Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
Who are your owners and do they have any links to the government?
»
What are your policies with regard to using the services of government or government-
linked businesses?
»
Do you have any charitable programs in place to assist local communities and/or indi-
viduals?
»
Can I contribute directly to a clinic, school or orphanage as part of a trip? (Always do
this in person.)
»
Can I hire different guides at each destination rather than travel with one guide for the
whole trip?
Choose Goods & Services Carefully
For all its recent positive changes Myanmar continues to be plagued by human rights ab-
uses and distressing extremes of poverty and wealth. Much of the blame for this situation
rests with its government - past and present.
For this reason, groups including
Tourism Concern
(
www.tourismconcern.org.uk/
burma.html
)
,
Tourism Transparency
(
www.tourismtransparency.org
)
and
EcoBurma
(
www.ecoburma.com
) encourage visitors to minimise the amount of money they spend
on government-owned or government-friendly businesses and services.
However, disentangling the complex web of financial connections in Myanmar's eco-
nomy is like unpicking the Gordian knot. The government has divested itself of certain
nationalised businesses - the supply of petrol being a key example - but it still controls
chunks of the economy, either directly or via companies owned and run by the military.
Some cronies, such as Tay Za, owner of the Htoo group of companies, are easily iden-
tifiable; other 'private' companies are run by government members or supporters on the
sly, or by their family members. Such links may not be obvious, partly because there is
no equivalent of surnames in Myanmar, so each member of a family has his or her own
name.
Taxes (both the official kind and the bribes that are a necessary part of getting things
done) are a fact of life in Myanmar, with no business being able to avoid financial deal-
ings with those in power. Also, when it comes to buying souvenirs and products, keep in
mind who may be supplying them. Bottom line: the only way ensure that none of your
money will benefit the government is to not visit Myanmar.
