Four Foreign Companies Quit Burma

Austrian Airlines has finally dropped its flights between Rangoon and Vienna and three other foreign companies have also said they want no more business with Burma, according to the Burma Campaign UK on yesterday. By Shah Paung December 08, 2005

Austrian Airlines, Austria's national carrier, suspended flights to Burma earlier this year and has now confirmed the Vienna-Rangoon route has been permanently dropped from its schedule, Burma Campaign UK said.

The three other companies ceasing involvement with Burma are the British company Gill Clothing, the travel company Eastravel and the American travel guide publishers Frommers.

Gill Clothing, which specializes in outdoor and marine clothing, had been asked by Burma Campaign UK to stop its involvement with Burma. "We are pleased that Gill have responded positively to our request to stop sourcing from Burma," said Anna Roberts, campaig ns manager of Burma Campaign UK. "Gill join more than 150 retailers and manufacturers who refuse to source from Burma."

Clothing exports are an important source of revenue for the military regime that rules Burma. In 2004, clothing worth more than US $100 million was imported into the UK from Burma.

Burma Campaign UK vowed to continue its campaign to clean British shops of clothing sourced from Burma. "Any company sourcing clothing from Burma faces a powerful boycott campaign and a PR disaster," said Anna Roberts.

British-based Eastravel also confirmed to the campaign group that it has discontinued tours to Burma. Frommers, one of the leading American guidebook publishers, had dropped Burma from the new edition of its guidebook to Southeast Asia, Burma Campaign UK reported.

"It is good to see companies responding to public pressure to stop promoting tourism to Burma," said Anna Roberts, "Companies don't want to operate there, and the public don't want to visit, as they don't want to put money into the pockets of Burma's generals."

Last year, the travel companies Carnival Corporation/P&O, Magic of the Orient and Explorers Tours and Oddessy Guidebooks ended their involvement in Burma.

Burma Campaign UK plans to publish next week an updated version of its black list of companies doing business with Burma, and only around 20 companies are expected to be listed.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions issued its own black list this week, naming 468 foreign companies doing business with Burma. Six of them are American-- Atwood Oceanics, Ceylon Express International, Dr Reddy's Laboratories Inc, Interra Systems Inc, R Crusoe & Son and Tiffany & Co.

(source: The Irrawaddy)

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Thursday, 16-Mar-2006 11:33:53 EST
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