ICFTU-APRO resolution on Burma

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This resolution was posted by News & Information Secretariet-FTUB



			ICFTU-APRO
   ICFTU ASIAN AND PACIFIC REGIONAL ORGANISATION
		70th Regional Executive Board Meeting
	   Wellington, New Zealand: October 15-16, 1998

RESOLUTION

Introduction
1. The 70th Regional Executive Board of the Asian and pacific Regional
Organisation of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU-APRO), meeting in Wellington, New Zealand, October 15-16, 1998:

I. Emphasises the need for the trade union movement to take effective
action to organise and represent the interests of working people in this
period of global financial and economic crisis.
II. Records its grave concern that the sacrifices being made to overcome
our region's crisis are largely falling on the backs of tens of millions of
working men and women through massive fob losses, steep price increases and
worsening of poverty.
III. Condemns the actions of those hedge funds and speculators, corrupt
politicians and business people, and policy advisors whose actions led to
the crisis. They ignored the excess which have undermined the economic
stability necessary for working class people to obtain jobs and improved
living standards.
IV. Calls upon the International Trade Secretariats (ITS), the trade unions
and supportive organisations to work closely together with the ICFTU-APRO
to ensure that the needs of the working people are given maximum social
protection and to defend working conditions throughout the region.

 
Burma

4.3 APRO continues to be seriously concerned over the absence of democracy
and abuse of human rights in Burma. The recent ILO report on breaches of
the Conventions on Forced Labour dramatically demonstrates the abuses of
human rights by the SLORC regime in Burma.


4.4  APRO congratulates the ordinary men and women of Burma who are
struggling to restore democracy. In particular the actions of Aung San Suu
Kyi in challenging the regime are both brave and inspiring to us all.


4.5 APRO calls on all national centres in the Asian region to participate
in a renewed campaign to place industrial pressure on the SLORC/SPDC regime
to achieve the restoration of democracy. In the event that no positive
developments occur APRO will co-ordinate a campaign to commence February
1999 throughout the region to take in Burma. In the meantime we will seek
to influence the reform process in Burma to help achieve a restoration of
democracy.