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NEWS - Forced Labour in Myanmar Wid
- Subject: NEWS - Forced Labour in Myanmar Wid
- From: Rangoonp@xxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 03:26:00
Subject: NEWS - Forced Labour in Myanmar Widespread, ILO Says
Forced Labour in Myanmar Widespread, ILO Says
Reuters
25-MAY-99
GENEVA, May 25 (Reuters) - Forced labour in Myanmar
remains widespread despite government denials, the
International Labour Organisation (ILO) said on Tuesday.
In a report issued in Geneva, the United Nations agency
said
that thousands of villagers continued to perform forced
labour as porters, messengers or as workers on roads,
railways, bridges and farms.
The Geneva-based ILO cited as evidence hundreds of
written, official orders from the army or civil
administration.
It said that the recommendations made in August 1998 by
an
ILO commission of inquiry had not been followed.
The ILO commission, which interviewed more than 250
witnesses in neighbouring countries at the time, called
on
the government to stop imposed forced labour. It called
for
penalties to be imposed on violators.
"Nearly one year later, little has changed..." an ILO
statement said. It said this was "in spite of the
government's
formal statements to the contrary."