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15 June, 2009
The issue of forced labour in Burma was prominent during the opening days of the 98th session of ILO’s International Labour Congress, with a general session held on the issue on 6 June. The debate centered on what the Burmese military junta has done to eradicate forced labour, and how the ruling regime conspires to block any meaningful reform on forced labour in the southern Asian country.
The session provided grim evidence that Burma is nowhere near fulfilling progress toward ratification of ILO Conventions 29 and 87, the Forced and Compulsory Labour Convention (1930) and the Freedom of Association Convention (1948). The debate also proved the regime is doing too little to bring the issue into effect through local statutes in towns and villages. The 6 June ILO debate was the ninth time the ILO has taken up the despicable Burmese work practice of forced labour in special session.
FTUB President Maung Maung has been in exile in Thailand
Representatives from the ILO workers’ group, Actrav, presented several examples aside horrid statistics to prove the illegitimate government has failed to adequately address the issue. The employers’ representative, despite few employer delegates being present at the general session, said “words are not enough” in giving failing marks on the junta’s progress on the issue.
The governments of China and other Asian nations claimed progress is being made. For example, the re-signing earlier this year of a “supplementary understanding” between the ILO and the military rulers was cited. But the employer representative’s remarks and the facts prove differently.
One such fact, cited by Chihiro Ikusawa of Japanese trade union federation JTUC-Rengo, is that despite the common opinion that international divestment from Burma must occur, direct investment in 2008 over 2007 increased 93%. She said a good portion of this is Chinese investment, and most specifically in mining.
The Korean workers’ delegate, C.K. Lee of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), called attention to specific Korean investments in Burma and said his government “has betrayed our confidence” in endorsing such business ventures. A Brazilian workers’ delegate said forced labour violations are too numerous, and banking and financial ties with Burma must be broken.
A vivid connection between labour and agriculture was also mentioned by one speaker, who said government decrees mandating a portion of a farmer’s lands for a specific state purpose is, in and of itself, forced labour. The issue of child conscription into military duty was addressed. And the EU representative present – from the current EU chair, the Czech Republic – said Burma’s rulers “lack any credibility” until they release some 2,000 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Other speakers noted the timing of the Nobel peace laureate’s current incarceration with upcoming 2010 elections.
In a report issued by a panel of ILO experts, a recommendation is offered to the ruling government to amend part of its new constitution giving it power to conscript Burmese citizens into captive labour jobs. That will likely be ignored, and the political and financial windfall that has driven forced labour will continue.