Royal Society cancels trip to Burma

The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed news that the Royal Society for Asian Affairs is cancelling a planned tourist trip to Burma. The Burma Campaign UK has been lobbying for the Society to call off the trip.

Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under arrest in an unknown location, has called for a tourist boycott. Tourism is an important source of income for the regime, and forced labour has been used to build tourist infrastructure. Earlier this month the British government announced it had written to tour operators asking them to stop tours to Burma.

In a letter to the Burma Campaign UK, Society Chairman Sir Harold Walker said it would be “inappropriate to organise a visit to Burma at the present time: the visit planned for October-November will accordingly not go ahead.”

“We congratulate the Royal Society for taking this decision,” said Anna Roberts, Campaigns Officer at the Burma Campaign UK. “It further isolates the few remaining companies operating tours to Burma.”

For more information contact Anna Roberts, Campaigns Officer or Mark Farmaner, Media Officer, on 020 7281 7377

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