Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air

OS Group Town Office

Box 14103, SE-10441 Stockholm

Stockholm, 17 September 2003

Concerning campaign to cease flights to Burma

Dear Director,

Up to now Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air has not responded to our campaign concerning flights to Burma. To our great dismay it is already possible to book a flight to Burma on the AUA website.

We would like to reiterate what we said in our previous letter to the Swedish branch of Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air, dated April 7, 2003:

Burma is currently ruled by a ruthless military dictatorship which is guilty of human rights abuses and forced labour on a massive scale. Burma’s military regime has never acknowledged the results of the 1990 free and fair elections, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won over 80 percent of the seats. To date, the military junta has still not handed over power to the democratically elected government.

Not only the NLD, but also Burmese ethnic minority groups, the independent Burmese trade union, and the Burmese government in exile (NCGUB) have all been calling for economic sanctions for years. A boycott on tourism is part of such sanctions. Numerous companies and travel organisations have already complied with this.
Economic sanctions and a boycott on tourism are broadly and actively supported by international trade unions and hundreds of social organisations.
In 1998, the European Union issued a resolution in which it stated it was opposed to tourism to Burma under the current abominable circumstances in Burma.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called upon all its members to review their activities in Burma. Moreover, dozens of multinationals and travel organisations have already ceased their activities in Burma.

Since our previous letter the situation in Burma has unfortunately deteriorated. On May 30, 2003 opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was brutally attacked and arrested by the military. Despite a massive international outcry for her release she is still kept in custody and here whereabouts are unknown. As a response to the deteriorating situation the US on July 28 signed a new law, the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, which among other things bans all imports from Burma. A US ban on new investments is already in place since 1997.

In spite of international protests and against the will of the democratically elected opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, your company has started flights from Vienna to Rangoon, Burma. The flights gives financial support to Burma’s military dictators, both directly and indirectly (for instance from tourist revenues). Supporting Burma’s dictators means the perpetuation of military rule and of the oppression of the Burmese people.

Burma Support Groups, trade unions and partner organisations of UK, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Ireland consider this unacceptable. Therefore, we urge your company to cease flying to Rangoon indefinitely, for as long as the current military regime in Burma is in power and the Burmese democratic and ethnic opposition requests a boycott on tourism.

Yours sincerely,

Penny Davies,

chair Swedish Burma Committee

The following statement was issued 23 June, 2003, by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is gravely concerned about a report he received recently that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), is being held in Insein Jail outside Yangon. He considers the conditions under which she is being held -- incommunicado and without charge -- to be truly deplorable. The Secretary General has also been informed through his Special Envoy that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is being held under Section 10-A of Myanmar Law No.3 (1975) designed to “safeguard the State against the Dangers of Subversive Elements. The Secretary General urges the Government of Myanmar again to heed the repeated calls of the United Nations and the international community, including the member nations of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), to immediately release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the NLD detained on 30 May; to acknowledge that the people of Myanmar are overwhelmingly in favour of change; and to join hands with all parties, including the NLD, to bring about national reconciliation in Myanmar as soon as possible.

2003-04-07

International Campaign against Austrian Airlines/ Lauda Air

European Burma Campaign Organisations, trade unions and partner organisations from all over Europe are starting a campaign in 13 countries against Austrian Airlines / Lauda Air because this company recently started flights to Rangoon (Burma).

This coalition of organisations are writing letters to Austrian Airlines (Lauda Air) stating: “To our great dismay we learned of AUA/Lauda Air’s direct weekly flights from Europe (Vienna) to Rangoon (Burma) commencing last November.

Burma is currently ruled by a ruthless military dictatorship which is guilty of human rights abuses and forced labour on a massive scale. Burma’s military regime has never acknowledged the results of the 1990 elections, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won over 80 percent of the seats. To date, the military junta has still not handed over power to the democratically elected government.”

The Burmese Democratic opposition and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) called for sanctions. The EU and the Burmese Democratic opposition have also called for a boycott on tourism.

Burma Campaign Organisations, trade unions and partner organisations in UK, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland consider Austrian Airlines operations in Burma unacceptable. Therefore, all Burma Campaign Organisations urge them to cease flights to Rangoon indefinitely, as long as the current military regime in Burma is in power and the Burmese democratic and ethnic opposition requests a tourism boycott.

Since last November Burma Organisations from a number countries have strongly asked AUA/LA to stop its flights to Burma. AUA /LA has not responded adequately to these requests. In several countries public protests will be organised in the months to come. The campaign was opened in Amsterdam by the largest Dutch trade union (FNV) and Burma Center Netherlands with a public demonstration in front of AUA’s Dutch office, on Monday the 31st.

All organisations will continue this campaign, including public demonstrations and the mass-release of protest cards, until AUA/Lauda Air ceases its flights to Rangoon indefinitely.

För mer information kontakta:

Penny Davies, ordförande i Svenska Burmakommitténs styrelse:

, tel: 0734 – 21 35 37

För mer information se:

Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air

OS Group Town Office

Box 14103, SE-10441 Stockholm

Stockholm, 7 April 2003

Concerning: Announcement of campaign against AUA/Lauda Air because of flights to Burma

Dear Director,

To our great dismay we learned of AUA/Lauda Air’s direct weekly flights from Europe (Vienna) to Rangoon (Burma) commencing last November.

Burma is currently ruled by a ruthless military dictatorship which is guilty of human rights abuses and forced labour on a massive scale. Burma’s military regime has never acknowledged the results of the 1990 elections, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won over 80 percent of the seats. To date, the military junta has still not handed over power to the democratically elected government.

Not only the NLD, but also Burmese ethnic minority groups, the independent Burmese trade union, and the Burmese Government in Exile (NCGUB) have all been calling for economic sanctions for years. A boycott on tourism is part of such sanctions. Numerous companies and travel organisations have already complied with this.
The economic sanctions and the boycott on tourism are broadly and actively supported by international trade unions and hundreds of social organisations.
In 1998, the European Union issued a resolution in which it stated it was opposed to tourism to Burma under the current abominable circumstances in Burma.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called upon all its members (among which there are organisations of employers and companies) to review their activities in Burma. Moreover, dozens of multinationals and travel organisations have already left Burma.

Against all international protests, including the protests of those people who were democratically elected, your company has started flights from Vienna to Burma. This means financial support to Burma’s military dictators, both directly and indirectly (for instance from tourism revenues). Supporting Burma’s dictators means the perpetuation of military rule.

Despite your temporary off-season halt, AUA/Lauda Air is now the only airline with intercontinental flights to Burma.

Burma Support Groups, trade unions and partner organisations of UK, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Ireland consider this unacceptable. Therefore, we urge your company to cease flying to Rangoon indefinitely, as long as the current military regime in Burma is in power and the Burmese democratic and ethnic opposition requests a tourism boycott.

At the Annual International Conference of Europe Campaign Organisations meeting in Brussels 29 March 2003, we the undersigned organisations state our commitment to launch an international public and media campaign against Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air. The undersigned organisations will continue this campaign in 13 European countries, including public demonstrations and the mass-release of protest cards, until AUA/Lauda Air ceases its flights to Rangoon indefinitely.

Best wishes,

Penny Davies, chair Swedish Burma Committee

O734-21 35 37

Undersigned:

Swedish Burma Committee

Christian Solidarity Worldwide - UK

Burma Bureau Germany

Assistenza Birmania - Italy

Burma Initiative Germany

Association Suisse Birmanie - Switserland

Burma Campaign Austria Austria

Burma Center Netherands - Holland

Actions Birmanie – Belgium

Burma Campaign UK

Burma Action Ireland

Info Birmanie – France

Norwegian Burma Committee

Danish Burma Committee

Birmania Libre - Spain