NEWSFLASH

The following statement appears at the

website of the U.S. Embassy in Thailand:

“The United States condemns in the strongest terms efforts by the Burmese junta to prevent the citizens of Burma from exercising their basic political rights. The United States wants an end to human rights abuses and the installation of a democratically elected government in Rangoon, and supports the aspirations of the National League for Democracy and the people of Burma, who desire what so many others around the world now take for granted: the chance to freely express their views and to be represented by leaders of their choosing. Burma cannot fully rejoin the international community and gain the assistance it needs until fundamental changes are made. The United States maintains its position that a meaningful political dialogue between the Burmese authorities and the democratic opposition leaders and representatives of the ethnic groups is the only path to a solution of Burma's crisis.”

In this case, we agree with Uncle Sam. And although many tour companies are okay with supporting Burma's military dictatorship through tourism, we, along with several notable others, are not. Aung San Suu Kyi, the last freely elected leader in Burma, has been calling for a tourism boycott since 1996. Though positive changes may come on the horizon of the elections in 2010, please heed the following address by Kurt M. Campbell, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs:

“What we have seen to date leads us to believe that these elections will lack international legitimacy. We urge the regime to take immediate steps to open the process in the time remaining before the elections. Finally, we have urged Burma's senior leadership to abide by its own commitment to fully comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1874. Recent developments call into question that commitment. I have asked the Burmese leadership to work with the United States, and others, to put into place a transparent process to assure the international community that Burma is abiding by its international commitments.”

Lastly, a State Department explanation regarding usage of the name “Burma”:

The Union of Burma is ruled by a military regime called the "State Peace and Development Council" (SPDC). The SPDC changed the name of the country to "Myanmar," but some members of the democratic opposition and other political activists do not recognize the name change and continue to use the name "Burma." Out of support for the democratic opposition, the U.S. Government likewise uses "Burma."