Myanmar: UN labour agency voices 'grave concern' over death threats

he Governing Body of the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) wrapped its latest session today, voicing "grave concern about the degradation of the situation" in Myanmar, including death threats against agency officials and the sentencing of people seeking redress for victims of forced labour.

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It also approved reports from the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association drawing attention to various problems in Cambodia, Colombia, Georgia and Belarus and calling for remedial government action.

"The members of the Governing Body were particularly concerned and critical about a series of death threats, received by the ILO Liaison Officer as well as the former Acting Liaison Officer and Informal Facilitator," ILO said in a statement dealing with Myanmar.

"The Governing Body requested urgently the authorities of Myanmar to guarantee that the Liaison officer can fully exercise his functions," it added. Voicing "particular concern" on the forced labour issue, it "specifically underlined that the authorities should cease prosecuting victims of forced labour and instead take action against those who perpetrated it."

On the question of freedom of association, the Committee drew attention to anti-union discrimination and employer interference in respect of union representatives at two hotels in Cambodia and urged the Government to ensure that workers dismissed as a result of legitimate union activities were reinstated without loss of wages and without delay.

The Committee also requested the Government to ensure that the protection of workers' trade union rights was accompanied by efficient and enforceable procedures and that all workers who are subjected to anti-union discrimination have access to procedures that lead to final and binding decisions.

According to the government, whose representative spoke at the adoption of the report, the dismissed had already been reinstated.

On Colombia, the Committee examined allegations relating to the murder of four trade union officials, the denial of trade union leave and violation of collective agreements in a number of enterprises, as well as the dismissal of union leaders and members.

Regretting that no new information had been provided on the murders, the Committee strongly urged the Government to take the necessary steps without delay to ensure that those responsible are identified and adequately punished in the near future.

On Georgia, the Committee dealt with alleged Government interference in union affairs, in particular steps to force the Georgian Trade Union Amalgamation (GTUA) into turning all of its trade union property over to the State. It requested the Government to return all seized trade union documents and condemned anti-union tactics, pressure and intimidation by the Government.

Regretting that the Government had so far refused all dialogue in this regard with the GTUA and the Committee, the latter invited the Government to settle this question through constructive dialogue.

On Belarus, the Committee noted that virtually no concrete measures had been taken by the Government to give meaningful effect to recommendations on labour by a Commission of Inquiry in its report to last November's session of the Governing Body, and it again urged the Government to take specific steps for their full implementation.