Statement by His Excellency U Nyunt Maung Shein,
Ambassador / Permanent Representative
and Leader of the Myanmar Delegation
at the 294th Session of the ILO Governing Body
Geneva, 17 November 2005
Mr. Chairman,
I thank you for giving me the floor.
At the outset, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to you on your assumption of duties as the Chairman of this Governing Body. I also wish to assure you, Mr. Chairman, the fullest cooperation of my delegation in discharging your responsibilities.
I am fully confident that with your wisdom, knowledge and strong leadership, our deliberations will bring about a successful conclusion.
Allow me also to take this opportunity to extend my tribute to other members of the Bureau.
Mr. Chairman,
Myanmar’s association with the ILO extends for more than 57 years. Only four months after regaining independence in January 1948, Myanmar joined the ILO. Today, it is party to 19 ILO Conventions.
Throughout this long association, Myanmar has extended full cooperation to the ILO in matters relating to labour affairs. However, since the early nineties, the issue of Myanmar’s compliance with Convention 29 has been raised in the ILO by certain constituents leading to the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry in 1997.
As recommended by the Commission of Inquiry, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Executive Order 1/99 of 14 May 1999 and Order Supplementing Order 1/99 of 27 October 2000 in order that the relevant provisions of the Towns Act and the Village Act of 1907 are brought into line with the Forced Labour Convention No. 29. The fact that these Orders have the force of law has been recognized by the Committee of Experts.
Since then, we have received six ILO missions, including the one last month, and one high-level team and one very high-level team. We have accommodated the recommendations of these missions as long as our national interests and sovereignty are not infringed upon.
Mr. Chairman,
Permit me to apprise this house of the latest developments in Myanmar with regard to her association with the ILO. The conclusions adopted on Myanmar’s observance of ILO Convention No. 29 at the 93rd International Labour Conference in June this year are particularly harsh as far as Myanmar is concerned. We categorically and totally reject and dissociate ourselves from these conclusions and any activities and effects connected with them. This decision has provoked a strong emotional reaction domestically in Myanmar.
Mass rallies took place throughout the country where representatives of social, cultural and non-governmental organizations called on the Government to withdraw from the ILO. They also denounced the terrorist acts committed by NCGUB, ABSDF and FTUB and urged that these organizations be declared unlawful associations. These actions reflect the sentiments of the people in connection with the decision of the 93rd ILC. Indeed, the aforementioned organizations have been declared unlawful associations by the Orders No. 2/2005, 3/2005 and 4/2005 of the Ministry of Home Affairs on 28 August 2005.
Mr. Chairman,
Myanmar has expressed its deep regret at the conclusions taken by the ILC. As a matter of principle, we oppose the use of sanctions against a Member State in order to bring about political changes in the country. The reactivation of measures or sanctions is unjust, unwise and unreasonable, as my Government has been fully cooperating with the ILO on the issue of eradication of forced labour in Myanmar. Sanctions will only cause further sufferings to the population at large.
Mr. Chairman,
The economic and trade sanctions imposed on Myanmar by some countries have resulted in a severe impact on Myanmar workers. In particular, Myanmar women from the textile sector were forced to abandon their jobs due to closure of 160 garment factories and downsizing of 40 other related factories. Over 80,000 workers, including 70,000 women became unemployed and livelihood of more than 400,000 dependant families were affected seriously.
In view of the above, the Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation, representing the entire Myanmar Women of about 27 million, called for the withdrawal of Myanmar’s membership from the ILO.
Mass rallies in States and Divisions have been held where the representatives from the Union Solidarity and Development Association, Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation, Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association, Myanmar War Veterans Organization, Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association, and other social, cultural, and professional associations, called on the Government to withdraw its membership from the ILO. At this point, I would like to make it known that out of 54 million population of the nation, the Union Solidarity and Development Association represents 23 million; Myanmar Women Affairs Federation represents 1.9 million; Myanma Maternal and Child Welfare Association represents 4.5 million, and Myanmar War Veterans Organization represents 140,000, totalling 30 million. Among those, the representation of workers amounts to 5.5 million.
The Myanmar people view that the ILO has made unjust decision to reactivate sanctions against Myanmar. They also feel that the ILO has been silent when over 80,000 Myanmar workers, mostly women, became unemployed due to the economic and trade sanctions imposed by some countries.
The desire of the people has been of such an overwhelming nature that the Ministry of Labour was compelled to consider them seriously.
Mr. Chairman,
Let me now turn to some of the issues mentioned in the document GB/294/6/2.
Myanmar is fully aware of her obligations under international law with respect to the security of UN personnel residing and working in its territory. As regards the security of the ILO Liaison Officer a.i., Myanmar has already taken necessary measures to ensure his safety. Due to the very nature of this matter, I do not intend to elaborate here on the details of these measures.
I would now like to make some observations on the specific cases mentioned in the document under reference. The first case concerns that of Su Su Nwe. She committed slanderous acts against the village administration heads and prosecuted by the local authorities concerned as a case was filed by the village heads. We have attended to her medical needs on humanitarian grounds.
As for Aye Myint, he has been convicted under Section 5(e) of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act for spreading false information knowing beforehand that it is untrue. He has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Mr. Chairman,
As a result of the measures adopted by the ILO, Myanmar is not represented in ILO related meetings, symposia and seminars; we do not receive any technical assistance; worse still our worker’s representative has been absent from the ILC for the past two consecutive years.
Although we have been treated unfairly and unjustly in our relations with the ILO, Myanmar has been patient while finding ways and means of cooperation with the ILO on the issue of forced labour. We will continue to be a Member of the ILO and we will further explore every avenue on how to cooperate in a mutually constructive manner in the time and space available to us.
In this respect, we believe that the ILO should reciprocate our sentiments by entering into a new era of cooperation which is based on sincerity and good faith, free from politicization of the issue under consideration and which will be of mutual advantage to both sides. We sincerely hope that ILO is ready to demonstrate its constructive relations with Myanmar.
While on the other hand, we will continue to cooperate with ILO as a Member State, we will not however accept Maung Maung’s presence in the ILO forum. We continue to believe that he is abusing the forum by spreading false information as well as taking up extraneous issues irrelevant to both the nature and work of the ILO.
When we look back at the history of ILO’s relations with Member States, we often find that difficulties arose between the ILO and the country concerned due to politicization of issues, which are unrelated to labour matters. We believe that avoidance of such difficulties at present as well as in the future will positively contribute to enhance our relations with the ILO.
Mr. Chairman,
What we need in our relations with ILO is encouragement and support not condemnation and confrontation.
I thank you.