29/3/00AAP: ILO/UN SENDING STRONG M

[druneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

BURMA-UN EUR: UN LABOR AGENCY SENDS BURMA INTO DEEPER ISOLATION
DATE: 04:30 29-Mar-00
 EUR: UN labor agency sends Burma into deeper isolation Burma UN

 GENEVA, March 28 AP - The United Nations labor agency today opened
unprecedented proceedings to  bring Myanmar to book for its failure to
address repeated criticism of its use of forced labor.

 Invoking an option that has never been used before, the 174-nation
International Labor Organisation's  governing body called on its annual
conference to take "any such action as it may deem wise and expedient
to secure compliance" with its rules.

 "It really represents a deepening of Myanmar's isolation within this
organisation," ILO spokesman John  Doohan said. Last year, the ILO
barred the government from receiving assistance from it.

 In August 1998, a commission appointed by the ILO roundly condemned
Myanmar, also known as Burma,  for widespread and systematic use of
forced labor.

 "There has been no significant progress in eliminating forced labor and
there has been no significant  progress in complying with the special
commission of inquiry," Doohan said.

 He noted that "there are no provisions in the ILO for expelling a
member state."

 It was unclear what consequences today's decision would have. Possible
options include recommendations  to member countries, unions and
organisations that they review relations with Myanmar to ensure they
are  not abetting forced labor, Doohan said.

 Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes
Myanmar, were reluctant to call for  the unprecedented action against
Myanmar but did not oppose the decision.

 Myanmar "rejected totally and categorically" the decision, Doohan said.
"They repeated the accusations are  unfounded."

 The government has said it is a responsible member of the ILO and
accused western governments of making  politically motivated
allegations.

 Myanmar officials in Geneva were unavailable for comment, but earlier
this month, Myanmar rejected a US  government report on labor practices
in the military-ruled Southeast Asian country, describing its charges
of  widespread use of forced labor as "false and malicious allegations."
AP bdm

BURMA-ILO ASIA: BURMA REJECTS UN LABOUR AGENCY CRITICISM,
RULING
DATE: 03:58 31-Mar-00
 ASIA: Burma rejects UN labour agency criticism, ruling Burma ILO

 RANGOON, March 30 AP - Burma rejected criticism by the International
Labour Organisation of its labour  practices, saying today that the
condemnation was unfair and meant to put pressure on the country.

 The ILO this week launched unprecedented proceedings to take action
against Burma for failing to address  repeated criticism of its use of
forced labour.

 Today, Burma's foreign ministery called the move by the UN agency "most
unfair, most unreasonable and  most unjust", rejecting the decision and
its recommendations.

 "As such, Burma completely dissociates itself from the aforementioned
decision of the governing body and  any activities and effects connected
with it," the ministry said in a statement.

 The 174-nation ILO's governing body, invoking an option never before
used, on Tuesday called on its  annual conference to take "any such
action as it may deem wise and expedient to secure compliance" with  its
rules.

 Last year, the Geneva-based governing body barred Burma's government
from receiving assistance from the  agency.

 In August 1998, a commission appointed by the ILO roundly condemned
Burma for widespread and  systematic use of forced labor.

 "There has been no significant progress in eliminating forced labor and
there has been no significant  progress in complying with the special
commission of inquiry," ILO spokesman John Doohan said on  Tuesday.

 It was unclear what consequences Tuesday's decision would have.
Possible options include  recommendations to member countries, unions
and organisations that they review relations with Burma to  ensure they
are not abetting forced labour, Doohan said.

 He noted that "there are no provisions in the ILO for expelling a
member state".

 Members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, which includes
Burma, were reluctant to call for  the unprecedented action against
Burma but did not oppose the decision.

 However, the Burmese foreign ministry said today that the government
"appreciates the stand by friendly  nations who held the view that
instead of trying to criticise and isolate Myanmar, the door should be
kept  open for Myanmar and the ILO to work together for a satisfactory
resolution of the issue in question."

 Burma, otherwise known as Myanmar, earlier this month rejected a US
government report on its labour  practices, describing its charges of
widespread use of forced labour as "false and malicious allegations".

 The Foreign Ministry called the US Department of Labor report
"politically motivated" and charged that it  was timed to coincide with
the meetings of the ILO Governing Body and the UN Human Rights
Commission  in Geneva.

 The United States is a leading critic of Burma's military government
for its poor human rights record and  failure to hand power over to a
democratically elected government.

 Forced labour, including child labour, is widespread in Burma, and the
government ignores workers' rights,  the report said.

 AP was
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