BURMESE ORGAZATION'S NEWS
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ON THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE ILO MISSION OVER FORCED LABOUR BY THE JUNTA
Source : Federation of Trade Unions - Burma
[Abridged]
Burma is a country that has ratified the ILO Convention (29) on Forced Labour and yet the regime has violated the Convention. Despite the year-by-year consistent resolutions on Burma at the ILO to respect the workers' rights and the Convention on Forced Labor, the successive regimes have disrespected and ignored them for nearly 40 years.
We have to clarify that Burma as a country and the people have no outstanding issues with the ILO. It is the continued forced labor, violations of trade union rights and basic human rights by the junta that are being addressed by the ILO, a forum where the workers have an equal chance with the governments and the employers. And, the problem is the junta itself, which has refused to address it's workers rights violations and denied to comply with the ILO Convention (29) that is the problem.
The Commission of Inquiry on Forced Labor in Burma had asked for a trip to Burma since 1988 and was denied permission. The junta also refused to come to the hearings in Geneva. After denying the Commission of Enquiry on Forced Labor to visit Burma for two years, now that the country is on the brink of having a major action taken against them at the ILO, the junta has made a step to evade the possible actions and called out that the Commission of Inquiry can come into Burma.
As mentioned above, the issue of workers rights violations and forced labor are something that has occurred over the years in the remote areas through the successive regimes. The Commission of Inquiry must have the ability and the time to travel to those places and build up moniter units in those areas to see whether the forced labor is used or not.
If the records of the ILO are looked into, it can be seen that over the years, the junta has always replied to the ILO on the very last dates prior to the ILO.
It is very unwise for the Asean Labor Ministers to have allowed themselves to be pulled into the deception of the Burma junta by asking the ILO Commission of Inquiry on Forced Labor in Burma to have a trip between now [the 12th of May] and before the ILO starts [the 28th of May] a period of 10 working days and expect the " issue between ILO and Myanmar" to be solved. The ASEAN labour ministers also must insist to the junta that acceptance of the ILO mission is not the end to the solution but that the junta needs to comply with the ILO convention on forced labour.