gmail.com
Site: www.act-now.info