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Correct version of ICFTU Tokyo sta
- Subject: Correct version of ICFTU Tokyo sta
- From: darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2001 17:24:00
I notice that the version of the ICFTU Tokyo statement which puts
"condemns" in place of "commends" in para 4 has spread around the net
-- it even got into BurmanetNews!
Here is the original version from the ICFTU website, plus the Plan of
Action. These and other docs (including reports by CSW and FTUB)
are on the website:
http://www.icftu.org/focus.asp?Issue=Burma&Language=EN
[NB This and other ICFTU material on Burma is also available on
the ICFTU website in French and Spanish]
The Global Unions? Tokyo Declaration and Plan of Action on Burma
International ICFTU/ICFTU-APRO/ITS Conference
?Democracy for Burma and the ILO Resolution: Trade Unions in Support?
28 February 1 March, 2001
The Global Unions? Tokyo Declaration and Plan of Action on Burma
[dated 8 March 2001]
1. Leaders and representatives of the international union movement met in
Tokyo at the invitation of JTUC Rengo, from 28 February to 1st March 2001,
and expressed full support for the Resolution on Burma adopted by the
88th ILO Conference in June 2000. They adopted a global trade union plan
of action aimed at the full implementation of the measures contained in
this historic ILO decision, in line also with the Resolution on Burma
adopted in November 2000 by the ICFTU Executive Board..
2. The Conference received authentic evidence regarding the continuation of
forced labour since the ILO Governing Body agreed in November 2000 that the
ILO Resolution should take effect. Forced labour is continuing on a
widespread scale and is accompanied by massive violations of other human
rights. Men and women of all ages areforced to work against their will,
including children and elderly people. Women are particularly at risk.
Incidents of gang rape by soldiers are frequent, and many victims have been
murdered afterwards.
3. Forced labour is absolutely incompatible with the establishment of
democracy. This fact is also recognised by the ILO Commission of Inquiry
report. The 1990 electoral victory of the National League for Democracy
(NLD) has been thwarted by the junta. Its leaders, when not in
prison, face continuous threat and harassment. Its offices throughout the
country have been closed and its members who have been detained have
suffered torture at the hands of Military Intelligence (MI)
4. The Conference commends the union organizing/education work carried out
by the Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB), including its co-operation
with unions representing workers belonging to the ethnic nationalities.
The Conference calls on the international trade union movement to
strengthen material support to the FTUB so as to enable it to increase its
capacity in organizing, research and information.
5. The Conference stresses that the ILO Resolution of June 2000 has been
the decisive factor in prompting the junta to enter into discussions with
the NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. It is imperative therefore that, until
irreversible actions are taken to restore democracy and end forced labour,
ILO measures should be maintained and their
implementation strengthened, as a key instrument of pressure on the regime.
6. This means that affiliates must press their respective governments and
employers? organizations to fully implement the various steps foreseen by
the Resolution including, besides a review of bi-lateral relations, the
holding of a special session of the ILC Committee on the Application of
Standards and the inclusion of forced labour in Burma as an agenda item for
the next session of the UN? Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as had
been recommended by the ILO resolution. This is all the more important
given the ECOSOC?s particular role in supervising the UN? human rights?
machinery and its capacity to refer the issue to superior levels of the
UN, including its General Assembly and, in time, the Security Council.
7. The conference encourages all trade unions to raise the issue of their
governments? positions on measures against Burma, in the consultations that
take place under the Tripartite Consultation (International
LabourStandards) Convention, 1976 (No 144), and to ensure that the reports
on the application of this Convention reflect these discussions.
8. The role of the United Nations Specialized Agencies and programs was
also stressed in this context. In particular, the need for coordination
between the various agencies active in Burma was underlined and affiliates
need to publicly lobby their governments to ensure that no UN program has
the effect of perpetuating forced labour. The Conference insists that no
official development assistance (ODA) be provided to the military and other
official structures but, rather that it be used to promote the restoration
of democracy..
9. The international union movement also has a responsibility to increase
pressure on the International Financial Institutions (IFI?s) to ensure
funds are not made available to Burma which could be used to perpetuate the
use of forced labour or to support in any way the corrupt and undemocratic
regime existing there.
10. The Conference recognises the important role played so far by the
European Union, which has imposed sanctions on the regime, including a ban
on arms sales, on entry visas for senior SPDC officials, and a freeze of
some of their bank accounts. The Conference expresses strong belief that
the European Union (EU) should strengthen these sanctions. Pressure has to
be increased by EU affiliates, with the aim of imposing an EU ban on
investments in and on trade with Burma by EU-based companies. Continued
pressure against, and discussion regarding Burma is also necessary within
the ASEM (Asia Europe Meeting) context. The co-operation of the European
Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is a vital requirement of these processes.
The Conferences strongly urges current and future EU Presidencies to bring
about these results.
11. ASEAN also has an essential role to play. ASEAN members having
influence over the junta need to use this in order to bring about an end to
forced labour and the establishment of democracy and not, as many have done
until now, to help the junta escape international criticism. ICFTU-APRO,
affiliates from the region and regional ITS structures must take all
appropriate action to influence their governments in this regard,
particularly in the run-up to the ILO Conference in June 2001 and the ILO?s
Asia Regional Meeting in August 2001.
12. Employers also have an essential responsibility towards the ILO and the
international community at large, including the workers and people of
Burma. It is impossible to maintain business relations with Burma without
directly or indirectly supporting forced labour. Accordingly, national and
multinational companies trading with and/or investing in Burma should
withdraw as a matter of urgency and bans on imports from and exports to
Burma should be introduced immediately. The union movement at every level
must initiate early discussion with such companies. Failure of companies to
comply will mean public exposure by the international trade union movement
and the promotion of other action, as appropriate, including consumer
pressure and boycotts.
13. Workers? shareholder action needs to be expanded and strengthened. The
April 2001 meeting of the ICFTU/ITS/TUAC meeting on Workers? Capital offers
a unique opportunity to coordinate action in that respect.The OECD
Guidelines on multinational companies should be put to use in order to put
pressure on companies investing in or trading with Burma. The UN Global
Compact can also constitute an important forum in which companies can be
pressured to implement the ILO decision.
14. Unions have a particular responsibility to inform their rank-and-file
membership, as well as the wider community, about the situation in Burma.
Optimal use of union publicity material is an urgent priority for the trade
union movement.
15. The Conference issued a call for an International Day of Union Action
for Burma, to be held on 1st May 2001, during which affiliates should lobby
governments, pressure companies, create public awareness and, in
particular, target Burmese embassies for protest and other action.
Co-operation for this Day of Action should be sought from other
representative elements of civil society, such as student and religious
groups, consumer organisations and NGO?s.
16. Noting that the 1st May 2001 is also the target date set for the
world-wide publication of the international poster on the ILO Declaration
of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the Conference urges unions
to link on that occasion the importance of Burmese workers? right to freely
organize with the campaign to end forced labour.
17. The Conference welcomes the co-operation on Burma existing within the
ICFTU/ICFTU-APRO/ITS structures. Additionally, the Conference urged them
and their affiliates to keep the issue of Burma on the agenda of their
governing bodies and to regularly and comprehensively inform their
membership of progress in implementing the Burma Plan of Action. Affiliates
are also urged to report regularly to their international structures
regarding steps taken to put this plan into effect.
18. Leaders and representatives from the following trade union
organisations attended the Conference: ACTU Australia, AFL-CIO USA, CCOO
Spain, CGT-FO France, FTUB Burma, HMS and INTUC India, ICFTU-BC Bangladesh,
JTUC Rengo Japan, LCT Thailand, LO-Denmark, LO-Sweden, MTUC Malaysia, NTUC
Nepal, SNTUC Singapore and TUCP Philippines, as did the following ITS
organisations: EI, ICEM, IFBWW, IMF, ITF, ITGLWF-TWARO, IUF, PSI, UNI, as
well as the ICFTU and its Regional Asia and Pacific Organisation, ICFTU-APRO.
The Global Unions' Plan of Action on Burma
(adopted in Tokyo on 1 March, 2001)
1. Strengthen material support to the FTUB;
2. Strengthen implementation of ILO Burma Resolution of June 2000, including
review of your government?s bi-lateral relations with junta
support holding of special Burma session during 2001 ILC
support inclusion of this issue at next session of UN?s ECOSOC
seek consultations on Burma measures with your government under
ILO Tripartite Consultation Convention, No 144
seek improved co-ordination of UN Specialized Agencies and programs
so that they do not in practice aid or abet forced labour;
3. Increase pressure on the International Financial Institutions
(IFI?s) with the same purpose;
4. Lobby European Union Presidency and Member States to further
strengthen existing Burma sanctions, in cooperation with the ETUC;
5. Lobby ASEAN member States to help bring about an end to forced
labour and the establishment of democracy.;
6. Seek early discussions with companies maintaining business relations
with Burma in order that they withdraw trade and investments in Burma,
or alternatively face public exposure, union-driven consumer pressure and
boycotts;
7. Expand and strengthen workers? shareholder action against companies
trading with or operating in Burma;
8. Better inform rank-and-file membership, as well as the wider community,
about the situation;
9. Organise an International Day of Union Action for Burma on 1st May
2001, and use the occasion, in cooperation with civic and religious groups,
NGO?s and others to:
lobby governments
pressure companies
create public awareness
target Burmese embassies
link the Burma situation with the ILO Declaration of
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work;
10. Keep the Burma Plan of Action on union agendas and inform
your membership of progress.
******************
ICFTU ONLINE...
Global Unions take lead in targeting Burmese junta
01/03/01
?We want to ensure that forced
labour in Burma be brought to a
halt, now and forever!?
Brussels / Tokyo March 1st 2001
(ICFTU OnLine): Over 50 leaders and
representatives of the international trade union
movement, gathered in Tokyo at the invitation of the
Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) adopted
an 18-point Declaration focused on maintaining the
international pressure on Rangoon aimed at stopping
forced labour and swiftly restoring democracy in the
country.
The Conference on ?Democracy for Burma and the ILO
Resolution = Trade Unions in support? adopted a series
of resolutions among which are the setting up of a
campaign to target multinationals which are still
trading or/and investing in Burma and a call for an
International Day of Union Action for Burma to be held
on May 1 2001.
Trade unionists from over 15 countries insisted that
employers and governments had an essential
responsibility towards the ILO, the UN?s labour agency,
and the international community, including the workers
and the people of Burma. It was stressed that it is
impossible to maintain business relations with Burma
without directly or indirectly supporting forced labour.
?There can be no doubt whatsoever that anyone doing
business today in or with Burma, whether in export,
import or investment, in practice offers support to an
illegal, undemocratic and corrupt regime?, said the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions?
General Secretary, Bill Jordan.
Considering that the ILO resolution of June 2000 was
the decisive factor in prompting the junta to enter into
discussions with the NLD leader, Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, trade union leaders declared that such minimum
efforts by Rangoon must not cause the resolve of the
international community to weaken. Measures called
for by the ILO Resolution must not only be maintained
but strengthened as a key instrument of pressure on
the regime. The ILO resolution calls upon the other UN
bodies, Member states and private companies to
re-examine their relations with Burma to ensure that
they are not unwittingly encouraging the use of forced
labour.
Another decision taken at the Conference, was a call
for an International Day of Union Action for Burma to
be held on May 1 2001. In promoting this Day of
Action, affiliates of the ICFTU worldwide will actively
lobby their governments, inform the wider public and
target Burma?s interests in their countries, such as
Burma embassies, companies trading with Rangoon,
etc. Co-operation for this Day of Action will be sought
from other representative elements of civil society,
such as student and religious groups, consumer
organisations and NGO?s.
?The international community can be assured that, we,
the international trade union movement will take the
lead in putting the Resolution into practice and
maintaining it until such time as diplomacy has yielded
the required result: and end of forced labour, and a
return of democracy in Burma?, concluded Bill Jordan.
For more information, please contact Louis Bélanger at
the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224 0232 or on
GSM 32 4 76 621 018.
International Confederation of Free Trade
Unions(ICFTU)
Boulevard du Roi Albert II 5, B1, B-1210 Brussels,
Belgium. For more information
please contact: Luc Demaret on: 00 322 224 0212
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