Yokota on Forced Labor (r)

[tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>BRC -- J has just received the following information from a
>very reliable source:

>During the UN University sponsored conference in Kobe, Japan
>September 26-28, guest speaker Prof. Yozo Yokota, the United
>Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, was
>asked about forced labor.  He answered that some people
>opposed foreign investment in Burma, in part because of the
>issue of forced labor.  He continued that he could understand
>the objections many people had about doing business there at
>this time, but he pointed out that the country is terribly poor and
>the government does not have much money.  He suggested that
>if there were more investment so that the government had more
>money at its disposal, they might be able to pay laborers,
>perhaps not a lot, but at least something.  This might eliminate
>the need to use forced, unpaid labor for government projects.

How about spending a billion or so less on arms? Wouldn't that help?
 ...tom