16 June, 2023On 14 June, IndustriALL Global Union, ITUC and BWI met with Myo Min, union minister for the Ministry of Human Rights for the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar and vowed to continue to support the fight for a return of democracy in the country. The NUG is the democratically elected government that was overthrown in the military coup of February 2021.
Minister Aung Myo Min applauded the global unions’ efforts to mobilize the global trade union movement to call for recognition of the NUG, as well as the imposition of more economic sanctions against the military junta.
The Minister said that the military is increasingly losing control, with 52 per cent of the territory no longer under military control, and a resilient civil disobedience movement that resists the regime.
The military is guilty of genocide against the Rohingya. However, the regime is now committing democide - it sees the people as the enemy. Although the military is losing territory, it has air supremacy and uses this to conduct air strikes against civilians.
It is essential that all financial resources that benefit the military are cut, as well as essential supplies and services - particularly aviation fuel and access to the SWIFT payment network. The military uses the foreign exchange it receives to buy weapons and ammunition.
“Together with other global unions, IndustriALL reiterated our support for the democracy movement,”
says IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan.
“It has been two years since the military junta seized power, and we continue to stress the urgent need for comprehensive economic sanctions to cut off the illegitimate government.”