Source: I'm a journalist working in Myanmar (from Colorado, coincidentally)
TLDR: The company that will buy New Belgium is actively financing an army that has recently committed genocide
The company buying New Belgium, Japanese beverage giant Kirin, is a partner with the Myanmar military in the country's largest beer company, Myanmar Brewery. The United Nations has accused the Myanmar military of genocide against a muslim minority, the Rohingya, settled on the country's western border and has called for a global boycott of all military-backed business. That boycott wouldn't extend to Kirin itself, but two American-based organizations representing refugees from Myanmar have penned an open letter urging New Belgium employees to speak out against the deal.
You can read the letter here: https://northfortynews.com/us-karen-community-and-inclusive-development-international-publish-open-letter-urging-new-belgium-brewing-employees-to-stand-for-human-rights-and-vote-no-to-kirin/.
Details of Kirin's stake: Kirin owns a 55 percent stake in Myanmar Brewery, with the remaining 45 percent owned by the Military-controlled Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, 40 percent of which is owned by the military directly, and 60 percent owned by active or former military officials (it has historically been used to line the pockets of corrupt brass.) Edit: Kirin acquired its stake from MEH in 2015 for an initial investment of $560 million. (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kirin-holdings-myanmar-idUSKCN0QO0AE20150819)
Why a boycott may make difference, and why it may not: Not buying New Belgium will not affect the profits of Myanmar Brewery, however backlash from Kirin's consumer base could be a small part of the pressure that leads the company to sever ties with the Myanmar military. In the unlikely event that New Belgium pulled out of the deal due to this political backlash, Kirin would certainly re-think its investment in Myanmar. On the other hand, Kirin has business interests around the world and supporting one of Kirin's subsidiaries doesn't directly finance third-party stakeholders in its other subsidiaries (business
... keep reading on reddit β‘
https://www.reddit.com/r/Geosim/comments/laklp9/claim_republic_of_the_union_of_myanmar/
Adding onto that, some concessions to popular radicals in the far-right fringes of Burmese society can help calm down the situation a little (especially combined with the specter of Islamic terrorism). Most minorities will be reassured with negotiations that'll end up nowhere but will restrain ethnic violence until the government has secured its position and is ready to crack down. It is clear that a multiethnic Burma has failed (we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas) so forced assimilation will take place to integrate all minorities within the Burmese identity.
But I couldn't Finnish a sentence.
