British union chief calls for Myanmar holiday boycott
Posted: 16 January 2008 0830 hrs

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LONDON: The leader of Britain's trades unions urged the tourism industry on Wednesday to boycott Myanmar as it was helping to sustain the country's "brutal" military regime.

"Trade unions have been at the forefront of campaigns for longer holidays, but Burmese unions have asked us not to take those holidays in Burma (Myanmar)," said Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Brendan Barber.

"We're urging the travel industry to drop Burma from their list of destinations because of the forced and child labour involved in Burmese tourist attractions and facilities, because of the money and endorsement tourism offers the bloody dictatorship that runs Burma, and because it's simply immoral to holiday in a country-wide prison camp."

The TUC is the umbrella grouping of labour unions in Britain.

In November, the Foreign Office in London lifted its recommendation against all but essential travel to Myanmar. The advice was issued after September's pro-democracy protests.

However, Britons are still urged to "exercise caution, continue to avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings and avoid taking photographs or videos of the military, the police or demonstrations". - AFP/ac