Tourists urged to boycott Burma

Tourists urged to boycott Burma

1 Feb (Yahoo News) - The leaders of Britain's three main political parties have urged holiday-makers not to travel to Burma.

Prime Minister Tony Blair was one of 70 celebrities and political figures to back Burma Campaign UK's call to stay away from the country, which is ruled by a military dictatorship.

National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest and there are more than 1,300 political prisoners in the country, also called Myanmar.

According to Burma Campaign UK, the regime is using slave and child labour to build tourist infrastructure, such as hotels and roads.

In a letter to Burma Campaign UK, the Prime Minister said the UK had been "at the forefront of efforts over many years to draw attention to the extent of abuse in Burma, and to bring pressure to bear on the military regime to reform.

"We are actively working with our European and international partners, as well as through the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation, to press the regime to end the appalling human rights violations and to engage in a genuine process of national reconciliation.

"This must involve all relevant parties and groups in Burma."

He said: "Human rights violations in Burma have been highlighted in successive UN Resolutions which have drawn attention to torture, extra-judicial killings and rape by members of the armed forces, forced labour including the use of child soldiers and forced relocation of villagers.

"Together with our partners in Europe, the British government imposes a series of measures against those responsible for these crimes.

"For as long as they continue, I would urge anyone who may be thinking of visiting Burma on holiday to consider carefully whether by their actions they are helping to support the regime and prolong such dreadful abuses."

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