Don't Visit Burma Yet with John Pil

[bagp@xxxxxxxxxx]

The Burma Action Group UK presents

TDONUT VISIT BURMA YETU

7pm,Tuesday 19th November 1996, the Royal Institution

Guest speakers:  John Pilger
&
 A special guest

The Burma Action Group UK are pleased to invite you to attend a
unique fund-raising event which will be held on the evening of the
19th November 1996, hosted on our behalf by the prestigious
journalist John Pilger. During the evening he will screen a
previously unreleased interview between himself and Nobel Laureate
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Rnext Nelson MandelaS, and will speak
about his recent visit to Burma.  Daw Suu, leader of the
democratically elected National League For Democracy in Burma, has
called for a  tourism boycott of her country, in particular during
the repressive military dictatorshipUs heralded TVisit Myanmar
Year 1996U.  She has urged tourists to Rmake 1996 a year for not
visiting BurmaS to demonstrate their support for democratic
reforms, and has specifically asked tourists to avoid Burma from
November 18th (the official launch date of RVisit Myanmar YearS)
through to the end of the dry season next April. RWe would like
people to keep away precisely during these months as a
demonstration of solidarityS.

RDonUt Visit Burma YetS will highlight human rights abuses
associated with tourism development in Burma under military rule,
and aims to discourage the general public and the tourism industry
from visiting Burma or conducting commercial operations in the
country at this time. On behalf of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi we are
urging them to heed the message RDonUt Visit Burma YetS!

With recent news of an increased wave of repression in the
country, Burma needs your support now more than ever. Your
attendance at th7is event will send Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the
democracy movement a strong message of respect and solidarity from
Britain for the earliest restoration of democracy in their
country. Please  join us.
Programme
				7.00pm Reception and Photo
				exhibition 7.30pm Screened
				interview with Daw Aung San Suu
				Kyi 8.00pm Talk by John Pilger,
				Discussion session 9.00pm Address
				by our special guest 9.15pm
				Burmese food, book signing by John
				Pilger,  sale of merchandise,
		   z
		   RThe story of SuuS by reknowned storyteller
		   Danny Scheninmann
						 Donations
						 welcomed
				       10.30pm Ends
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YES, I would like to come to the RDonUt Visit Burma YetS evening
on November 19th.
Name......................................................... Tel
No.................................................
Address.................................................................................................................................................................
Post code......................... Please send me ............
tickets including/excluding Burmese buffet  @   #17/#12(members)
#22/#17(non-members) I enclose  a cheque payable to Burma Action
Group UK for #  ............. I am unable to attend but please
accept a donation of # ........... Please return this slip with an
SAE for your tickets, otherwise they will be held at the door of
the Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London, W1X 4BS on the
evening of 19th Nov.  The Burma Action Group is an independent,
non-profitmaking human rights group, campaigning for human rights
and democracy in Burma.  The Burma Action Group, Collins Studios,
Collins Yard, Islington Green, london, N1 2XU Tel: (44) (0)171 359
7679  Fax: (44) (0)171 354 3987  E-mail: bagp@xxxxxxxxxx


u

			BRIEF BACKGROUND ON BURMA TOURISM

1996 has been heralded as RVisit Myanmar YearU by the repressive
military junta in Burma, the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC), that controls the country. Through tourism the
SLORC aims to attract both an influx of hard foreign currency and
increased political legitimacy. The revenue earned through tourism
goes largely to line the military pocket, or straight back out of
the country to foreign businesses. By giving the impression of a
thriving stable country that welcomes foreign tourists the SLORC
hopes to solidify their dictatorship of Burma.

Meanwhile the people of Burma pay the price. A massive programmme
of development is being carried out to make the country ready for
tourists. Roads, railways and tourist projects are being worked on
by thousands of forced labourers, including children as young as
eight years old. Thousands more have been forcibly removed from
their homes to Tclean upU tourist sites or to make way for new
developments. OTourists visiting the country will be using
infrastructure and tourist facilities built using forced labour,
and visiting tourist sites once home to large communities of
ordinary Burmese.

For further information about tourism in Burma please contact BAG.
Our report RBurma;the Alternative GuideS documenting the links
between the development of the tourism industry in Burma and
wide-scale human rights violations being carried out by the
Burmese military regime is available for #4.50 inc from the BAG
office.

With Many thanks for your support

Burma Action Group, Collins Studios, Collins Yard, Islington
Green, london, N1 2XU Tel: (44) (0)171 359 7679  Fax: (44) (0)171
354 3987  E-mail: bagp@xxxxxxxxxx`$Hl4X|
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