Tourists should boycott Myanmar

Tourism is about to take off in a big way in Burma as the country's ruling generals and their lackeys go about frenetically preparing to welcome about half a million visitors to the country next year -- Visit Myanmar (Burma) Year 1996.

Buildings, including some historical ones, are being torn down and replaced with ugly concrete structures.

The land of thousands of pagodas and temples recently got a facelift at the expense of forced relocation of its citizens.

So what good is tourism to a country when the outcome brings more misery to the already downtrodden populace? First, they were denied their rights when they opted in 1990 to be governed by a democratic process, which by definition is rule by the majority.

Now their national resources and heritage are being gradually sold off to the highest bidder without their consent.

The National Coalition of the Union of Burma recently called on the international community to boycott Visit Myanmar Year 1996 for the reasons stated.

It explained to potential tourists that their dollars will not benefit the 43 million Burmese.

Instead the money will boost the standing of an illegitimate government and give it the legitimacy it yearns for.

Also their dollars will supply the regime with funds to buy more weapons to rule the nation at gunpoint.

This newspaper, as a staunch advocate of democracy, believes the voices of the MPs lawfully elected in 1990 should be heeded.

Only then will the people of Burma be free to reap the fruits of the tourism industry.

Only then will wealth be distributed equally among the populace and not monopolized by an elite bunch of thugs in uniform.

-- The Bangkok Post