Why did it take the so called enlightened company on this site 10 years after the quashing of the democratically elected government in Burma (1989) - which took 80% of the vote - by the Burmese army who continued to keep the new president under house arrest quite apart from the subjugation of the local people, before they decided it was a more responsible approach not to provide the already boycotted Burmese military-backed government with any more tourist dollars?
It was obviously a moral issue in 1989 let alone 10 years later when the decision was made!
It seems so crassfor the brochures to 'claim' it has a policy of responsible moral tourism when it continued to operate in Burma for another 10 years before suddenly claiming it was actually counterproductive.
Can they be honest and say they got it wrong in the first place or was it simply a change in management with different ideas who decided to pull out?
Burma......
Re: Burma......
If you have a political axe to grind, why not take it to a political forum?
This company is offering travel, which broadens the mind. Perhaps you would benefit from some travel yourself.
Why do you stop at Burma as the sole evil empire? Would you not have travel companies boycott all the other countries in the world that limit freedoms, have problems or views you disagree with - ie all of them!
Where are you going to draw the line? And who is going to draw it? You?
If people want to go to Burma then why not offer trips there?
Re: Burma......
emotive stuff, but confusing.
I have been through the Imaginative Traveller brochure from cover the cover and I can't find any mention of Burma.
Am I missing something?
Tom
Re: Burma......
No Tom, you are quite correct.
There is no mention in The Imaginative Traveller's brochure of Burma.
The Imaginative Traveller has never operated a tour in Burma.
The Imaginative Traveller does however act as the UK sales agent for Intrepid Travel, a Melbourne based tour operator.
Intrepid did operate tours in Burma for a few years - certainly not 10 years though.
Throughout the period when Intrepid operated in Burma they were in close contact with many organisations involved in Human Rights issues. The Intrepid operation was carefully planned to work with as many local entrepreneurs as possible, providing revenue for local Burmese people and minimising the amount of money that found its way to the SLORC regime.
Throughout the period that Intrepid operated to Burma the company always made it very clear - through statements in their brochure and trip dossiers - that there was ( and is ) a despicable regime in place. Nonetheless, until recently it was the considered view of Intrepid that people should be given as many facts as possible abotu Burma and then be allowed to make their own decisions.
Martin
Re: Burma......
Jane, Intrepid
Re: Burma......
In answer to the above
a) yes politics and travel are intimately connected especially in relation to a company which presents a morally responsible ethos to it's customers and crew.
b)yes burma is in a main brochure sold by this company - it does require some searching on this site but it is or rather was included. Note that the debate concerns what WAS still being run until recently not what IS still being if you actually read the article above!
c)Thank you for the official reply. Unfotunately anyone who considers Asian politics to be that flexible shows a certain I'm afraid naivete and a surprising lack of understanding of how politics in the region works.
Governments will promise the Sun and Moon to you if it'll get you to do what they want ie continue to grant them respectability yet never quite deliver what they're supposed to on their side.
Releasing a political prisoner from house arrest is so far removed from allowing her to take up the reins of political power which she has earned through overwhelming democratic support from the people that the gulf between what they did (and could easily reverse) and what they should do (by actually allowing her to run the country) is so massive as to be laughable.
Clearly the Burmeses government has everyone running around believing every promise they make even when it takes them 10 years to realise the government actuslly has no intention to follow it through.
Anyone who truly knows Asian cultures and particularly their politics would not have been fooled for long - certainly not 10 years which is ridiculous!!!
After 1 year the promises should have been kept or the certainty of withdrawing from the country put into effect immediately until clear improvements were actually made!!!
I'm afraid that saying 35 people or submissions led to the withdrawal doesn't even begin to explain why you were still in Burma 8 or 9 years ago as the same oppression was clearly evident to anyone living in the region and the lakc of freedom for the people was blatantly evident!
That never changed, so again it begs the question why did it take 10 years plus to withdraw when the reasons for withdrawal were just as bad 10 years before????
The answer has still not come......
Re: Burma......
Ok Intrepid but sold through this company.
Also the fact that it may not have even been 10 years of operation then reveals that the supposedly responsible actions to move into Burma after Aung San Suu Kyi was already denied political office quashing the democratically elected governemnt and president and continuing the widespread oppression of the local Burmese population must have been irresponsible in the first instance since the decision was reversed after only a few years despite the conditions in the country being hardly worse than when they arrived there!
You can't have it both ways! It was either wrong to go in under that political climate in the first instance or pointless - indeed casually flippant - to pretend to hold the moral high ground when leaving Burma under the same military controlled politically oppressive regime!
Re: Burma......
As previously stated Intrepid Travel operated in Burma for 4 and a half years. We are open to hearing opinions on both sides of the argument, but feel it is more constructive to look at the present and consider the future than to continue with recriminations about the past. Intrepid management and the staff who worked in Burma kept themselves as informed as possible of the politics. One of these staff members has actually had correspondence from the NLD indicating that they are favourable to the style of tourism that we advocate, a style that minimises $$ going to the unelected Gov't, SPDC and their supporters. But there are perhaps very few travel operators that are commited enough to successfully achieve this and it's 'safer' for the NLD to make a blanket statement asking tourists to stay away. We respect their views and situation.
Intrepid Travel has ceased operations in Burma but believe that it is important that we all keep aware of the ongoing situation in this country. You may wish to contact: globaldriftexperience@yahoo.com - which is an independent group with concerns for the future of the Burmese.
Re: Burma......
Dear JPRG, (whoever you are)
I guess I need to watch my language here, but you're starting to become very boring indeed. What exactly are you trying to achieve?
It seems to me that you've had answers from both The Imaginative Traveller and from Intrepid Travel.
Their answers sounded pretty reasonable to me.
No matter how much you might want to make this a political issue, these guys are travel companies not political lobbyists.
If you want to talk politics go visit a political forum.
I've never been to Burma. It is a country I'd love to visit.
I have to say that nothing you have said would stop me going there.
I think it is my right to decide whether or not I visit Burma and when I get there I'll form my own opinions.
Why should I believe what you say, you've obviously got a bug up your shirt about something and the more you rant & rave the less likely I am to take any notice of your views.
Tom