For Immediate Release
Contact: Nate Herman
703-797-9062

TGA Announces Support For A Total Ban On U.S. Travel goods Imports From Burma – Applauds Passage of Legislation by U.S. Senate

PRINCETON, NJ – 12 June 2003 – Travel Goods Association (TGA) President Anne L. DeCicco announced today that, due to the on-going cruel and repressive nature of the ruling regime in Burma, TGA – the national trade association of the travel goods industry (luggage, handbags, briefcases, backpacks, flatgoods, etc.) – has called for an immediate and total ban on U.S. travel goods imports from that nation (SEE POLICY STATEMENT BELOW). Furthermore, TGA applauds Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Rep. Peter King (R-NY), as well as Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and their colleagues in both the House and Senate, for introducing The Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 into both houses of the United States Congress. The bills call for a ban on all imports from Burma until it can be determined that the ruling Burmese government has made substantial and measurable progress to end its human rights abuses. The legislation passed the Senate on June 11, 2003 in a 97-1 vote.

“The government of Burma continues to abuse its citizens through force and intimidation, and refuses to respect the basic human rights of its people. TGA believes this unacceptable behavior should be met with condemnation from not only the international public community, but from private industry as well,” said DeCicco.

According to the U.S. government’s 2002 Country Report on Human Rights Practices on Burma, the Burmese government has “…continued to restrict worker rights, ban unions, and use forced labor for public works and for the support of military garrisons. Other forced labor, including child labor, remain a serious problem despite recent ordinances outlawing the practice.”

Additionally, in 2000, the International Labor Organization (ILO) - for the first time in its history - called on all ILO members to impose sanctions on Burma.

“ TGA is pleased to learn that Congress, led by the U.S. Senate’s historic vote on Wednesday, is taking an important step towards ending the human rights crisis that is happening in Burma today. We hope that Congress’ efforts are only the first step towards international condemnation and sanctions on Burma through the United Nations,” commented TGA Chairman Tom Sandler of Samsonite Corporation. He continued, “TGA, through its trade policy, promotes best practices to ensure that travel goods are produced in a socially responsible manner by encouraging its members to operate under programs that are compliant with applicable labor laws. Thus, the association and its membership fully support the legislation introduced by Reps. Lantos and King, as well as Senators McConnell and Feinstein and calls upon the U.S. House of Representatives to follow the Senate’s lead in the swift and immediate passage of such important legislation.”

The necessity for Congressional action is highlighted by the recent attacks of the country’s ruling military junta on Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma’s pro-democracy opposition, and her supporters. These attacks illustrate that Burma’s regime has grown more oppressive than ever, despite worldwide condemnation.

TGA International Committee Chairman Michael Korchmar of the Leather Specialty Company, noted that, “TGA also wants recognize and applaud the efforts of its own members that have already imposed bans on U.S. imports of Burmese travel goods for their own firms. Thanks in large part to the efforts of TGA members, U.S. imports of travel goods from Burma fell an incredible 74 percent between 2001 and 2002.” Furthermore, TGA applauds the efforts of numerous U.S. and international governmental and non-governmental organizations to force Burma to respect the basic human rights of its citizens.

-###-

The Travel Goods Association is the voice of the U.S. travel goods industry. A national trade association, TGA represents the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of luggage, leather goods, business and travel accessories, business and computer cases, handbags, and other products for people who travel.

Policy Statement on Burma, June 12, 2003

The Travel Goods Association (TGA) – the national trade association of the travel goods (luggage, briefcases, handbags, backpacks, flatgoods) industry – hereby expresses its strong support for a full and immediate ban on U.S. travel goods imports from Burma and strongly encourages the U.S. government to:

Impose an immediate and total ban on U.S. imports of travel goods from Burma;
Maintain this ban until Burma’s rulers demonstrate that they respect and enforce basic human and labor rights for its own citizens;
Continue both unilaterally and through multilateral organizations to exert diplomatic, economic, and political pressure on Burma to respect and enforce basic human rights for its own citizens; and
Sign into law current legislation in Congress to impose such sanctions.

The TGA supports a U.S. ban on Burmese travel goods because Burma’s military regime has:

Consistently rejected international demands to stop government-sanctioned forced and child labor practices against its own people;
According to the U.S. government’s 2002 Country Report on Human Rights Practices on Burma, “…continued to restrict worker rights, ban unions, and used forced labor for public works and for the support of military garrisons. Other forced labor, including forced child labor remained a serious problem, despite recent ordinances outlawing the practice;” and
Repeatedly failed to comply with internationally recognized conventions on labor, including forced and child labor. Due to its “widespread and systematic” use of forced labor, the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2000, for the first time in its history, called on all ILO members to impose sanctions on Burma.

Through its trade policy, TGA:

“Promotes best practices to ensure that goods are produced in a socially responsible manner,” by:
“Encouraging TGA members to operate under programs that foster socially responsible production practices compliant with applicable labor and environmental laws and regulations;
Encouraging the United States, other governments and foreign trade associations to recognize and support programs designed to achieve these goals; and
Pursuing policies that encourage development of human rights and democratic values in countries in which TGA members conduct business and discourage trade with countries that promote or support terrorism.”
Strongly supports the travel goods industry’s use of effective social responsibility programs;
Applauds and supports the efforts of TGA member companies that have already imposed bans on U.S. imports of Burmese travel goods for their own firms;
Recognizes and applauds the efforts of numerous U.S. and international governmental and non-governmental organizations to force Burma to respect the basic human rights of its citizens.