• Most Popular
  • Most Shared

ILO urges Myanmar to ban forced labour

Sat May 31, 2008 6:00pm EDT
ZURICH, May 31 (Reuters) - Myanmar should ban all forced labour and punish the perpetrators, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said on Saturday.

The United Nations agency has been at loggerheads with the former Burma for more than a decade over what it calls a widespread practice of forcing villagers to work on infrastructure projects or as porters for the army.

The ILO urged Myanmar to "make, without delay, an unambiguous statement at the highest level that the exaction of forced labour is prohibited and violators will be prosecuted and convicted".

It also called for the immediate release of those in prison "for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association", including those with links with the ILO.

The latest demand was among the conclusions of a debate held by a committee of ILO's 182 member states and are likely to be endorsed by the ILO plenary by June 13. (Reporting by Katie Reid; Editing by Robert Woodward)


More from Reuters

Photo

U.S. probing if al Qaeda linked to airplane incident

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Sunday it was investigating whether al Qaeda was involved in a Christmas Day attempt to blow up a passenger jet and sought to head off Republican attacks over its anti-terrorism measures. | Video

» More Top News
A Delta Airbus 330 airliner sits on a runway at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan in this video grab made December 25, 2009. Credit: REUTERS/WDIV TV/Handout

The battle in mid-air

The attraction of bombing airliners means the aviation industry has to be constantly vigilant in its fight against attackers.  Full Article 

U.S.
A caution sign is seen next to a stock board at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in Sydney September 5, 2008. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz
Political Risk in 2010:

Don't say we didn't warn you

With the financial crisis (mostly) in the past, U.S. investors are eying a fresh start to the coming year. Here's a look at what speedbumps lie ahead.  Full Article 

Global Markets