UN deplores killing and forced labo

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Subject: UN deplores killing and forced labour

UN deplores killings, forced labour in Myanmar


GENEVA, April 23 (Reuters) - The United Nations main human rights body
on Friday approved a Western resolution deploring alleged violations in
Myanmar including executions, political repression and forced labour.

The text, tabled by the European Union and co-sponsored by countries
including the United States, was adopted by consensus at the 53-member
state U.N. Commission on Human Rights, holding its annual talks in
Geneva.

The seven-page resolution deplores an ``escalation in the persecution of
the democratic opposition, particularly members and supporters of the
National League for Democracy (NLD).''

It regrets ``threats of deportation, arrest and physical violence
against Aung San Suu Kyi and the continued harassment, arrest and
detention of NLD and other democratic group activists including elected
representatives to the Parliament.''

The military has increased pressure on Suu Kyi and her NLD since she
demanded the government convene a people's parliament elected in 1990
polls which the military has refused to recognise.

The EU text deplores violations including ``extrajudicial, summary or
arbitrary executions,'' ``arbitrary seizures of land and property,''
``systematic programmes of forced relocation'' and the ``widespread use
of forced labour, including for work on infrastructure projects and as
porters for the army.''

Myanmar's delegation, which has observer status, denounced the EU text
as ``a litany of unproven false allegations.''

Myanmar's delegate said the text paid ``undue attention to one political
party and individual.'' ``Perhaps the intention is to encourage members
of the political party to break laws and destabilise the country,'' he
told the
Commission.

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