Yokota on Forced Labor

[brelief@xxxxxxx]

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BRC -- J has just received the following information from a
very reliable source:

During the UN University sponsored conference in Kobe, Japan
September 26-28, guest speaker Prof. Yozo Yokota, the United
Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, was
asked about forced labor.  He answered that some people
opposed foreign investment in Burma, in part because of the
issue of forced labor.  He continued that he could understand
the objections many people had about doing business there at
this time, but he pointed out that the country is terribly poor and
the government does not have much money.  He suggested that
if there were more investment so that the government had more
money at its disposal, they might be able to pay laborers,
perhaps not a lot, but at least something.  This might eliminate
the need to use forced, unpaid labor for government projects.


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