Tourism in Burma

It is because of the close link between the tourist industry and the government that Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest, has on several occasions asked tourists to stay away from Burma.

According to Burma Campaign UK, which lobbies for human rights and democracy in the country, the decision is obvious. "Once people know what the issues are, they invariably choose not to go," said Mark Farmaner, a spokesman for the group. It's impossible to go there and not give money to the government. From the moment your plane hits the tarmac, you're lining the military's pockets."

In fact, according to Mr Farmaner, Burma is unique in that many of its human rights abuses are directly connected to the military's decision to promote tourism. "Much of the country's tourist infrastructure is developed by the use of forced labour," he said. "People have been made to construct roads, airports and hotels, and thousands more have been forcibly relocated to make way for tourist areas."

It is because of the close link between the tourist industry and the government that Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest, has on several occasions asked tourists to stay away from Burma. "Tourism to Burma is helping to prolong the life of one of the most brutal and destructive regimes in the world," she told reporters once. "Visiting now is tantamount to condoning the regime."

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