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| Southeast Asia |
| Thailand Muslims declare US-product free zones |
| 2003-01-26 |
| Kazi Mahmood for Islam Online Muslims in the southern province of Yala decided to boycott all U.S. products, erecting sign boards and bill boards calling the province "U.S. product free zones" news agencies said Saturday January 25. The boycott is organized by the National Association of Muslim Youth (NAMY), together with Muslim communities and schools across southern Thailand the Oana/TNA news agency reported. Without knowing anything about it, I'd guess that the NAMY is either affiliated with or modeled on the World Association of Muslim Youth — a Soddy organization. Muslims are boycotting U.S. products in protest of the looming U.S.-led war on Iraq just as they did at the time of the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan. The concerted effort by Muslims was made necessary in order to curb the influence of U.S. based products. They called on shops in the province to cooperate in refusing to sell U.S. goods, particularly soft drinks. "You ain't gonna sell Merkin products, are you? It'd be a real shame if your shop burnt down, wouldn't it?" NAMY deputy president Wisit Tadein said Friday, January 24, that the boycott would begin in the Yala districts of Talaat Kao, Talaat Seri and Marakas Yala, where signs had already been erected. In the meantime, the locals involved had signed documents declaring their intention to cooperate in refusing to stock U.S. goods. "Put the bludgeon down. I'll sign..." Over 150 grocery stores in the three areas would also post signs saying that they would not stock Coca-Cola in particular. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #4 I can see it now. This will be the beginning of a whole new cottage industry: Relabeling imported products from Infedilia with brands with locally catchy logos. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-01-26 16:55:05 |
| #3 This ex-Catholic priest is a media hero in the North-West, even though he is a WAMY chaplain: www.islamtomorrow.com |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-26 14:33:13 |
| #2 Do you think they'll boycott the HIV medications? I man Thailand is leading the world in infection rates after all. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-01-26 12:19:40 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-01-26 09:05:46 |