Letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan : 2001-04-02

Written by U Ne Oo on 2001-04-02

Dr U Ne Oo

18 Shannon Place

Adelaide SA 5000

AUSTRALIA

April 2, 2001

Mr Kofi Annan

The Secretary-General of UN

United Nations Headquarters

New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.

Dear Secretary-General:

I should like to call your attention to the latest report by the Governing Body of International Labour Organisation on 9 March 2001 (GB 280/6). The information provided by various sources in the report indicate that there has been continuing practice of forced labour in Burma. For example, about 8,000 individuals, including women, children and elderly persons, from four districts of Karen State were forced to perform involuntary labour during the period of November 2000 to January 2001. Instead of genuinely eliminating forced labour, there are indication that the military authorities are trying to conceal the evidence of its occurrence. The reports provided by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions to the ILO Governing Body have indicated:

"� that a number of means had been used by the authorities to cover up their use of forced labour. These included issuing orders for villagers to attend meetings at the army camp, where they were requisitioned for forced labour, rather than issuing explicit orders for forced labour; issuing undated, unsigned and unstamped orders; demanding that written orders were returned to the issuing army personnel; �"

Further, there have been disturbing reports of the army arbitrarily arrestin and detaining persons and, then, compelled them to work as porters usually dressed in used army uniforms. This is the military authorities� attempt to disguise these civilians as army personnel and to cover up the use of forced labour.

In spite of the junta�s indication for allowing a permanent ILO presence in Burma during the visit of the ILO Technical Mission to Rangoon last year, there has been no cooperation received in this regards. I believe the ILO presence in Burma is essential to verify the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry. I therefore appeal you to request the Security Council of United Nations to create unhindered access to Burma for all human rights and humanitarian organisations, including ILO monitoring mission.

With this letter, I also send you the additional petitions � as a follow-up to the last November action -- signed by the Australian people in Adelaide requesting the UN to remove the privilege of Burmese junta to represent Burma at the UN forums, including UN General Assembly. Such action on Burmese junta by United Nations will be warranted as the junta is refusing to cooperate with the UN and ILO.

I have also enclosed my 28 February 2001 analysis on the so-called "secret dialogue" in Burma. It is evident that there has been no progress since the surprise announcement of the dialogue in early January 2001. In particular, the military junta has made no public announcement nor has it given due publicity inside Burma with regards to dialogue. It must therefore be concluded that the junta initiated the dialogue to entertain the international press, including the audience at the United Nations, so as to reduce the international pressure. I am particularly concerned about the breaking down of cease-fire negotiation between the army and Karen National Union, which started in late December 2000. Other evidences of junta moving away from national reconciliation are that the army's renewed military offensive against ethnic Shan rebels. I believe, for the people at the United Nations and within the international diplomatic circle, this is time to stop pretending there has been some political progress in Burma. Evidently, the international community must prepare to take a proper action on the Burmese junta.

In closing, thank you for your attention to these matters. Your continuing efforts on Burma will continue to be appreciated by the people of Burma.

Yours respectfully and sincerely

(Sd. U Ne Oo)

Copy to:

1. Colin Powell, Secretary of State, US Department of State, Washington DC 20520, United States of America.

2. Mr Juan Somavia, Director-General, The International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.

3. Professor Paulo Pinheiro, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Centre for Human Rights, Palias de Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland.