New Delhi - In a move stemming from fear of reprisal from the Burmese military junta, salespersons in Rangoon are said to be taking back the 'Nobody' brand T-shirts, from shops and showrooms it had sold it to.
Sales representatives who had sold the Thailand manufactured 'Nobody' brand T-shirts, which has a pre fix 'No' are being sent to take back the stocks from where it was distributed. The exercise has started today.
A sales representative at the Yan Kin Centre, one of Rangoon's biggest shopping centres, said, "We are recollecting the T-shirts because it has the prefix 'No'. We are scared that it might have a negative impact on our shop after hearing reports on radio stations such as the BBC and VOA that people in Rangoon have started wearing the T-shirt as a sign of protest."
The salesperson said they started taking back the T-shirts on Monday from shops including famous shopping centres like Junction 8, Yankin Shopping Centre, Oshin, Ang Chan Thar Shopping centre, Dagon centre.
"There are a lot of designs in this trademark, and there are only about 10 pieces in one particular design. We are now taking back all of them. But from some shops we got back only about three to four pieces," added the salesperson.
The T-shirts have a big letter 'No.' emblazoned in the front with colours contrasting with the background, a local resident in Rangoon said.
"The letters are very clearly written. But I think the company is putting their trademark, I don't understand why they are taking it back. But if they are recollecting they should also collect the pant because it also has the letter 'No.'" the local resident said.
While the sales representatives have not explained the reason which is making them take back the T-shirts, the letter 'No' is similar to the word used by Burmese opposition parties both inside and outside the country in its campaign against the ruling junta's planned referendum in May.
Burma's military rulers in early April set May 10 as the date for holding a referendum to approve a draft charter, which took them 14 years to complete.
Opposition groups including the National League for Democracy, the party led by detained Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has called on the people to cast the 'No' vote and reject the junta's draft constitution.
However, the junta, who also announced that it will hold elections in 2010 and is vigorously campaigning to win the support of the people while imposing strict rules on the opposition from campaigning against its agenda.
Sources in Arakan state of western Burma said, at least 20 opposition members were arrested since last week's Burmese new year festival of Thingyan for wearing T-shirts that had the letter 'No' written on them.
