No Subject Given

[brelief@xxxxxxx]

--=====================_813187232==_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"



--=====================_813187232==_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

THE DAILY YOMIURI
(Fax: +81 3-3279-6324)

Sunday,. October 8, 1995  

Letters To The Editor
TRAVEL TO MYANMAR?  YES

Regarding the political ramifications of travel to Myanmar, I
would like to offer an alternative viewpoint from that posed by
David Luce, who recently lambasted The Daily Yomiuri for
encouraging travel to that troubled land (Oct. 3 P 8).

Through highly questionable reasoning, Luce would have us
believe that those who visit Myanmar would by default also
support tyranny and the abuse of human rights.

Such a link is preposterous.  At its logical extreme, this
becomes the foundation of the "economic sanctions" policies
that have helped keep dictators in power years longer than they
would have survived otherwise, not to mention further
impoverishing the people unfortunate enough to live in these
dismal places.

I choose my travel destinations without such pseudo-moral
constraints.  Luce would have no doubt objected, but I
journeyed to East German years back when there was such a
place.  Yet I prefer to think that my sojourn brought about
positive results.  Yes, one might argue that an oppressive
government made a little spare change because of any visit. 
But at what cost to itself?  I befriended many people along the
way, and through letters over the course of subsequent years I
helped keep a window open to the outside world.

I find it ironic that those countries that are the victims of
thinking from the likes of Luce are precisely those that still toil
under tyranny.  Others with governments no less enviable long
ago tossed out their oppressors.  Coincidence?  Hardly.  In
direct opposition to Luce, we should specifically target places
such as Myanmar for visits quiet, personal efforts to draw its
citizens from behind the cloak of government misinformation
and propaganda.  Only then will they know how much we
cheer them on in their struggle to become free.

David A. Flack
Tottori



--=====================_813187232==_--