BBC-Burmese slave labour policy cri

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Subject: BBC-Burmese slave labour policy criticised 

Friday, May 14, 1999 Published at 05:55 GMT 06:55 UK
BBC-World: Asia-Pacific

Burmese slave labour policy criticised

Labour ministers from the Association of South-East Asian Nations, are
holding their annual conference in the Burmese capital, Rangoon, the first
high-level meeting in the country since it became a member in 1997.

However the talks have been overshadowed by criticism of the use of forced
labour in Burma.

The human rights group Amnesty has called on ASEAN to persuade Burma's
military government to end its practice of forcing thousands of people to
work against their will, and jailing trade unionists.

But speaking yesterday Thursday, the Thai labour minister, Sompong
Amornwiwat said ASEAN could not interfere in Burmese affairs, it could only
advise the authorities on the matter.

>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service