IMNA – Yesterday, the Federation of Trade Unions – Burma (FTUB) released a letter of protest related to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Burmese government which was recently contracted to eradicate forced labor.
“We objected (the MoU) because the signing of the ILO means that there can be forced labors for more three years in Burma,” said U Maung Maung, the general secretary of the FTUB.
According to the MoU, the forced labor in Burma must be eradicated in 2015.
“There is a tripod of government, business owners and laborers, however, they didn’t discuss with laborers (regarding to the MoU). They just did informing. According to this MoU, ILO have no authority to take action on Burma during these coming three years even they found forced labors in Burma,” continued he.
In the statement of the FTUB, it was stated that the time and financial support for the governmental groups, the business owners’ groups and the laborers’ groups in Rangoon Liaison Office of ILO and the trust building with them became totally nothing.
Since 2007, ILO and the Burmese government has a mutual agreement that the Burmese nationals could report ILO about forced labors.
However, the human rights groups pointed out that there were ongoing forced labors in Burma even ILO made a great effort to solve the reported cases as there is no effective contribute from the Burmese government.
The FTUB was founded outside Burma in 1991 in order to restore democracy, human rights, social
justice and trade-unionism for Burma and the people of Burma.
