25/10/2023
There’s a lot of conversation happening around boycotting and I thought best to address it in a detailed, factual post. You can copy and paste this post along with the pic below to share on your own timelines or on WhatsApp.
1. How do I know which products to boycott?
The best resource guide to follow is bdsnationalcommittee on insta. It is LEAD by Palestinians. They have strategically listed a few targeted brands in order to maximize success. They chose those certain brands based on their role in this current genocide. The poster below shows the EXACT list the BDS movement is encouraging you boycott. For now it would be enough to cut out these brands.
2. Won’t Pakistan suffer/won’t people lose their jobs if we stop using these products?
The clear answer is NO. Because the buyer/consumer is STILL spending. But they are just spending on a different, local brand.
Let me give you an example. If a buyer is not going to Mcdonalds they’re going to spend their money in a local restaurant. That boosts the revenue of that restaurant and eventually that local restaurant needs to expand business - if their number of buyers are going up. Eventually that would help create jobs and boost the local economy. Secondly big franchises aren’t going to fire people tomorrow if you stop eating them today. The shift will be slow but as the local industry flourishes people’s jobs WILL be REPLACED and not lost. Moreover, imported products/franchises are anyway a dollar drain from Pakistan. So when you go local you actually BENEFIT Pakistan. Two birds with one stone. 🙌🏽
3. What’s the point of doing a boycott?
“Forms of BDS have been used throughout history to end oppression, and these struggles are today celebrated even if they were once condemned by hegemonic powers. Examples include the Indian Salt March, the Montgomery Bus Boycott during the US struggle for civil rights and the international boycott that helped end apartheid in South Africa. Palestinians have used boycotts during their decades long struggle.”
This is one of the most powerful, silent ways of supporting Palestine so much so that I*sr**l had been lobbying to make boycotting illegal! Imagine that. In their consulates world over they have been lobbying to ban the bds movement. They are SCARED of BDS!
Moreover as humans I think it is important for us to REMEMBER where our money spent is being used. And I definitely don’t want mine to be donated to blowing up children.
4. Is McDonalds Pakistan etc the same as McDonalds in the west?
Yes - I would encourage you to please read up on how a franchise works. Regardless of where in the world a franchise HAS to pay royalties/percentage of their revenue to the global company. This is part of their franchise agreement. Aiween thori naam, recipes aur logo use kar saktay hain. So ultimately if you’re eating at McDonalds Pakistan and EVEN if they are claiming they don’t support I*sr*a*l the royalties they are paying to the head office are ultimately being used for that same purpose.
Lastly - I want to emphasize again that just following the list below that is shared by the BDS movement is more than enough at this time. We have to be strategic and this organization has been working on boycotting for years. They have compiled this list on the basis of who is openly and currently supporting the apartheid.
Thank you and hope we can all play a silent, strategic and smart role in this.
