Boycott Austrian Airlines (AUA) & Lauda Air
Burma Campaign Austria | 12.04.2003 16:10
Groups from 12 countries condemn AUAs Burma-connection: Direct flights from Europe to Burma are condemned by several groups from 12 European countries. Lauda Air, part of Austrian Airlines (AUA) is the only European airline to serve direct flights to Burma which is ruled by a brutal dicatorship using slave labour and child soldiers.
International Campaign against Austrian Airlines/ Lauda Air
Brussels, March 31, 2003 - The Annual International Conference of European Burma Campaign Organisations, trade unions and partner organisations from all over Europe start a campaign today against Austrian Airlines / Lauda Air because this company recently started flights to Rangoon (Burma).
This coalition of organisations today wrote a letter to Dr. Joseph Burger, CEO of 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, 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.
At the Annual International Conference of European Burma Campaign Organisations meeting in Brussels, the undersigned organisations state our commitment to launch an international public and media campaign against Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air. 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.
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. Today a worldwide public campaign starts. In several countries public protests will be organised in the months to come. The campaign is 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.
For more information:
Burma Center Netherland (BCN): +31 20 6716952, email: bcn xs4all.nl
Www. Burmacenter.nl
* Letter to AUA:
Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air
Dr. Joseph Burger, CEO
Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG
Fontanastrasse 1
1107 Wien
Österreich
Concerning: Announcement of campaign against AUA/Lauda Air because of flights to Burma
Brussels, 29 March 2003
Dear Mr. Burger,
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, 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.
Today at the Annual International Conference of Europe Campaign Organisations meeting in Brussels, 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, including public demonstrations and the mass-release of protest cards, until AUA/Lauda Air ceases its flights to Rangoon indefinitely.
Undersigned:
Christian Solidarity Worldwide - UK
Burma Bureau Germany
Assistenza Birmania - Italy
Burma Initiative Germany
Association Suisse Birmanie - Switzerland
Burma Campaign Austria - Austria
Burma Center Netherands - Holland
Actions Birmanie - Belgium
Burma Campaign UK
Burma Action Ireland
Swedish Burma Committee
Info Birmanie - France
Norwegian Burma Committee
Danish Burma Committee
Brussels, March 31, 2003 - The Annual International Conference of European Burma Campaign Organisations, trade unions and partner organisations from all over Europe start a campaign today against Austrian Airlines / Lauda Air because this company recently started flights to Rangoon (Burma).
This coalition of organisations today wrote a letter to Dr. Joseph Burger, CEO of 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, 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.
At the Annual International Conference of European Burma Campaign Organisations meeting in Brussels, the undersigned organisations state our commitment to launch an international public and media campaign against Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air. 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.
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. Today a worldwide public campaign starts. In several countries public protests will be organised in the months to come. The campaign is 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.
For more information:
Burma Center Netherland (BCN): +31 20 6716952, email: bcn xs4all.nl
Www. Burmacenter.nl
* Letter to AUA:
Austrian Airlines/Lauda Air
Dr. Joseph Burger, CEO
Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG
Fontanastrasse 1
1107 Wien
Österreich
Concerning: Announcement of campaign against AUA/Lauda Air because of flights to Burma
Brussels, 29 March 2003
Dear Mr. Burger,
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, 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.
Today at the Annual International Conference of Europe Campaign Organisations meeting in Brussels, 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, including public demonstrations and the mass-release of protest cards, until AUA/Lauda Air ceases its flights to Rangoon indefinitely.
Undersigned:
Christian Solidarity Worldwide - UK
Burma Bureau Germany
Assistenza Birmania - Italy
Burma Initiative Germany
Association Suisse Birmanie - Switzerland
Burma Campaign Austria - Austria
Burma Center Netherands - Holland
Actions Birmanie - Belgium
Burma Campaign UK
Burma Action Ireland
Swedish Burma Committee
Info Birmanie - France
Norwegian Burma Committee
Danish Burma Committee
Burma Campaign Austria
e-mail:
burma_campaign_austria@linuxmail.org