BURMA: PREPARING FOR THE ANNUAL ILO CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 RANGOON 000424 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, IO AND DRL DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DEPT OF LABOR ILAB OFFICE PACOM FOR FPA US MISSION TO GENEVA FOR LABOR ATTACHE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/28/2018 TAGS: ELAB PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: BURMA: PREPARING FOR THE ANNUAL ILO CONFERENCE REF: A. RANGOON 286 ¶B. RANGOON 168 ¶C. RANGOON 127 Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Although the Burmese Government has taken steps to address forced labor and child soldier issues, forced labor continues to be a significant problem in Burma, ILO Liaison Officer Steve Marshall told us. During the annual ILO Conference, ILO members should question the GOB's commitment to the application of the Supplementary Understanding on Forced Labor, why the government has yet to publicly confirm its commitment to eliminate forced labor and the use of child soldiers, and whether the Burmese people understand their labor rights. According to Marshall, the number of forced labor complaints has decreased recently, but the number of child solider cases has increased. He expects that as the GOB continues with its post-Cyclone Nargis reconstruction, the number of forced labor complaints will also increase. The GOB in recent months has allowed the ILO to educate military officers and judges about forced labor and human rights, has agreed to a Burmese-language translation of the Supplementary Understanding on Forced Labor, and has permitted the ILO officers to travel without government liaison officers. Marshall emphasized that ILO members should encourage the GOB to strengthen its commitment to the Forced Labor Mechanism, including conducting education awareness and imposing harsher punishments for perpetrators of forced labor, particularly military officers. End Summary. Addressing Forced Labor -------------- ¶2. (C) During the past 14 months, the Burmese Government has taken steps to address forced labor, acknowledged ILO Liaison Officer Steve Marshall. However, he cautioned that forced labor continues to be a significant problem in Burma. While the GOB is addressing forced labor issues on the civilian side, it does little to stop the military's use of forced labor and child soldiers. Marshall noted that during the annual ILO conference, which begins on May 29, ILO members will review several issues regarding Burma, including the GOB's application of the Supplementary Understanding on Forced Labor (Ref B),whether the Burmese Government has followed the ILO's recommendation to confirm publicly its commitment to eliminate forced labor and the use of child soldiers, and whether the Burmese people understand their labor rights. ¶3. (C) According to Marshall, the Burmese Government publicly supports the Supplementary Understanding and the mechanism by which people can complain about forced labor practices, although some parts of the government, particularly the military, resist the application of the agreement. Although the agreement forbids the GOB to harass or punish anyone who files a forced labor complaint with the ILO, many complainants have been punished in some way, either harassed by local authorities or detained for a period of time. Marshall qualified that local authorities may not be aware of the Supplementary Understanding, noting that the ILO and GOB must do more to improve the awareness of labor rights at the local level. He also stated that the government must adequately punish those who break the law. Marshal advocated that, during the conference, ILO members should push the GOB to improve the application of the Forced Labor Mechanism and properly punish forced labor perpetrators, especially military officers. ¶4. (C) The GOB is reluctant to confirm publicly its commitment to eliminate forced labor and the use of child soldiers, Marshall declared. The GOB claims that there is no need for a high-level public statement, since the draft RANGOON 00000424 002 OF 004 constitution included two articles regarding labor - one specifically outlaws forced labor and the other allows for the formation of labor unions. Although the government announced that the majority of Burmese approved the constitution during the recent referendum, there were wide-spread irregularities in the voting process and the referendum cannot be declared free and fair by any yardstick. In addition, the enumerated rights are also conditioned. Many Burmese do not understand the content or meaning of the regime's constitution and are unaware of the labor laws included in it. Marshall recommended that the GOB issue a public statement to inform the Burmese people of their rights under the law. A public statement would pave the way for an educational outreach campaign, where the GOB and the ILO could explain to the people their labor rights. ¶5. (SBU) Since the first Supplementary Understanding was signed in February 27, 2007, the ILO has received a total of 89 forced labor complaints. After thoroughly investigating the complaints, the ILO submitted 46 cases to the Burmese Government for action; the ILO dismissed the other 43 cases due to lack of evidence or lack of a complainant, Marshall explained. Of the 46 cases, the GOB resolved 28 of them, although the ILO remains unsatisfied with the GOB's inadequate punishment of the military perpetrators of forced labor in two of the cases (Ref B). According to Marshall, civilian authorities perpetrated forced labor in 17 of the 46 cases; military officials were involved in five cases; 21 cases were child soldier cases; and three cases dealt with the harassment or detention of complainants. Marshall told us that the ILO is still investigating an additional seven cases of forced labor. Most of the cases received come from Rakhine and Mon States and Bago, Rangoon, and Irrawaddy Divisions. Marshall predicted that the number of forced labor cases will increase as the GOB continues with its post-Cyclone Nargis reconstruction plans (to be reported septel). Child Soldiers Still An Issue -------------- ¶6. (C) The ILO continues to receive forced labor complaints, the majority of which are child soldier cases. With recent child soldier complaints, the GOB has worked with the ILO to identify the children and return them to their families. However, the GOB continues to place the burden of proof on the children and the ILO rather than on the recruiters. When detailed, specific information is available, it takes approximately two weeks to resolve the cases, Marshall noted. To date, the GOB has resolved all of the child soldier cases vetted by the ILO. ¶7. (C) Although the GOB acts quickly on child soldier cases, Marshall indicated that the Burmese regime questions the ILO's decision to include on its register any cases where a child was recruited into the military before the Supplementary Understanding went into effect. Marshall informed the Minister of Labor that the date when a child was recruited into the military did not matter - the point as that they were underage when they joined the military. If the child was still under 18, even though he was recruited before February 2007, the ILO would forward the case to the GOB for action. If the child is now over the age of 18, the ILO office highlights that he entered the military as a child solider and should be able to leave the military if he chooses. Ministry of Labor officials and Marshall continue to discuss this issue. Highlighting Recent GOB-ILO Cooperation -------------- ¶8. (C) For the past six months, the ILO office has pressed the Ministry of Labor to approve a Burmese-language translation of the Supplementary Understanding, which the ILO planned to use in its education outreach program. On May 19, RANGOON 00000424 003 OF 004 the Burmese Government approved the ILO's translation. Marshall noted that his office was currently producing copies of the document for distribution and would begin outreach in July. The ILO has also drafted a brochure that explains people's labor rights and how to file a complaint; the GOB has yet to approve this document but Marshall expects approval within the next few months. ¶9. (C) In recent months, the GOB has responded positively to ILO requests to conduct training of military and civilian officials, Marshall noted. In February, Marshall hosted a two-day training session for 67 township-level judges, where he briefed them on the legal aspects and application of ILO Convention 29 on Forced Labor and on the Burmese Law on Child Soldiers and Forced Labor (Ref C). In May, the ILO held a five-day train-the-trainers course for 37 military recruitment officers, where Marshall introduced best practices to prevent recruitment of children and encouraged officers to keep better recruitment records, including proof of age for any new soldiers (Ref A). According to the Deputy Minister of Labor, these officers are now holding follow-on courses within various military regiments. Marshall will train an additional 37 military recruitment officers during the last week of June. ¶10. (C) Marshall also noted that the Ministry of Labor has granted his recent requests to travel around Burma to investigate forced labor complaints; he has traveled freely without a GOB liaison officer. Marshall and his ILO translator traveled to Bago Division May 19-20 where they met with several Burmese who complained that the military was forcing villagers into sentry duty. According to the complainants, each household from villages living along the railway line had to provide one male to stand a 12-hour guard shift at the railroad. None of the villagers received a wage for sentry duty. While this practice has occurred for years, locals only complained to the ILO after one villager died while on sentry duty. Marshall said that he forwarded this case to the GOB for action after his trip; the Bago Division Regional Commander on May 22 reprimanded several military officers and ordered that civilians should not stand guard duty. Despite the quick GOB response, the ILO considers the case still open, Marshall told us. Raising Freedom of Association -------------- ¶11. (C) Marshall told us that during the annual conference, the ILO Workers Group may raise the issue of Freedom of Association and the right to form labor unions in Burma. He was unsure whether the group would request a special sitting on the lack of Freedom of Association in Burma, would submit a special resolution on the topic to the ILO members, or would request to start a Commission inquiry into Burma's actions under the Article 24 process. There is some foundation for the Workers Group's concerns, Marshall stated, noting that the ILO continued to monitor the status of the detentions, court cases, and appeals involving Burmese who worked on labor issues - including Su Su Nwe, Htet Wei, and the six individuals arrested in conjunction with a May 1, 2007 labor seminar at the American Center (Ref B). According to Marshall, the GOB claims that these people were not arrested for their involvement in labor issues, but because they were acting to undermine the political stability of the government. These individuals remain in detention and the courts have not yet issued decisions on the appeals of Su Su Nwe, Htet Wei, and the six May Day activists. Politicizing the Complaint Process -------------- ¶12. (C) Ministry of Labor officials continue to complain that the NLD and other pro-democracy organizations are using the Forced Labor Mechanism to politicize the complaint process. Before each investigation trip, Labor officials RANGOON 00000424 004 OF 004 request that Marshall not meet with anyone from the NLD nor accept forced labor complaints from the NLD, arguing that the NLD uses the agreement to undermine the regime's credibility and promote political instability. Marshall told us he has informed GOB officials that his office conducts a thorough investigation of each complaint, looking at the substance of case rather than who made the complaint. The ILO receives many politically-driven complaints, he acknowledged, but the office does not submit these to the GOB for action. The ILO remains cognizant of the GOB's concerns, but reserves the right to accept complaints from anyone, regardless of political affiliation, Marshall declared. Marshall also noted that he had received two forced labor complaints from the regime's mass member organization, USDA. Comment -------------- ¶13. (C) Burma remains one of the worst perpetrators of forced labor in the world, and the ILO's case record does not reflect the reality of the situation. The ILO is unable to investigate all reports of forced labor because the Supplementary Understanding states that the ILO can only investigate cases when it has an actual complaint from a forced labor victim or facilitator. Many people fear retaliation if they file a complaint. As a result, the ILO receives information on only a fraction of forced labor and child soldier cases. As long as the military rules Burma, it will protect its own and the main perpetrators of forced labor will go unpunished. Forced labor will continue to be a major problem until the government addresses the root causes of forced labor, takes concrete steps to reduce child soldier recruitment, and punishes military perpetrators of forced labor and child solider recruitment. We should take the opportunity at the ILO Conference to push for significant action by the GOB to address forced labor in Burma. We also welcome the ILO's increased attention to the major violations of freedom of association in Burma, where any gatherings of more than five individuals require government approval. VILLAROSA