IF we all tend to be concerned about our own rights and welfare as tourists, consider the people who have been displaced by the world's biggest industry in Burma, in East Africa, throughout the third world, and even in Ireland - particularly if you live on a west coast island.
In East Africa, the displacement is at gunpoint, while farmers have been imprisoned for resisting such appropriation in the Philippines. The cause? Not civil war, nor oil, nor logging, nor mining - but our holidays, according to the London based organisation, Tourism Concern.
It provides supporters with their own holiday postcards. The immortal Kipling lines for Burma are accompanied by a caption to the effect that forced labour and forced relocations are commonplace in the lead up to "Visit Myanmar Year 96". Then there is the idyllic beach scene in Kenya with a Maasai selling trinkets. We don't want to be dependent on these tourists. We are Maasaid and we want to herd cattle," the caption to this postcard reads.
In the aforementioned Goa, five star luxury tourism displaced many local residents from beaches where they once engaged in toddy tapping, angling and drying of fish. The same five star development's drive to establish a sports complex, golf course and carpark affected 17 villagers directly, while the local church refused to sell its property and land at any price.
For your political postcards and further information, contact Tourism Concern at Southlands College, Wimbledon Parkside, London SW19 5NN. Telephone 0044-181 944-04641 fax 944-6583.