Rumours that Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy leader and Nobel prizewinner, may be released from house arrest in Yangon – perhaps within hours – have coincided with a lifting of the travel boycott to Burma. In the past, her party, the National League for Democracy, has condemned the country’s package tour industry, claiming the profits go into the pockets of a corrupt regime rather than benefiting the people. However, the NLD has now officially lifted its plea for travellers to boycott Burma (or Myanmar, as the current Burmese government have renamed it). While still condemning package tours, they encourage independent travel to the country, a heartland of Buddhism, with 1,000s of temples hand-gilded in gold leaf. The Shwedragon Pagoda in Yangon is one of the finest in Asia, matched by the huge reclining Buddha in Pegu. The most spectacular site is Pagan, in central Burma, where 13,000 temples dot the plain on the banks of the Irawaddi river – a breathtaking sight at sunrise. Further north is Inlay Lake on the edge of the Golden Triangle (the remote region said to be a major opium producing area) with its floating gardens and leg-rowing fishermen. Anyone planning to travel to Burma should check the FCO's travel advice before they go.
To get the latest from Amnesty on the political situation in Burma go here.
With more than 2,200 political prisoners still behind bars and a media that is almost totally censored, Amnesty are distributing radios throughout rural Burma to empower its citizens. To buy a radio for Burma go here.
