Forced labour

[lintner@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

THE FORCED LABOUR DEBATE
by Bertil Lintner, October 1995

I have been following with great interest the debate between Nicholas  
Greenwood
and Wilhelm Klein re. forced labour in Burma. Without taking sides in 
this 
debate, I think we have to clear up certain legal issues. The argument 
that "the
1908 Villages and Towns Act which permits village councils to order 
citizens to 
work as forced laborers" is always used by the Burmese government to 
justify the
use of forced labour. But, as so much else the Slorc claims, it is not 
based on 
reality. That old act gives the village councils the right to impose 
"compulsory
service for public purposes without any discrimination on grounds of 
birth, 
race, religion and class." This is a far cry from the massive use of 
forced 
labour which has become a plight and a burden for people across Burma 
today. In 
fact, the use of forced labour violates Burma's first, 1947, constitution 
(which
is above any act enacted in 1908, even if that act said what the Slorc 
claims it
does). Article 19 section (ii) of that constitution stipulates very clearly:

"Forced labour in any form and involuntary servitude, except as a 
punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall be prohibited."

Again, I do not wish to take sides in this debate, but we need to get the 
facts 
right.

Bertil Lintner
Bangkok