COMMENT ON THE LATEST ILO RESOLUTIO

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

WRITTEN, 6:00AM, 25-JUN-99.

COMMENT ON THE LATEST ILO RESOLUTION

The decision by ILO to bar the delegation of SPDC/SLORC from attending
the ILO forums is most welcomed. This decision to expel SPDC/SLORC's
delegation from UN(ILO) forums is also consistent with the United
Nations General Assembly Resolutions, which repeatedly questioned the
legitimate authority of SPDC/SLORC over the people of Burma.

This kind of decision, i.e. expel the SPDC/SLORC delegation from UN
forum, is also consistent with the non-violent strategy to redress human
rights violations in Burma. Most important point in this ILO decision is
Burma 'as a country' could not be expelled from ILO(United Nations);
however, the representative of illegitimate government(SPDC/SLORC) can
be expelled from United Nations Agencies. It needs to note that,
althouth current ILO decision was made on the ground of Burmese junta's
non-compliance about ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations, such
decision to expel SPDC/SLORC from ILO has been made easier by the fact
that SPDC/SLORC is not a legitimate government of Burma.

Such international boycotts, contrary to some comments, are not simply
to be considered as the blunt political instrument to simply demoralise
SPDC/SLORC. These boycotts, in much non-violent ways, are also to be
considered as 'educational tools'. In the case of SPDC/SLORC, which
making the false claim as the legitimate government of Burma and  having
no capacity to redress the situation of forced labour, it should  be
taught a good lesson. Those Burmese Generals, who deluded themselves to
be 'the legitimate government of Burma' should now properly understand
about their true standing at the United Nations. The Burmese population
at large, too, are to be educated about such illegitimate status of the
SPDC/SLORC administration: in this regards, our media friends in
BBC/VOA/RFA & DVB could certainly help on that.

It has to be said a punishment on SPDC/SLORC is now duly made. However,
to improve the situation of forced labour on the ground, the unhindered
access for human rights and humanitarian organisation to Burma will be
required. We should also focus our energy on this front, too.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.

*************************
Subject:         ILO judgement taken into every other UN Forum?
   Date:         Fri, 18 Jun 1999 12:22:07 +0200
   From:         anja sloot <ajsloot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


Below, for your information,  is a news report describing action being
taken by the ILO over forced labour in Burma. Best, Anja Sloot

FOCUS-U.N. labour agency puts Myanmar out in cold (wraps with quotes by
ILO workers's delegate, Bangkok story)
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, June 17 (Reuters) - The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
on Thursday virtually expelled Myanmar, banning it from receiving aid or
attending meetings until it halts widespread forced labour, an ILO
spokesman said.

The resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority at the U.N.
agency's annual meeting, at which its 174 member states, as well as
workers' and employers' representatives vote. It denounced the military
government for inflicting what it called "nothing but a contemporary
form of slavery", including work on infrastructure projects and as
porters for the army.

Myanmar's foreign ministry, in a statement obtained by Reuters in
Bangkok, dismissed the interference as "deplorable and unscrupulous". It
said the ILO had fallen victim to "political tricks of Western nations,
particularly Britain".

The move, which marked the culmination of ILO's 30-year bid to halt
forced labour in Myanmar, was unprecedented despite previous rebukes of
Poland under martial law and of apartheid South Africa. "This is as
isolated as a country can get in the ILO, which does not have any
mechanism for formal expulsion," ILO spokesman John Doohan told Reuters.
The vote was 333 delegates in favour with 27 against and 47 abstentions.

Government delegates named as joining Myanmar in voting against the text
were all Asian-Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.  Several Asian countries had called for
giving Myanmar more time.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions estimates that more
than 800,000 Burmese are forced to labour. Bill Brett, the ILO workers'
delegate from Britain who tabled the resolution with the employers'
representative, Germany's Rolf Thuesing, said people were forced to work
in dangerous areas of landmined jungle.

"We really hope Myanmar will comply. If not, we expect to take the
judgement from the ILO into every other U.N. forum," Brett told
reporters. "This is very much the last chance for Myanmar to realise the
world community cannot put up with slavery at the end of the 20th
century," he added.

Brett, who is vice chairman of ILO's governing body, said that the
56-member body which meets in November cannot impose sanctions, but can
pass on urgent matters to other parts of the U.N. system. He added: "It
is unchartered water."

U.S. President Bill Clinton, in a speech to the ILO forum on Wednesday,
singled out Myanmar for criticism, saying the military government was
violating human rights by forcing people into labour. He called for the
U.N. labour body to take action.

The resolution said Myanmar was guilty of "flagrant and persistent
failure" to comply with a 1930 ILO treaty banning forced labour, which
it has ratified. It had ignored recommendations made last August by an
ILO inquiry commission, which called for halting forced labour after
interviewing more than 250 eyewitnesses and documenting abuses. The text
said Myanmar's attitude and behaviour were "grossly incompatible" with
the principles governing membership in ILO, founded in 1919 to promote
social justice and workers' rights. The country would "cease to benefit"
from any ILO technical assistance and would not be invited to attend
meetings until it had implemented ILO's recommendations, it added.
REUTERS 1431 170699 GMT
*******************
ILO Resolution on Forced Labour in Burma
   From:         osolnick <osolnick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
     To:         burmanet-l@xxxxxxx

International Labour Conference

Provisional Record

Eighty-seventh Session, Geneva, 1999

Resolution on the widespread use of forced labour in Myanmar (Burma)

Submitted by Mr. Brett, Workers' delegate, United Kingdom, and Mr.
Thusing, Employers' delegate, Germany, in accordance with article 17 (2)
of the Standing Orders of the Conference 

        The International Labour Conference,

        Reaffirming that all member States have an obligation to apply
fully, in law and in practice, the Convention that they have
voluntarily  ratified,

        Recalling that Myanmar (Burma) ratified the Forced Labour
Convention,  1930 (N0. 29), and the Freedom of Association and
Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), on 4
March 1955,

        Taking note of the provision of United Nations General Assembly
resolution 53/ 162 of 9 December 1998 and of United Nations Commission
of Human Rights resolution 1999/17 of 23 April 1999, which also address
the use of forced labour in Myanmar (Burma),

        Recalling the decision of the Governing Body to place on the
agenda of its November 1999 session an item entitled: "Measures,
including recommendations under article 33 of the ILO Constitution, to
secure compliance by the Government of Myanmar with the recommendations
of the Commission of Inquiry",

        Gravely concerned by the Government's flagrant and persistent
failure to comply with the Convention, as concluded by the Commission of
Inquiry established to examine the observance of the Forced Labour
Convention, 1930 (No. 29),

        Appalled by the continued widespread use of forced labour,
including for work on infrastructure projects and as porters for the
army,

        Noting the report (dated 21 May 1999) of the Director-General to
the members of the Governing Body on measures taken by the Government of
Myanmar (Burma) following the recommendations of the Commission of
Inquiry;


1. Deeply deplores that:

        (a) the Government has failed to take the necessary steps to
bring the relevant legislative texts, in particular the Village Act and
Towns Act, into line with the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29), by
1May 1999, as recommended by the Commission of Inquiry;

        (b) at the end of twentieth century, the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) has continued to inflict the practice of
forced labour -- noting but a contemporary from of slavery  -- on the
people of Myanmar (Burma), despite repeated calls from the ILO and from
the wider international community for the past 30 years;

        (c) there is no credible evidence that those exacting forced
labour in Myanmar( Burma) have been punished under section 374 of the
Penal Code;


2. Resolves:

        (a) that the attitude and behaviour of the Government of Myanmar
(Burma) are grossly incompatible with the conditions and principles
governing membership of the Organization;

        (b) that the Government of Myanmar (Burma) should cases to
benefit from any technical cooperation or assistance from the ILO until
such time as it has implemented the conclusion of the Commission of
Inquiry;

        (c) that the Government of Myanmar (Burma) should henceforth not
receive any invitation to attend meetings, symposia and seminars
organized by the ILO, until such time as it has implemented the
conclusions of the Commission of Inquiry. 


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