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BURMA CASE AT THE ILO GOVERNING BOD

Subject: BURMA CASE AT THE ILO GOVERNING BODY

<html>
<font size=3D3>WRITTEN 30 MAY 99, 1:00PM<br>
<br>
BURMA CASE AT THE ILO GOVERNING BODY<br>
<br>
Recently posted &quot;ILO Complience Report on Burma&quot;, in no doubt,
reflects<br>
the Burmese military junta's failure to observe the ILO Convention
on<br>
Forced Labour. This ILO Director-General's report will go to the=20
ILO<br>
Governing Body, which may decide on how to punish the Burmese
military<br>
government. Judging from the tone of the Director's report, the<br>
Governing Body will have no difficulty, at least, to expel Burma
from<br>
ILO. <br>
<br>
According to the Article 33 of ILO Constitution:<br>
<br>
   &quot;IN THE EVENT OF ANY MEMBER FAILING TO CARRY OUT WITHIN THE
TIME<br>
SPECIFIED THE RECOMMENDATIONS, IF ANY, CONTAINED IN THE REPORT OF
THE<br>
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, OR IN THE DECISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT
OF<br>
JUSTICE, AS THE CASE MAY BE, THE GOVERNING BODY MAY RECOMMEND TO=20
THE<br>
CONFERENCE SUCH ACTION AS IT MAY DEEM WISE AND EXPEDIENT TO SECURE<br>
COMPLIANCE THEREWITH.&quot; <br>
<br>
It is an opportune time to support the ILO Governing Body to take<br>
strongest possible measures.<br>
<br>
The circumstances that led to issue SPDC/SLORC Order on 14 May 1999
also<br>
need examining. The ILO Director-General had given a precise deadline
of<br>
1 May 1999 to the junta to 'amend the Village and Town Act with
other<br>
practical measures' to redress the practice of forced labour in
Burma.<br>
Exchange of communication: <br>
<br>
-- ILO Director requested the junta on 25/10/98 to give information<br>
regarding progress on that matter before 19/2/1999;<br>
-- On 4/2/99 the Junta replied they have set up certain 'committees'
and<br>
'working groups' on that matter (gave no information about what<br>
'actually' has done);<br>
-- On 11/2/99 the ILO Director again requested specific information
on<br>
amending Village and Town Act and other possible measure that have
been<br>
taken by the junta;<br>
-- On 18/2/99 the Burmese junta replied their committees have been<br>
engaged in reviewing the Village and Town Act (no other practical<br>
measures to cease forced labour on the ground were mentioned);<br>
-- The ILO Governing Body met on March 1999, and reviewed the<br>
situation.=A0 <br>
-- On 1/4/99 the ILO Director, again, requested the Burmese junta=20
to<br>
provide detail information about the measures taken in relation to<br>
<br>
forced labour BEFORE 1/5/99 (3/5/99 including weekend);<br>
-- No reply was given by the junta, until 12 and 18 May 1999. On<br>
12/5/99, junta informed the ILO that the 'higher authorities' are<br>
actively working on the matter. On 18/5/99 letter from junta
indicated<br>
an Order has been issued in relation to Village and Town Acts.<br>
-- It would appears that, on 14/5/99, a marathon arrangement was
made<br>
(since it becomes evident to junta that the ILO Governing body will
take<br>
a proper action) so as to be able to issue an Order during the=20
ASEAN<br>
labour ministers' meeting in Rangoon. <br>
<br>
The Order issued by SPDC/SLORC on 14/5/99 was dismissed by<br>
Director-General of ILO on the ground of technical deficiencies.<br>
However, even if the SPDC/SLORC is able to proposed a legally
competent<br>
amendment to the Village and Town Acts to the satsification of ILO,
in<br>
my view, which shared by our friends from BPF in Switzerland, such<br>
proposed amendment will not become a proper law. The Burma's
Parliament<br>
or, at least, CRPP would have to ratify that amendment to become a
law.<br>
Though the SPDC/SLORC Order is now consider invalid by ILO, we=20
would<br>
nevertheless have to draw attention of ILO Director-General about
this<br>
fact.<br>
<br>
With best regards, U Ne Oo.<br>
*****************************<br>
/* Extracts of ILO Director-General's Report on 21/5/99 */<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Final observation<br>
<br>
61. Despite the Order issued by the Government of Myanmar on 14 May
1999<br>
there is no indication that the three recommendations of the
Commission<br>
of Inquiry have yet been followed: <br>
<br>
(a) the Village Act and the Towns Act have not been amended;<br>
<br>
(b) in actual practice forced or compulsory labour continues to be<br>
imposed in a widespread manner;<br>
<br>
(c) no action appears to have been taken under section 374 of the
Penal<br>
Code to punish those exacting forced labour.<br>
Appendix I<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0 GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0 BLDG. NO. 53, FIRST FLOOR, STRAND ROAD<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 YANGON, MYANMAR<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 REF:=
 15/DL(R-2)99<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0
<br>
DATE: 12th May 1999.<br>
<br>
To,<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 The Director-General<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 The International Labour Office<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 CH 1211, Geneva 22, Switzerland<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 Fax: (22) 798 86 85<br>
<br>
Subject: Report of the ILO Commission of Inquiry<br>
<br>
Reference: <br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 (1) The letter dated 18 February 1999 of the
Director-General<br>
of the=A0=A0 Department of Labour <br>
<br>
=A0 <br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 (2) The letter dated 1 April 1999 of the Directo=
r-General
of<br>
the International=A0 Labour Office<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Dear Mr. Director-General,<br>
<br>
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 1 April 1999<br>
requesting me, pursuant to the decision of the Governing Body adopted
at<br>
its 274th Session, to inform you of any measures which my=20
government<br>
might have taken on each of the recommendations set out in the report
of<br>
Commission of Inquiry.<br>
<br>
In this connection, I wish to inform you preliminarily that the<br>
practical measures envisaged to be taken on the recommendations=20
have<br>
been submitted to the Government of the Union of Myanmar for
decision<br>
<br>
and they are already in the process of being actively considered by
the<br>
high authorities.<br>
<br>
I will be most delighted to communicate to you as soon as the matter
has<br>
been decided upon. <br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 <br>
Yours sincerely,<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0
<br>
(Signed) (Sein Myint)<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 <br>
Director-General<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0
<br>
Department of Labour<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Appendix II<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0 GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0 BLDG. No. 53, FIRST FLOOR; STRAND ROAD<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 YANGON, MYANMAR<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0 <br>
REF: 15/DL(R-2)99<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0
<br>
DATE: 18th May 1999.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
To,<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 The Director-General<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 International Labour Office<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 CH 1211, Geneva 22, Switzerland<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0 Fax: (22) 798 86 85<br>
<br>
Subject: Report of the Commission of Inquiry<br>
<br>
Dear Mr. Director-General,<br>
<br>
May I refer to my letter of 12 May 1999, in which I indicated that<br>
practical measures would be taken regarding the recommendations by
the<br>
ILO Commission of Inquiry relating to the observance of the Forced<br>
Labour Convention 1930 (Convention No. 29).<br>
<br>
I am happy to inform you that the Ministry of Home Affairs of the<br>
Government of the Union of Myanmar, has issued an Order dated 14=20
May<br>
1999, in which the relevant authorities were directed not to
exercise<br>
the powers conferred on them under the Provisions namely, Section 7<br>
Sub-section (1) (L) and (m), and Section 9 and 9A of the Towns Act,
1907<br>
and also Section 8 Sub-section (1) (g) (n) and (o), Section 11 (d)
and<br>
Section 12 of the Village Act, 1907.<br>
<br>
I may mention that this Order clearly stipulated that any person=20
who<br>
fails to abide by this order shall have action taken against him
under<br>
the existing law.<br>
<br>
This Order has already been made public and has been circulated to
all<br>
State Bodies, Government Ministries and all local administrative
bodies<br>
and it will be published in the Myanmar National Gazette where all
Laws,<br>
Procedures, Notifications, Regulations and Directives are=20
published.<br>
<br>
You may also be aware that the 13th ASEAN Labour Ministerial Meeting
was<br>
held in Yangon, Myanmar, from 14-15 May 1999, at the conclusion of
which<br>
Myanmar Government at the Press Conference made known to local and<br>
international media regarding the above action.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 <br>
Yours sincerely,<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0
<br>
(Signed) (Soe Nyunt) <br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 <br>
Director-General<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Appendix III<br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Government of the Union of=20
Myanmar<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The Ministry of Home Affairs<br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Order No. 1/99<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Yangon, the 15th, Waning of Kason 1361
ME<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 (14th May 1999)<br>
<br>
=A0 Order Directing Not To Exercise Powers Under Certain Provisions of
The<br>
Towns Act, 1907 and the Village Act, 1907<br>
<br>
1. The Government of The Union of Myanmar, the Ministry of Home
Affairs<br>
hereby issues this Order under the directive of the Memorandum=20
dated<br>
14-5-99, Letter No. 04/Na Ya Ka (U)/Ma Nya of the State Peace and<br>
Development Council.<br>
<br>
2. Under Section 7 of the Towns Act, 1907, powers have been conferred
on<br>
the Chairmen of the Ward Peace and Development Councils to enable
them<br>
to execute their public duties. Among such powers, the right to<br>
requisition for personal service of the residents of the ward is<br>
provided in Sub-section (1)(l) and (m) of Section 7. It is provided
in<br>
Section 9 that residents of the ward shall fulfil the duty assigned<br>
under the said power and it is provided in section 9A that on failing
to<br>
fulfil such duty, action may be taken against them.<br>
<br>
3. Similarly, under Section 8 of the Village Act, 1907 also, powers
have<br>
been conferred on the Chairmen of the Village Tract Peace and<br>
Development Councils to enable them to execute their public duties.<br>
Among such powers, the right to requisition for personal service of
the<br>
residents of the village tract is provided in Sub-section (1)(g),
(n)<br>
and (o) of section 8. It is provided in section 11(d) that the
residents<br>
of the village tract shall fulfil the duty assigned under the said
power<br>
and it is provided in section 12 that on failing to fulfil such
duty,<br>
action may be taken against them.<br>
<br>
4. In order to make the Towns Act, 1907 and the Village Act, 1907<br>
conform to the changing situation such as security, administrative,<br>
economic and social conditions within the internal domain of the
State,<br>
the Ministry of Home Affairs has been scrutinizing and reviewing as
to<br>
how the said Acts should be amended, inserted and deleted, in<br>
coordination with the relevant ministries, Government departments
and<br>
organizations.<br>
<br>
5. As such, this Order is hereby issued directing the Chairmen of
the<br>
Ward and Village Tract Peace and Development Councils and the<br>
responsible persons of the Department of General Administration and
the<br>
Myanmar Police Force not to exercise powers under these provisions<br>
relating to requisition for personal service prescribed in the<br>
above-mentioned Towns Act, 1907 and the Village Act, 1907, until=20
and<br>
unless any further directive is issued, except for the following<br>
circumstances:<br>
<br>
(a) requisition for personal service in work or service exacted in
cases<br>
of emergency on the occurrence of disasters such as fire, flood,
storm,<br>
earthquake, epidemic diseases that would endanger the existence or
the<br>
well-being of the population; <br>
<br>
(b) requisition for personal service in work or service which is of<br>
important direct interest for the community and general public and is
of<br>
present or imminent necessity, and for which it has been impossible
to<br>
obtain voluntary labour by offer of usual rates of wages and which
will<br>
not lay too heavy a burden upon the present population.<br>
<br>
<br>
6. Any person who fails to abide by this Order shall have action
taken<br>
against him under the existing law. <br>
<br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0
<br>
(Signed) Col. Tin Hlaing <br>
<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 <br>
Minister<br>
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
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=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0
<br>
Ministry of Home Affairs<br>
<br>
<br>
Circulation:<br>
<br>
(1) Office of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development
Council;<br>
<br>
(2) Office of the State Peace and Development Council;<br>
<br>
(3) Office of the Government;<br>
<br>
(4) Supreme Court;<br>
<br>
(5) Office of the Attorney General;<br>
<br>
(6) Office of the Auditor General;<br>
<br>
(7) Public Services Selection and Training Board;<br>
<br>
(8) All Ministries;<br>
<br>
(9) Director General, Department of General Administration
(Forwarded<br>
for information and for further circulation of the copy of this Order
to<br>
the State, Divisional, District and Township Administrative=20
Officers<br>
Subordinate to him);<br>
<br>
(10) Police Major General, Myanmar Police Force (Forwarded for<br>
information and for further circulation of the copy of this Order to
the<br>
relevant departments and organizations subordinate to him);<br>
<br>
(11) Director General, Department of Special Investigation;<br>
<br>
(12) Director General, Prisons Department;<br>
<br>
(13) All State and Divisional Peace and Development Councils;<br>
<br>
(14) All District Peace and Development Councils;<br>
<br>
(15) All Township Peace and Development Councils (Forwarded for<br>
information and for further circulation of the copy of this Order to
the<br>
Chairmen of the Ward and Village Tract Peace and Development
Councils<br>
Subordinate to it);<br>
<br>
(16) Managing Director, Printing and Publishing Enterprise (with a<br>
request for publication in the Myanmar Gazette).<br>
-- <br>
<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">HTTP://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~uneoo</a><br>
EMAILS: drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx, uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>
POSTMAIL: Dr U Ne Oo, 18 Shannon Place, Adelaide SA 5000, AUSTRALIA<br>
[<a href=3D"http://www.angelfire.com/"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://freeburma.org/[http://www.angelfire.com/al/homepa=
geas/index.htm]</a><br>
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