ILO/PIPELINE (r)

[dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Dawn Star wrote:
> 
> Thank you David Arnott for your reply. Are we talking about the same
> document here? The document, which I have in paper, in French, 430
> pages, and downloaded from the ILO site, Travail Forcé au
> Myanamr(Birmanie) July 1998 DOES extensively cite and condemn the Yadana
> pipeline. pages 177 -217
> 
> In the section (III) CONSTATS DES FAITS, there is a detailed examination
> of forced labor for public projects (A.)
> 
> But the section µB.L RECOURS AU TRAVAIL FORCE A DES FINS PRIVEES
> particularly condemns the pipeline projet, and specfically Yadana,
> Total, Unocal, and Moge.
> 
> dawnstar
> 
> David Arnott wrote:
> 
> > On the interesting statement by "Dawnstar", posted to several Burma
> > listserves, that
> >
> > "The JULY 1998 OIT [ILO] Forced Labor in Bura (sic) document targetted
> > specially the pipeline companies. But nothing on it since":
> >
> > A) Though the ILO Commission of Inquiry looked at the question of
> > forced labour on the pipeline route, and abundant testimony on the
> > subject from the various parties was cited in the July 1998 report,
> > the Commission was unable to come to any conclusion on the matter for
> > the reasons given in the following paragraphs. The Conclusions and
> > recommendations do not even mention the pipeline.
> >
> > "452. There was evidence before the Commission in the form of
> > secondary statements that forced labour was used until May
> > 1995 for ground clearance work to provide access to survey
> > teams for the Yadana gas pipeline project in Yebyu township,
> > Tanintharyi Division.(761) In a communication addressed to the
> > Commission TOTAL stated that it was wrong to claim that the
> > preparatory clearing work could have been undertaken by forced
> > labourers for the purpose of facilitating the access of the
> > project teams. During the years 1993 and 1994, clearing work
> > had been carried out under the supervision of TOTAL by the
> > Compagnie generale de geophysique (CGG).(762) In view of the
> > contradiction between the facts presented, and since the
> > Commission was denied access to Myanmar to supplement its
> > evidence, no finding on this matter could be made."

> >
> > "505. In their supplementary evidence submitted by a letter
> > dated 31 October 1996, the complainants have alleged "that
> > people living in the vicinity of the (Yadana) gas pipeline
> > route are regularly forced to work (on the) construction of
> > the pipeline route itself, and on related infrastructure",
> > explaining that "Work on the pipeline route has mainly
> > consisted of clearing the jungle by hand. Related
> > infrastructure work has included construction of barracks in
> > the area to house SLORC battalions moved into the region to
> > provide security for the pipeline."(918)
> >
> > "506. As regards the allegations regarding the ground clearance
> > work mentioned in paragraph 505, the Commission refers to its
> > findings concerning the facts set out in paragraph 452 above,
> > where it indicated that, since the Commission was denied
> > access to Myanmar to supplement its evidence, no finding on
> > this matter could be made.
> >
> > "507. As regards the construction of barracks for military
> > battalions in the region of the pipeline, the Commission
> > considers that even if the battalions are in the region to
> > guard the pipeline, in the absence of further information
> > concerning the security arrangements made between the
> > Government and the private company or companies involved in
> > the pipeline project, forced labour used for the construction
> > of military barracks cannot prima facie be held to be imposed
> > for private benefit in the strict sense of Article 4 of the
> > present Convention."
> >
> > ***************
> >
> > B) The function of the 21 May 1999 document was to respond to the
> > Governing Body's request to the ILO Director-General that he report to
> > the members on the actions SPDC had taken to comply with the
> > Commission of Inquiry's recommendations (which do not refer to the gas
> > pipeline):
> >
> > "1. At its 274th Session (March 1999), the Governing Body decided:
> >
> >      (a) to request the Director-General to inform the members of the
> > Governing Body, by means of a written report, on or before 21 May
> > 1999, regarding measures which the Government of Myanmar has taken to
> > comply with the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry, together
> > with details of any technical assistance requested or provided;
> >
> >      (b) to request the Director-General, in preparing the
> > abovementioned report, to take into account any comments by the
> > Government of Myanmar, as well as information from workers' and
> > employers' organizations and from other reliable sources:"
> >
> > Internet ProLink PC User