MAURITIANS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE (SOMALP)

10.09.2022

JOIN GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR THE BOYCOTT OF PUMA

Director,

All Sports Ltd (Victory Group),

37 Labourdonnais St

Port Louis

09.09.2022

Boycott PUMA Global Day of Action, September 10

Dear Sir,         

As a sport apparel vendor, we would like to bring your attention to PUMA, one of the brands sold at your store. PUMA sponsors the Israeli Football Association (IFA). The IFA includes teams based in illegal Israeli settlements. At least six Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory have clubs affiliated with the IFA.

We, in SOMALP (Mauritians in Solidarity with the People of Palestine: No to Israeli Apartheid) through this letter is joining our voice in support of the International Day of Action (10 September) initiated by the BDS (Boycott, Disinvestment, Sanction) movement demanding Puma to end its support for illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land. 

When PUMA sponsors the IFA and promotes football in Israeli settlements, it is giving its support to the regime of apartheid through which Israel pursues violence and land theft against Palestinian athletes and all of Palestinian society. 

Israeli settlements are illegal  and considered war crimes under international law. The Fourth Geneva convention forbids all occupying powers from displacing the civilian population of the occupied territory. The illegality of Israeli settlements was reconfirmed by Resolution 2334 of the United Nations Security Council  on December 23, 2016. By accepting teams from Israeli settlements, the IFA is complicit in Israel’s occupation and colonization. 

Palestinian athletes and supporters from around the world have called on PUMA to end its sponsorship of the IFA. PUMA has yet to act on this demand. Along with growing international boycotts, we are calling on you to consider deshelving PUMA from your shop for as long as this unethical sponsorship continues. We would also welcome that you send an inquiry to PUMA about the sponsorship as a means of pressure on the company. 

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Yours sincerely,

Alain Ah Vee

for SOMALP which regroups: Confederation of General Trade unions,  Mauritius Labour Congress, Confederation des Travailleurs des Secteurs Publique et Privé, All Workers’ Federation,  Federation of Parastatal Bodies and Other union, Dr. Idrice Goomany Treatment Centre,  Consumer Advocacy Platform, Chagos Refugees Group, Muvman Liberasyon Fam, LALIT and individual members.      

cc Kuasa Ltd, legal representative PUMA in Mauritius