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To: reg.burma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 22:39:02 +0000
Subject: Boycot Visit Myanmar Year 1996 Campaign by ABSL
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Organization: ABSL

THE KATHMANDU POST 
------------------
DATE  : THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1996.
TITLE : BURMESE ASK FOREIGNERS 
        NOT TO VISIT THEIR COUNTRY

BY POST REPORTER

Kathmandu, April 3 : In the wake of Visit Myanmar
Year 1996, a protest has been launched by All
Burma Students League (ABSL) requesting
foreigners not to visit Myanmar, it's learnt from
a representative of the League who has made
clandestine visit to the capital.

The government of Myanmar is currently engaged in
a worldwide campaign to earn hard currency to
consolidate its position as the government of
Burma as well as they buy sophisticated weapons
to continue to suppress its people, its pamphlet
says.

According to ABSL, thousands of prisoners and
'so-called' volunteers are being used by the
ruling junta as forced labors in road and railway
construction, and renovating ancient monuments to
attract tourists.

" People have to sleep by the side of road or
railway they are building, with no shelter, water
or any other facilities. In some instances, as in
the case of a Karen woman reported by Amnesty
International in October 1992, women who were
forced to stay overnight had been raped by army
officers and soldiers," the pamphlet says.

The distributed pamphlet further says, the
development of tourism as directed by the State
Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) with
not bring prosperity to the majority of the
people. "It will further fill the pockets of the
military generals and ensure that they continue
to fiercely control expression within the
country."

Since 1962, after the military coup d'etat, Burma
has been under the military regime. In August,
1988, a nationwide anti-government uprising broke
out for the restoration of democracy and human
rights in Burma which was participated by people
from all walks of life. However, thousands of
demonstrators were massacred by the army and the
military took power again. In 1990 general
election, the National League for Democracy party
led by Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory
but the military refused to hand over the power.
After the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in 1995, no
substantial progress has been made so far in
bringing democracy and human rights in Burma.

EVEREST HERALD
--------------
DATE  : APRIL 4, 1996
TITLE : STUDENT LEAGUE APPEALS TOURISTS TO
        BOYCOTT BURMA

BY A STAFF REPORTER

KATHMANDU - The Burmese students' union, All
Burma Students League has issued an appeal to the
tourists to boycott the "Visit Myanmar Year 1996"
announced by the ruling junta. The union stated
that such a boycott would be for the welfare of
the Burmese people.

A central committee member of the league said
here Wednesday that the people of Burma were
suffering great hardship as a result of the
proclaimed tourism drive.

"The foreign exchange earned by this program will
only make the army generals wealthier to purchase
sophisticated weaponry in order to reinforce the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)'s
hold on Burma," he said.

The ruling junta is known as the SLORC in Burma.
The student leader requesting anonymity said,"
The ruling junta is using thousands of prisoners
and so-called volunteers as forced labor. These
people are working on road and railway
construction and renovating ancient monuments to
prepare for the influx of tourists. Moreover,
thousands of poor people have been forcibly moved
from popular tourist destinations where they have
been living for generations." Since the mock
military coup in 1988, the SLORC has been
adopting an open market economic policy to gain
hard currency from multinational companies, but
have been failing to do so. As a last ditch
effort, the SLORC decided to woo foreign tourists
by announcing 1996 as visit Myanmar Year.

===============================================



         All Burma Students League's Boycott Visit
                 Myanmar Year 1996 Campaign.
              ---------------------------------

We, members of All Burma Students League have
started "Boycott Visit Myanmar Year 1996
Campaign" since last month in India, Nepal,
Thailand, UK and Australia. Groups of student
based in India from ABSL were sent out to various
tourist destination in Nepal and India. Group no.
1 comprising 4 students were sent to Buddha Gaya
and Varanasi where Buddha got enlightenment and
is sacred place for Buddhists. 

Group no. 2 were sent out to hill stations in
state of Himachal Pradesh(Kulu, Manali) and
Dharamsala where Dalai Lama's Tibet Government in
Exile is situated. Our students met with the
Chief of Information Department of Exile Tibet
Government. They explained him the purpose of the
campaign. He on behalf of Tibetans extended his
solidarity and support to this cause, and helped
in distribution of leaflet and poster to the
tourists. Group no. 3 went to Calcutta. 

Group no 4 comprises of 4 students went to Nepal
on 30th, March 1996. After they arrived to
Kathmandu, with the help of a Nepal prominent
human rights group, they held a press conference.

About 35 press persons came to the press
conference and they were very interested in our
Burmese democratic struggle and the campaign.

This group met various human rights groups and
students unions in Nepal. These people were very
supportive and helped in distributing of leaflet
and sticking posters in Nepal.  Later on this
group continued to Lumbini which is the birth
place of Lord Buddha. 

In Lumbini, there were about 300 Burmese pilgrims 
visiting pagoda being constructed. Five minister
from SLORC and the wife of Than Shwe, Khin Nyunt
and other senior SLORC's officials were in the
group. All the Burmese pilgrims spend 200,000
Kyats and donated minimum 50000 Kyats for the
construction of pagoda. They would not have been
allowed to come, had they not donated so. Our
students met with some of them and pointed out
how SLORC is oppressing ordinary common citizens
in Burma.

Wherever we went, we distributed the leaflet to
the tourists, travel agents, guest house and
hotel. We also sticked the poster around the
cities. We had explained to the tourists about
the real situation inside Burma, and why we do
not want them to do to Burma. After we had
explained  thoroughly to them, they said they
will not go to Burma unless there is a democratic
societies in Burma. A lot of tourists encouraged
us to continue the campaign and wished it to
success.


Ko Htin Kyaw
In Charge of Foreign Affair
All Burma Students League

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