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VOA-BURMA / LABOR-GARY THOMAS-BANGK
DATE=8/20/98
BURMA / LABOR-GARY THOMAS-BANGKOK
INTRO: BURMA'S RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS AGAIN COME UNDER
SHARP CRITICISM FROM INTERNATIONAL LABOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS.
A NEW UNITED NATIONS REPORT REITERATES LONG-STANDING ALLEGATIONS
OF FORCED LABOR IN BURMA. VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS
FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION SAYS THERE IS ABUNDANT
EVIDENCE OF THE USE OF FORCED LABOR BY BURMA'S MILITARY RULERS.
AN I-L-O SPECIAL COMMISSION REPORT DESCRIBES THE PRACTICE AS
SYSTEMATIC AND WIDESPREAD. IN WHAT THE COMMISSION DESCRIBES AS A
"TOTAL DISREGARD FOR HUMAN DIGNITY," THE REPORT ALLEGES THE
MILITARY FORCES PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, WOMEN, AND
CHILDREN, TO WORK AS UNPAID LABOR IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
MAINTENANCE OF A WIDE VARIETY OF PROJECTS.
THE REPORT SAYS PEOPLE WHO ARE RELUCTANT TO PARTICIPATE ARE OFTEN
THREATENED AND BEATEN. SOME ARE KILLED, THE COMMISSION SAYS, AND
WOMEN ARE OFTEN RAPED OR SEXUALLY ABUSED BY SOLDIERS. IT ALSO
SAYS SOME BURMESE ARE USED AS PORTERS IN SUSPECTED MINEFIELDS,
AND RARELY RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT IF THEY ARE INJURED.
ASKED TO RESPOND TO THE I-L-O REPORT, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IN
RANGOON TOLD V-O-A MOST OF THE ALLEGATIONS ARE, AS HE PUT IT,
FABRICATIONS AND EXAGGERATIONS. HE ADMITTED THAT SOME OF THE
ALLEGATIONS MAY BE "PARTIALLY TRUE," BUT NOT IN THE WAY THE I-L-O
HAS PORTRAYED THEM. HE ADDED THAT MOST OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN
TO THE I-L-O CAME FROM WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT
SOURCES.
THE I-L-O IS THE UNITED NATIONS BODY SPECIALIZING IN WORKER
RIGHTS AND RELATED LABOR ISSUES. THE SPECIAL COMMISSION WAS SET
UP IN MARCH, 1997, TO INVESTIGATE LONG-STANDING ALLEGATIONS ABOUT
FORCED LABOR IN BURMA.
THE COMMISSION INTERVIEWED SOME 250 WITNESSES AND COLLECTED
SIX-THOUSAND PAGES OF DOCUMENTS IN ITS INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER,
THE GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION INTO BURMA AND
REBUFFED AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMISSION'S WORK.
CHARGES ABOUT THE USE OF FORCED LABOR IN BURMA ARE NOT NEW. THE
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, FOR
EXAMPLE, HAS ISSUED REPORTS ABOUT BURMA'S USE OF FORCED LABOR FOR
MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
REACTING TO THE I-L-O REPORT, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAYS
COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES THAT DEAL WITH BURMA CAN NO LONGER
CLAIM IGNORANCE OF THE SITUATION. THE LONDON-BASED GROUP URGED
GOVERNMENTS AND COMPANIES INVESTING IN BURMA TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
DEALINGS WITH BURMA DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/GC
20-Aug-98 5:55 AM EDT (0955 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
DATE=8/20/98
BURMA / LABOR-GARY THOMAS-BANGKOK
INTRO: BURMA'S RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS AGAIN COME UNDER
SHARP CRITICISM FROM INTERNATIONAL LABOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS.
A NEW UNITED NATIONS REPORT REITERATES LONG-STANDING ALLEGATIONS
OF FORCED LABOR IN BURMA. VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS
FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT: THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION SAYS THERE IS ABUNDANT
EVIDENCE OF THE USE OF FORCED LABOR BY BURMA'S MILITARY RULERS.
AN I-L-O SPECIAL COMMISSION REPORT DESCRIBES THE PRACTICE AS
SYSTEMATIC AND WIDESPREAD. IN WHAT THE COMMISSION DESCRIBES AS A
"TOTAL DISREGARD FOR HUMAN DIGNITY," THE REPORT ALLEGES THE
MILITARY FORCES PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, WOMEN, AND
CHILDREN, TO WORK AS UNPAID LABOR IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
MAINTENANCE OF A WIDE VARIETY OF PROJECTS.
THE REPORT SAYS PEOPLE WHO ARE RELUCTANT TO PARTICIPATE ARE OFTEN
THREATENED AND BEATEN. SOME ARE KILLED, THE COMMISSION SAYS, AND
WOMEN ARE OFTEN RAPED OR SEXUALLY ABUSED BY SOLDIERS. IT ALSO
SAYS SOME BURMESE ARE USED AS PORTERS IN SUSPECTED MINEFIELDS,
AND RARELY RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT IF THEY ARE INJURED.
ASKED TO RESPOND TO THE I-L-O REPORT, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IN
RANGOON TOLD V-O-A MOST OF THE ALLEGATIONS ARE, AS HE PUT IT,
FABRICATIONS AND EXAGGERATIONS. HE ADMITTED THAT SOME OF THE
ALLEGATIONS MAY BE "PARTIALLY TRUE," BUT NOT IN THE WAY THE I-L-O
HAS PORTRAYED THEM. HE ADDED THAT MOST OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN
TO THE I-L-O CAME FROM WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT
SOURCES.
THE I-L-O IS THE UNITED NATIONS BODY SPECIALIZING IN WORKER
RIGHTS AND RELATED LABOR ISSUES. THE SPECIAL COMMISSION WAS SET
UP IN MARCH, 1997, TO INVESTIGATE LONG-STANDING ALLEGATIONS ABOUT
FORCED LABOR IN BURMA.
THE COMMISSION INTERVIEWED SOME 250 WITNESSES AND COLLECTED
SIX-THOUSAND PAGES OF DOCUMENTS IN ITS INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER,
THE GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION INTO BURMA AND
REBUFFED AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMISSION'S WORK.
CHARGES ABOUT THE USE OF FORCED LABOR IN BURMA ARE NOT NEW. THE
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, FOR
EXAMPLE, HAS ISSUED REPORTS ABOUT BURMA'S USE OF FORCED LABOR FOR
MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
REACTING TO THE I-L-O REPORT, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAYS
COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES THAT DEAL WITH BURMA CAN NO LONGER
CLAIM IGNORANCE OF THE SITUATION. THE LONDON-BASED GROUP URGED
GOVERNMENTS AND COMPANIES INVESTING IN BURMA TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
DEALINGS WITH BURMA DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/GC
20-Aug-98 5:55 AM EDT (0955 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.