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AP-Dow Jones: on Forced Labor



Burma Rebel Group Challenges U.S. Diplomat on Forced Labor
 
   BANGKOK (AP-Dow Jones)--A Burmese rebel ethnic group has disputed a =
U.S.
envoy's assertions that American companies have helped reduce forced labo=
r in
Burma. 
   The American oil company Unocal should be brought to account for inves=
ting in
an area where forced labor is clearly documented, said a report released =
Monday
by the Karen National Union (KNU), which has been fighting the Burmese
government for autonomy for the ethnic Karen people since 1948. 
   The assertions were made by William Brown, a former U.S. ambassador =
to
Thailand, who has been touring Asia at the behest of President Clinton =
to try
to forge consensus among nations on how to get a dialogue going between =
the
Burmese military government and democracy advocates led by Aung San Suu =
Kyi. 
   In a news conference in Bangkok Saturday, Brown said one positive deve=
lopment
in Burma has been that 'the use of forced labor in the economy, and
particularly in projects that involve American firms, has been significan=
tly
addressed.' 
   He added that as the Burmese military has gained control of ethnic =
areas,
'the issue of forced labor for porterage diminished.' 
   The single largest American investor in Burma is Unocal. It is in a =
joint
venture with Total of France and the Burmese government to build a pipeli=
ne to
carry natural gas from the Gulf of Martaban to Thailand. 
   But the KNU said forced labor has increased since the contract for =
the
project was signed in 1990. 
   'Forced labor has been used, drawn from the whole district,' it said. =

   (END) AP-DOW JONES NEWS 17-06-96
   1039GMT