BurmaNet News February 8, 2005

[Editor]

February 8, 2005 Issue # 2651

INSIDE BURMA
Irrawaddy: Thaksin’s victory good news for junta, bad news for opposition
Mizzima: Trial of Myanmar Times partner postponed
DVB: Some ceasefire group leaders not attending Burma convention
SHAN: Pyinmana, Burma's "Pentagon"

HEALTH/AIDS
Xinhua News Agency: Myanmar to develop bio-safety law

DRUGS
Reuters: Myanmar militia says U.S. charges hurt anti-opium drive

BUSINESS / MONEY
Xinhua News Agency: Myanmar targets to attract 750,000 tourists in 2005
Kyodo: Myanmar opens strategic river-crossing rail bridge

REGIONAL
Indian Express: A window opens: Yangon for shape to Delhi talks
United News of Bangladesh: Myanmar-Bangladesh Road

INTERNATIONAL
AFP: US determined to prop up ties with Southeast Asia despite Myanmar thorn
The Irish Times: State asked to help draft Burma constitution
DVB: Shan nationals in US denounce the National Convention

OPINION / OTHER
The Observer: Celebs against Burma

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

February 8, Irrawaddy
Thaksin’s victory good news for junta, bad news for opposition—Yeni

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s landslide victory in Sunday’s
election is good news for Burma’s military regime but holds fears for
Burmese opposition groups, according to Thai and Burmese observers.

Opposition groups fear that Thaksin may use his consolidated position of
strength to support the Burmese government's plan to reconvene the
National Convention this month and to control pro-democracy Burmese
activists in Thailand.

“It (Thaksin’s victory) is likely to lead to a stronger relationship with
the Burmese generals, with more pressure on pro-democracy groups in
Thailand,” said Sunai Phasuk, a consultant with Asia Human Rights Watch.

The Thai government has welcomed as a sign of progress the Rangoon
government’s intention to reconvene the National Convention on February
17. The Convention is tasked with drafting a new constitution.

Observers note Prime Minister Thaksin’s statements in support of the
Burmese regime.

In December, for instance, speaking in his weekly radio address, Thaksin
said he found the reasons given by the Rangoon government for
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s continued detention “reasonable
enough and convincing.”

Many Burmese exiles and political observers believe that a political
reform process without Suu Kyi would be irrelevant.

Thailand made a commitment to political reform in Burma by hosting the
“Bangkok Process” dialogue last year. But Sunai maintains the Bangkok
Process had “totally lost its credibility.” Sunai called the Thai
government’s policy on Burma “wrong.”

“Thai Prime Minister Thaksin’s election victory is good news for the
Burmese generals,” concluded Win Min, a Thai-based reseacher. “But it
makes us scared.”

____________________________________

February 5, Mizzima
Trial of Myanmar Times partner postponed

The trial of Sonny Swe, former Burmese partner of local leading weekly,
the Myanmar Times, was postponed until Monday, said a source close to the
Rangoon-based paper.

Sonny Swe, 36, son of detained Brigadier-General Thein Swe and a close
ally of ousted Prime Minister, General Khin Nyunt, was arrested in
November and accused of economic crimes. His last trail  was initially set
for February 3 before being postponed.

Unlike other publications, "the Myanmar Times was censored by the former
military intelligence before and did not need to pass the channels of the
Press Scrutiny Boardso, the accusation was the illegal operation of the
Myanmar Times during previous years," said a close friend.

"He could be possibly be given a seven or fourteen year sentence," he added.

The reason for postponing the trial of the journal's co-owner is not known.

Sonny Swe's trail is a one of more than 300 ongoing trails of associates
of the former Prime Minister. He has been held in the high security Insein
Prison, north of Rangoon, since the last week of January. Most of the
defendants are accused of corruption and economic crimes. The trials are
expected to last six weeks.

Sonny's wife, Yamin Htin Aung, has taken her husband's place as Deputy
Chief Executive Officer.

The Myanmar Times was jointly owned by Australian publisher, Ross Dunkley,
and Sonny Swe 49% and 51% respectively. The journal is registered under
the name of the Office of Strategic Studies and is the only publication
with foreign investment in Burma.

____________________________________

February 5, Democratic Voice of Burma
Some ceasefire group leaders not attending Burma convention

Some of the top leaders of “ceasefire groups” which signed the cessation
of hostility with Burma’s military junta, State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), who were contacted by DVB said they are not resuming the
attendance of the junta-sponsored “National Convention” as they have no
faith in it and only token delegates will be sent.

Especially, the vice-chairman of Shan State Army (SSA) Sao Kaifa and the
joint secretary of New Mon State Party (NMSP) Naing Chan Twet who were the
main people who put forward the seven point proposal for a federal system.

The chairman of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) questioned
the legitimacy of the convention which is being convened without the
participations of the elected representatives from the National League for
Democracy (NLD) which won 82% of the seats and other ethnic national
parties in 1990 lection.

He insisted that the constitution that emerged from the convention is not
likely to be accepted by the international community and the people of
Burma including ethnic nationals as there would be no sense of fairness.

_____________________________________

February 8, Shan Herald Agency for News
Pyinmana, Burma's "Pentagon"

A new capital for the military-ruled Burma has been chosen, according to
sources
from the Burma Broadcasting Service, writes Chai Sayam from the border:

The town picked up as the new center of government is Tatkong, located
some 30 miles
north of Pyinmana, where Burma's "Pentagon" is to be relocated. "The
broadcasting
service personnel have been asked who would choose to move there and who
would not,"
said a source. "The new station there has already made some dry runs for
2-3 months.
They told us all government ministries would also be relocated there."

Sources however were unable to find out when the mass 'resettlement' would
take
place. "Like Pyinmana down south, where the new War Office is to be located,
constructions have been going on for sometime in Tatkong," said one.

Apart from Pyinmana, Tatkong is flanked in the west by Magwe's Taungwingyi
township,
where the missiles center has reportedly been in construction.
 _____________________________________
HEALTH/AIDS

February 8, Xinhua News Agency
Myanmar to develop bio-safety law

Myanmar has been working to develop a national bio-safety law, aiming to
protect people and the environment from possible negative impacts of
bio-technology.

An 18-month project involving an aid of 180,000-US-dollars from the United
Nations Environment Program has been underway since last June to help
draft the law which will focus on regulating the flow of commodities
related to genetically modified organisms (GMO)into Myanmar and
maintaining the country's biodiversity, sources at the Agricultural
Planing Department was quoted by the Myanmar Times as saying Tuesday.

Once the law is finalized, imports of GMOs, that can harm the society, can
be stopped and biotechnology can be safely and efficiently used,
agricultural officials said.

The agricultural authorities are calling for increased attention to
bio-safety as public concern has raised about possible danger posed by
GMOs, warning that public rejection of genetically modified food is based
on questions about potential adverse effects on human health, environment
and biological diversity.

In the wake of demand that biotechnology products available on the
international markets meet bio-safety standards, genetically modified
crops are becoming more important as a means to ensure that agricultural
production keeps pace with the rapid growth of the world population, the
authorities added.
_____________________________________
DRUGS

February 8, Reuters
Myanmar militia says U.S. charges hurt anti-opium drive—Aung Hla Tun

U.S. charges that eight militia leaders in Myanmar are drug lords are
false and undermine efforts to stop the growing of opium in the notorious
Golden Triangle, an ethnic militia leader said on Tuesday.

The eight men from the United Wa State Army (UWSA), one of the world's
biggest drug cartels according to Washington, were indicted in a New York
court on Jan. 24 on charges of trafficking heroin and methamphetamine, or
speed.

"This is based on wrong information and details fabricated by political
opportunists in Thailand," UWSA vice chairman Shiao Min Liang told
reporters at the group's headquarters in northeastern Myanmar.

Liang was not among the eight indicted by the U.S. Justice Department
after a joint Thai-U.S. investigation dubbed "Operation Warlord".

Thailand and the West have long accused the Wa army of producing most of
the drugs from the notorious Golden Triangle where Myanmar, Thailand and
Laos meet.

The 16,000-strong UWSA ended its armed struggle for an ethnic Wa state in
1989 when it signed a peace deal with Myanmar's military junta. The group
controls its territory in the Shan hills with almost complete autonomy.

Despite declining output in recent years, Myanmar is the world's number
two producer of opium after Afghanistan. About one third of the crop is
grown in Wa-controlled areas.

Much of it is refined into heroin and transported through Thailand or
China onto the world market, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) says.

POWERFUL SYNDICATE

In the indictment, the U.S. Justice Department said the UWSA was "a
powerful criminal syndicate and worldwide narcotics trafficking
organization" that produced more than 180 tonnes of opium last year.

It accuses the group of taxing and collecting opium, manufacturing and
distributing heroin and methamphetamine to the United States and other
markets, and laundering the drug money through legitimate businesses.

The indictment alleges the Wa army provides security for drug factories in
its territory and guards caravans smuggle drugs to brokers in Thailand,
Laos and China.

The eight indicted leaders, led by Wei Hsueh Kang, who has a $2 million
bounty on his head, are accused of importing heroin worth $1 billion worth
into the United States since 1985.

Liang did not comment on the eight accused, but insisted the UWSA was
working hard to stamp out opium cultivation in Wa-controlled areas by
June.

"It is merely an act to ruin the total eradication project being
implemented by Wa leaders and the people," he said.

In its 2004 opium survey, UNODC estimated Myanmar's opium poppy crop at
44,200 hectares, down 29 percent from 2003. It dropped 18 percent to
16,750 hectares in Wa-controlled areas.

"This is basically the last harvest," said Nikolas Win Myint, a UNODC
programme officer in Yangon who saw little impact from the U.S.
indictments.

A more pressing issue is how Wa farmers forced to stop growing opium
replace a crop that provides two-thirds of their income. Cash crops earn
far less and more effort is needed to ensure farmers don't feel compelled
to return to poppy crops.

"We're nowhere close to replacing that income," he said.
_____________________________________
BUSINESS / MONEY

February 7, Xinhua News Agency
Myanmar targets to attract 750,000 tourists in 2005

Myanmar has targeted to attract 750, 000 tourists this year, a projected
increase of 14 percent compared with last year's 656,910, the Myanmar
Times reported Monday.

To help realize the goal, the country is working out more tourism projects
such as beach resorts in the Myeik Archipelago in southern Myanmar's
Tanintharyi division and main parks in Yangon, sources at the Ministry of
Hotels and Tourism was quoted as saying.

Myanmar has geared up the building of such beach resort hotels in the
coastal areas, adding 10 such tourism infrastructures to the country's
famous Ngapali beach with nearly 700 rooms available so far.

Besides, the government has also planned to build 20 more hotels at
Ngwehsaung beach and other similar locations.

In its bid to absorb more tourists, Myanmar has also launched tourism
promotional campaigns in some Asian nations including Japan, Singapore,
Malaysia and India to boost tourist arrivals.

Meanwhile, a tourism forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), to be hosted by Myanmar in January in 2006, provides better
chance for the country in the promotion efforts of the sector in the
region,

Myanmar so far has 570 hotels with more than 17,200 rooms involving an
investment of about 583 million US dollars plus 33 billion kyats (about
41.2 million dollars), according to official statistics.

Contracted foreign investment in the sector of hotels and tourist has so
far amounted to 1.06 billion dollars since Myanmar started to open to such
investment in late 1988. Of the investment, that in hotel projects
amounted to over 580 million dollars, figures indicate.

_____________________________________
February 6, Kyodo News Service
Myanmar opens strategic river-crossing rail bridge

Myanmar opened its longest and strategically most important bridge linking
the country's isolated southern rail line with the national rail network,
the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Sunday.

Sr. Gen. Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development
Council, attended the opening ceremony Saturday to inaugurate the
3,223-meter-long Thanlwin River Bridge, the paper said.

The bridge over the Thanlwin River is located between Mottama and
Mawlamyine, two towns in southern Mon state, about 160 kilometers
southeast of the capital Yangon.

With this bridge, cargo trains from central and upper Myanmar will have
access to the southern town of Dawei, where a deep-sea port is being built
under the Economic Cooperation Strategy between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar
and Thailand.

After its completion, shipments to and from Southeast Asia are also
expected to arrive at Dawei port through a highway linking Dawei to the
northern Thai town of Kachanaburi. The highway is still under construction
under the ECS program.
____________________________________
REGIONAL

February 6, Indian Express
Meanwhile in another corner of backyard, a window opens: Yangon for shape
to Delhi talks

For New Delhi, these may be difficult times in the neighbourhood but
there's encouraging news from one quarter which until recently posed a
huge diplomatic challenge: Myanmar. Barely three months after Myanmar's
Head of State Senior General Than Shwe's visit to India, a high-level
delegation from Yangon will land here this week to hold the first meeting
of the consultative group on non-traditional security issues.

The talks, slated for February 10 and 11, will kickstart a process agreed
upon during Than Shwe's visit. The group will look to strengthen
cooperation in combating terrorism, narcotics trade and arms smuggling
under the broad rubric of non-traditional security issues. The agreement,
signed between External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and his Myanmar
counterpart U Nyan Win, envisages the setting up of such a group at the
senior officials level to monitor, review the progress on implementation
of the commitments made through this MoU. The group will meet once a year
alternatively in India and Myanmar.

The Myanmar delegation will be headed by U Win Mra, Director General for
International Organisations and Economic Department. He has been Yangon's
Permanent Representative at the United Nations. Meera Shankar, Additional
Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, will lead the Indian
delegation. Myanmar cracked down on some North-East insurgent camps last
November, just weeks after Than Shwe's departure from New Delhi. The
meeting of the group will be an opportunity for both sides to exchange
information on these camps and what more needs to be done. It's learnt
that Yangon has decided to move in additional troops to its western
sector, closer to its border with India, to keep a more effective check on
insurgent camps.

The group will also look to draw up an agenda of meetings on other fronts
like checking narcotics trade, money laundering activities, arms smuggling
and other forms of international economic crime. The mechanism of
cooperation will be identified during the talks. But, sources said, the
effort will be to jointly work out ways to facilitate better exchange of
information and personnel between both countries.

With a mix of representatives from various agencies in the delegation,
India and Myanmar will use the opportunity to identify ways of improving
law enforcement cooperation along the border. Broadly, the idea is to put
in place a framework of cooperation for combating terrorism. This will
ensure practical implementation of Than Shwe's promise that Myanmar will
not let its territory be used for purposes inimical to Indian interests.

_____________________________________

February 7, United News of Bangladesh
Myanmar-Bangladesh Road

Construction work on the proposed Bangladesh-Myanmar road will begin next
month as per a latest agreement, an official announcement said today.

Technical taskforces of both Bangladesh and Myanmar governments have taken
the decision at a meeting in Myanmar and taken "all preparations" to start
work on the Tk 933- crore project for building the cross-border road link.

The technical taskforce of Myanmar mentioned at the meeting that the
construction of 130km Tangboro-Kyauktaw road as road alignment of the link
road on the Myanmar part would be convenient from economic and commercial
considerations.

They also informed the Bangladesh taskforce that the proposed road
alignment in Myanmar would help establish road link with China and
Thailand easily. And consequently, the proposed 'Dhaka-Yangon Friendship
Road' will be effective in strengthening economic and trade relations in
this region.

Additional Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department of Bangladesh
Md Idris Mia led a four-member delegation while Managing Director (Public
Works) of Construction Ministry of Myanmar U Han Zaw led a six-member host
side at the meeting.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the taskforces of
the two countries to start the work.

The work of determining the spot of alignment for constructing 20km road
from Tangboro to Bolibazar in Myanmar and designing roads and bridges will
be completed by March.

Bangladesh will start work on the 20km road in Myanmar first with its own
finance as a "token of friendship" between the two next-door neighbors.

A survey team of the Construction Ministry of Myanmar has already started
survey and will submit report on the spadework to the technical taskforce
of Bangladesh next month.

The project is being funded jointly by Bangladesh and donor countries. A
delegation of the financial taskforce of Myanmar has been invited to
Bangladesh as per decision of the meeting.

The Prime Minister of Myanmar and the Communications Minister of
Bangladesh laid the foundation stone of the Myanmar-Bangladesh Friendship
Road at Ramu on April 6 last year.
_____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

February 6, Agence France Presse
US determined to prop up ties with Southeast Asia despite Myanmar thorn

United States is determined to strengthen political and trade ties with
Southeast Asia even as it takes a tougher line on Myanmar under new
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, officials say.

This year, it could resume full military ties with Indonesia, the world's
most populous Muslim nation, and clinch its second free trade deal in the
region with Thailand, some analysts predict.

Southeast Asia may not be familiar ground to Rice, who did little
travelling in her previous job as top security adviser to President George
W. Bush, but her piano-playing skills will come in handy in breaking the
ice with counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or
ASEAN.

Her first assignment in the region will be in July when she attends the
annual ASEAN meeting, where regional security issues are discussed with
key trading partners and ministers regularly give their own take on
classic tunes at an after-dinner show.

"I think you'll have a very musical secretary of state playing the ivories
in Southeast Asia this summer," said Washington-based regional expert
Ernest Bower, the former US-ASEAN Business Council chief.

But given her Senate pre-confirmation testimony in which she branded
Myanmar an "outpost of tyranny," Rice could give the ASEAN ministers an
earful on the need to reign in the military-ruled state accused of human
rights abuses.

The United States is very likely to boycott next year's ASEAN meeting in
Myanmar.
"I am prepared to make a prediction here: there is not a chance in hell
the United States is going to Burma (Myanmar) next year unless dramatic
changes takes place," said Karen Brooks, who had worked under Rice as Asia
director in the National Security Council.

Aside from pushing democracy for Myanmar, Rice's other priorities this
year would be reestablishment of full military ties with Indonesia,
strengthening links with another Muslim majority country Malaysia and
traditional allies Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore, Karen
predicted.

She said more than a decade of "bad blood" resulting from Washington's ban
on key military cooperation with Indonesia due to human rights problems
had been largely erased, especially after the recent tsunami disaster when
their armies worked hand-in-hand to offer relief to victims.

Another upbeat factor for US-Southeast Asia relations is the nomination of
US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick as Rice's number two.

"He has a soft spot for the region and has established solid links with
leaders there over the years," Bower said.

Under Zoellick's stewardship last year, the United States launched a free
trade agreement with Singapore and negotiations for a similar deal with
Thailand, and sealed a trade and investment framework agreement with
Malaysia.

The moves were part of Bush's "Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative" designed
to strengthen ties with the region covering a two-way annual trade of
nearly 120 billion dollars. ASEAN is the fifth largest US trading partner.

US officials talked to Singaporean and Malaysian counterparts last week to
expand trade ties.

In Singapore, they reviewed implementation of the one-year-old free trade
deal, during which two-way trade shot up more than 10 percent to about 40
billion dollars and investment flows also improved.

"The results achieved during the first year of this comprehensive
free-trade agreement send a strong signal about the benefits of free
trade," said USTR spokeswoman Neena Moorjani.

In Kuala Lumpur, in their first formal meeting under the bilateral
framework agreement, the two countries held "robust and constructive"
talks on a range of issues, including market access, customs procedures
and enforcement of intellectual property rights, Moorjani said.

"You'll see an opportunity for US and Malaysia to announce intention to
negotiate a (free trade agreement) probably later this year at some
opportunity where there will be a very high level visit either between
heads of state or key ministers," Bower said.

Last month, the United States also held informal trade talks with
Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, Moorjani said.

The United States has framework deals with Indonesia, the Philippines,
Thailand, and Brunei and is working on one with Cambodia.

"I would expect negotiations to be back on track with Thailand and
hopefully we can get a (free trade agreement) over the course of this
year," Bower said.
Brunei may enter into free trade discussions with the United States just
after or in parallel with the Malaysian negotiations while the
Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia could follow suit next year, he said.

_____________________________________

February 8, The Irish Times
State asked to help draft Burma constitution

Ireland is being urged to play a role in overseeing the drafting of a
proposed new constitution in Burma, which the military dictatorship there
has renamed Myanmar.

Speaking in Dublin, Mr Harn Yawnghwe, a leading member of the Burmese
pro-democracy movement, said an "international component is essential" in
any negotiations on a new constitution. He said the Government was well
placed to play such a role, given its "very useful" involvement in the
Northern peace process.

"There is some possibility of using Northern Ireland as a model. There are
about 30,000 armed men fighting the military in Burma, and there is a need
to negotiate disarming them."

Mr Yawnghwe, who is meeting officials from the Department of Foreign
Affairs today, said Ireland should also exploit its improved diplomatic
relationship with China to push for reforms.

"China is a big factor in Burma, and that is something of which the Irish
Government could make use. The Chinese are concerned about what has
happened in Burma because they want access to the Indian Ocean as a
transport link."

He noted the pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, remained under
house arrest more than nine years after her initial detention.

"She used to be visited every day by her physician. Now she is only
allowed a visit once a week. She has access to far fewer people than she
had under previous house arrests."

He added: "The new constitution will bar her from any political
involvement. So even if they have free elections she won't be able to take
part in them."

The military dictatorship has pledged fresh reforms following the
appointment of hardline Lieut Gen Soe Win as prime minister last October.

His ousting of the reformist Khin Nyunt was seen as a direct snub to
international governments who had allowed Burma to join the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last year on the basis of Mr Nyunt's
"roadmap" to democracy.

Last month US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice identified Burma as one
of a handful of "outposts of tyranny" requiring close US attention.

Mr Yawnghwe said ASEAN governments were concerned about Burma's scheduled
chairmanship of the trade body next year, and "all the problems that might
cause with Europe".

The son of the first president of Burma after independence in 1948, Mr
Yawnghwe fled the country aged just 15 in 1963, when the Burmese military
seized power. He has since worked as special adviser to the Burmese
government in exile, and directs the Euro-Burma Office in Brussels.

He will address a public meeting at the Mansion House, Dublin, today at 8
p.m. The event is entitled "Burma: Beyond the Silence".

Mr Yawnghwe will also speak at an event at Belfast City Hall tomorrow.

_____________________________________

February 6, Democratic Voice of Burma
Shan nationals in US denounce the National Convention

Exiled Shan nationals in US celebrated the 58th Shan National Day on 6
February at New York, one day ahead of the official day and denounced the
“National Convention” to be reconvened by Burma’s military junta, State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

They told the junta to abandon the convention as they claim that it is not
going to take the country anywhere it involves no elected representative
and ethnic nationals.

Sai Aung Mat, a Shan exile told DVB from NY that the day is significant to
the history of Burma because it was the day some ethnic nationals
including the Shan informed General Aung San, who was trying to gain
independence from the British colonial power, that they want equality and
democracy in a federated Burma.

The Shan in US celebrated the occasion by displaying their cultural
heritages and consuming and sharing famous Shan dishes. They also urged
the junta to start a tripartite dialogue involving ethnic nationals, and
stop genocidal attacks on Shan, Karen and Karenni people by its army.
_____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

February 6, The Observer
Celebs against Burma—Gemma Bowes

Tony Blair and 70 celebrities including Vivienne Westwood and Sir Ian
McKellen are backing a public-awareness campaign asking people not to
holiday in Burma (Myanmar) because of human-rights concerns - but a
specialist tour operator said it was not the way to change the oppressive
regime.

The ‘I’m Not Going’ campaign suggests that holidaying in Burma fuels the
abusive regime that uses slave and child labour to build tourist
infrastructure, tortures political prisoners and spends half its budget on
the military.

But Amrit Singh of Asian tour operator TransIndus, who was born in Burma,
says boycotting tourism would not help to free the Burmese people.

‘I have a personal and emotional link with Burma which neither Tony Blair
nor any of the celebrities are likely to have. I too want liberty for the
people of Burma and my family, many of whom still live there, but I don’t
believe this is the only recourse we have.
‘If international political pressure and boycotting tourism has not worked
for 16 years, should we now not be seeking a more proactive approach?’

Although the democratic opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi of the National
League for Democracy argues that money from tourism helps the regime that
denies citizens basic civil rights, many local people and members of the
same party believe a boycott is counter-productive. They say tourism
provides people with jobs and economic independence, and is a vital source
of information about the outside world.