Pan Pan

After the 2021 military coup, a widespread strike movement emerged, driven by revolutionary forces that strongly advocated opposing the military regime by boycotting military-produced products. This strategic move aimed to disrupt the flow of revenue to the junta.

Residents of Yangon said that the junta was resorting to coercive measures to undermine the strike. One Yangon resident revealed that some restaurants had been coerced into exclusively selling alcohol and beer produced by the military, leaving no alternative options available.

"In the two or three beer shops I visited, which were medium-sized restaurants, it appeared they could not pay much in the way of bribes, so they were forced to sell only military-affiliated beer brands. That’s just my thought. Please don’t use my name. They only offered 'Myanmar' Beer and Blackshield when it came to beer options. When I inquired about the availability of other beer brands, they responded with a 'No.' The reason for not selling other brands remained unknown. In fact, they should sell all brands,”said a Yangon resident. 

“They [restaurant owners] didn't answer that question, but the reason is obvious. People are boycotting products of military-owned businesses, so the authorities will put pressure on the shops they can control,” he said. 

Myanmar Beer, Blackshield, Burbrit, Mandalay Beverages, Andaman Gold Beer, Dagon Beer and Tiger Beer are products produced by the military-related businesses, so the revolutionary forces urge restaurants and liquor stores not to sell these products. However, Yangon residents said that shops that did not sell these items in the past years are now selling these products again.

Mizzima reached out to several shop owners who had resumed selling these products, but they declined to provide an explanation when questioned about their reasons. According to local sources, there are rumours that the junta has pressured these shop owners into stocking military-produced products in their shops. 

Another Yangon resident said, “I've encountered shops that only stock military-produced beers. I don't sit in those shops. I don't want to drink the alcoholic beverage they produce.”
 
“If you inquire about the success of the boycott against military-produced products, it's a mixed picture, about 50-50. Allow me to clarify. The majority of people actively participated in boycotting military-produced products. However, recently, there has been increased pressure from authorities, preventing some from participating in the boycott. Particularly, elderly people don't dare to go on boycott anymore,” he said. 

Some people continue to use those products because they don't know which brands are associated with the military, said the resident.

Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) chairperson Moe Sandar Myint emphasized the ongoing commitment to boycotting military-produced products and businesses as a strategy to weaken the military's finances, even in the face of international sanctions.

"We've been advocating against consumption of military-produced products since 2021, with our goal being to cut the pillars of the military's income. While international sanctions have been imposed on military-produced products and military-affiliated businesses, we still need to encourage the boycott,” said Moe Sandar Myint. “I think it will be necessary to always be alert to such ‘No’ campaigns urging the public not to use military-produced products. Our federation will participate in the ‘No’ campaign to the end to boycott any pillar and business of the military.” 

Myanmar's top military officers and the Myanmar military have engaged in diverse business ventures, spanning from beer to mobile phone SIM cards.