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Kerala firm to stop supplying uniform to Israeli police: Minister
Mariyan Apparel Private Limited, which has a uniform manufacturing unit in Koothuparambu in Kannur district of Kerala, is engaged in exporting apparels across the world
Kochi: Kerala Industries minister P Rajeev said Thursday that an apparel firm based in the state, which has been supplying uniforms for the Israeli police since 2015, has decided not to take further orders until peace is restored in the region.
Mariyan Apparel Private Limited, which has a uniform manufacturing unit in Koothuparambu in Kannur district of Kerala and is engaged in exporting apparels across the world, has been in the news the past few days for its unique Israeli connection in the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas militants.
“As it has moral objection to the approach of bombing places including hospitals and killing innocent people, until peace is restored in the region, Mariyan Apparels has decided not to accept further orders from Israel. They have issued a media statement regarding the same as well,” the industries minister wrote in a Facebook post.
The minister added that the firm run by a Malayali named Thomas Olickal has a manufacturing unit in Kannur which employs 1500 workers, 95 percent of whom are women. Due to great team work, the firm is able to manufacture clothes at international standards, he said.
Olickal said, “I want the ongoing war to end at the earliest and peace to return in the region.”
Apart from Israeli police, the Kerala-based firm also supplies uniforms for Philippine Army, Qatar Air Force, Qatar police, British and American security firms, several schools in the Middle East and fire and rescue personnel in foreign countries.
