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Campaigners urge UK to reign in tour operators dealing with Burma |
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by Salai Pi Pi
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Tuesday, 17 February 2009 20:11 |
New Delhi (Mizzima) – Several United Kingdom based tour operators are violating the European Union's common position by promoting tourism in Burma in collaboration with hotels and resorts that are blacklisted by the European Council, a UK based campaign group said.
Tourism Concern on Tuesday said despite EC's restriction on trading with Burma, at least 24 UK tour operators are continuing to arrange clients for hotels and resorts in Burma, which are in the blacklist for indirectly or directly funding the Burmese military regime.
"Though a lot of tour operators stated clearly that they avoid doing business with the Burmese regime, our research shows that they don't," Rachel Noble, spokesperson of the Tourism Concern told Mizzima on Tuesday.
"It is important to be clear that it is a breach of the ban by using the resources direct or indirect. Financial benefits had been provided to the owners of the resource who are the people specifically listed on the European trade ban," said Noble.
European Council's Regulation 194/2008, which is directly applicable to all EC Member States including the UK, has blacklisted tourism establishments including Burmese military supremo Than Shwe's close associate Tay Za's Htoo Trading Company, which is said to have a near monopoly on the tourism industry in Burma.
Tourism Concern, in its press release on Monday, said at least 13 UK tour operators have used Tay Za's tourism establishments.
Meanwhile, Tourism Concern said that the UK government has not updated the Statutory Instrument in order to implement the EC's 2008 Regulation and are leaving those who are flouting the ban to go unpunished.
"Even if it could be proved that some body is breaching the blacklist of the EC, currently, in UK, there is no law to make it an offence to those who are dealing with business owned by [Burmese] regime's individuals," Nobel said.
Tourism Concern called on the UK government to update and implement the European Council 2008 regulation and to issue clear guidance to all UK tour operators and tourism establishments not to breach the EC trade ban.
Moreover, Tourism Concern also urged the European Council to include some remaining tourism enterprises, which are not among the list in the present trade ban, such as Tay Za's Woodland Travel and Tour and Zaw Zaw's Max Myanmar group.
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