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Mizzima: Forced labor, forced porte



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           Forced labor, forced porter still rife in Naga Hill

Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

Imphal, Oct. 2: The three-week long visit of International Labor
Organization (ILO)'s team investigating the Burmese government's efforts
to eradicate forced labor in the country is coming to its end this week.
In this context, it needs mentioning that there are reports of the
continued use of forced labor coming out of the country, particularly
from the remote areas and border areas inhabited by ethnic
nationalities. The Naga Hills, situated in the Sagaing Division of Burma
(which borders on India), is one of the areas here the use of forced
labor in road constructions and forced porter by the Burmese army units
are rife.

According to the local people of Layshi township in the Naga Hills, the
Burmese authorities continue to use forced labor for the construction
and maintenance of the sixty mile-long Htamanthi-Layshi motor road. In
the last week of August, the Township Peace and Development Council
(TPDC) instructed the village authorities to complete the task of road
repair and construction by the end of November this year.

Naga villagers told Mizzima News that road works are currently under way
between Yan Nwe Village and Kyoe Tadar (the Suspension Bridge) near
Layshi town involving villagers being forced to "voluntarily" contribute
their labor.

The villagers said that the Burmese authorities do not provide any
assistance to the forced laborers and that the villagers themselves have
to bring their own equipments, food and medicines.

Moreover, the villagers are made to work at farms of army units in upper
Sagaing Division and pay regular tax for army rations. The villagers are
also being used as porters by army units moving from one base to another
and in patrolling. Army units recruit up to 50 villagers to carry their
loads during patrolling or transfer. Seven Burmese army battalions are
stationed in the Naga Hills with each battalion being stationed in an
area for the duration of two to four months.

During the ILO's first time visit to the military-run Burma, the
four-member high?level ILO team, led by former Australian governor
general Sir Ninian Stephen, having arrived in Burma in the third week of
September, met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and government
ministers. The ILO team has reportedly been given access to every
minister concerned and visited some of the states predominantly
inhabited by ethnic nationalities, including Arakan State and Taninthayi
Division, in order to make an assessment of the local situation at
grassroots level. The delegation also met with international and
national non-government organizations and UN agencies' representatives
in Burma.

The Geneva-based International Labor Organization last year took
unprecedented action against the Burmese junta and threatened to impose
more sanctions if the junta failed to end forced labor in the country.
In November, the Burmese military government - in a bid to prevent
further adverse international reactions - officially declared forced
labor illegal. Despite this declaration, the continued use of forced
labor is reported in various parts of the country, particularly in
remote areas. The army continues to depend heavily on the unpaid and
forced employment of local villagers for its mobility. Some observers
say that the Burmese authorities are, however, now eager to convince the
ILO that they are sincere in their efforts to wipe out the practice.



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<center><b><font color="#000099"><font size=+1>Forced labor, forced porter
still rife in Naga Hill</font></font></b></center>

<p><i><font color="#FF0000">Mizzima News <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font></i>
<p><i><font color="#FF0000">Imphal, Oct. 2:</font></i> The three-week long
visit of International Labor Organization (ILO)'s team investigating the
Burmese government's efforts to eradicate forced labor in the country is
coming to its end this week. In this context, it needs mentioning that
there are reports of the continued use of forced labor coming out of the
country, particularly from the remote areas and border areas inhabited
by ethnic nationalities. The Naga Hills, situated in the Sagaing Division
of Burma (which borders on India), is one of the areas here the use of
forced labor in road constructions and forced porter by the Burmese army
units are rife.
<p>According to the local people of Layshi township in the Naga Hills,
the Burmese authorities continue to use forced labor for the construction
and maintenance of the sixty mile-long Htamanthi-Layshi motor road. In
the last week of August, the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC)
instructed the village authorities to complete the task of road repair
and construction by the end of November this year.
<p>Naga villagers told Mizzima News that road works are currently under
way between Yan Nwe Village and Kyoe Tadar (the Suspension Bridge) near
Layshi town involving villagers being forced to "voluntarily" contribute
their labor.
<p>The villagers said that the Burmese authorities do not provide any assistance
to the forced laborers and that the villagers themselves have to bring
their own equipments, food and medicines.
<p>Moreover, the villagers are made to work at farms of army units in upper
Sagaing Division and pay regular tax for army rations. The villagers are
also being used as porters by army units moving from one base to another
and in patrolling. Army units recruit up to 50 villagers to carry their
loads during patrolling or transfer. Seven Burmese army battalions are
stationed in the Naga Hills with each battalion being stationed in an area
for the duration of two to four months.
<p>During the ILO's first time visit to the military-run Burma, the four-member
high?level ILO team, led by former Australian governor general Sir Ninian
Stephen, having arrived in Burma in the third week of September, met with
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and government ministers. The ILO team
has reportedly been given access to every minister concerned and visited
some of the states predominantly inhabited by ethnic nationalities, including
Arakan State and Taninthayi Division, in order to make an assessment of
the local situation at grassroots level. The delegation also met with international
and national non-government organizations and UN agencies' representatives
in Burma.
<p>The Geneva-based International Labor Organization last year took unprecedented
action against the Burmese junta and threatened to impose more sanctions
if the junta failed to end forced labor in the country. In November, the
Burmese military government - in a bid to prevent further adverse international
reactions - officially declared forced labor illegal. Despite this declaration,
the continued use of forced labor is reported in various parts of the country,
particularly in remote areas. The army continues to depend heavily on the
unpaid and forced employment of local villagers for its mobility. Some
observers say that the Burmese authorities are, however, now eager to convince
the ILO that they are sincere in their efforts to wipe out the practice.
<p>&nbsp;</html>

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