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" BUrmese prisons a good source of



Reply-To: south@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (SAFHR KATHMANDU)
Subject: " BUrmese  prisons a good source of labour: Minister"

"Burmese prisons a good source of labour: minister" 
The Kathmandu Post
24 July 1997
Rangoon:(AFP): Burma's home minister has recommended that the prisons be
tapped as a valuable source of labour and prisoners should be fully
utilised to develop the country, the official press reported Wendesday.
Convicts serving sentences are also members of the Burmese public and
constitute a "considerable labour force " that should be used effectively
instead of being left idle, Lieutenent-General Mya Thin was quoted by the
New Light of Myanmar as saying.

"Every citizen" had a role to play in modernising the nation, so Burma
could catch up with neighbouring countries and be accepted
internationally, the paper quoted him as telling a prison department
meeting." The participation of the department in national project,
therefore, constitute a milestone in history," Mya Thin said.
The comments came as Rangoon was about to be formally admitted on
Wednesday into the Association of South ASian Nations(ASEAN), along with
Laos, at 30th annual ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Some western nations have opposed Burma's entry to the regional grouping
because of the ruling junta's record-includind the use of forced civilian
labour for state infrastructure projects.