Mizzima: Burma in the hot seat at I

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Burma in the hot seat at ILO conference in Geneva

May 30, 2000
Mizzima News Group

The 88th International Labour Conference will commence today in Geneva,
the headquarters of ILO. More than 2,000 delegates representing
governments, employees and workers from 176 countries are expected to
participate in the conference which will be held until June 15.

For the first time in the history of ILO, the conference has before it a
draft resolution aimed at adopting "whatever measures it deems
appropriate to ensure the implementation of the recommendations" of the
1988 ILO Commission of Inquiry on the systematic use of forced labour in
Burma as eighth item on the conference agenda.

The ILO Governing Body in March meeting invoked article 33 of the
Constitution, recommending that the international labour organization
?takes such action as it may deem wise and expedient to secure
compliance? if a government fails to comply with the recommendations of
a Commission of Inquiry.

A technical cooperation mission of the ILO went to Burma last week and
met the concerned authorities in Burma on the implementation of a 1988
ILO Commission of Inquiry which found the use of forced and compulsory
labour in Burma is widespread.

While in Rangoon, the ILO mission led by Mr. Francis Maupain, Special
Adviser to the ILO Director-General met the leaders of opposition
National League for Democracy including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

According to Brussels-based International Federations of Free Trade
Unions (ICFTU), 800, 000 Burmese are subject to forced labour every day
under the military regime.

A five-member delegation of the military junta led by Director General U
Soe Nyunt of Labour Department has already arrived Geneva to participate
in the conference.

Burmese government consistently denied the use of forced labour and
child labour in the country.

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