Global Action against Burmese
military
22 Arkana St ,
Yarralumla , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Friday May 4, 1 pm
A
Global Action against
widespread human rights violations, including forced
labor in Burma.
The Global Action will
be launched simultaneously in various parts of the
world on May 4, 2001
(Friday). We are launching this worldwide campaign
against the ruling
military junta because:
More than 1,500 people,
including at least 34 Members of Parliament, remain
imprisoned for political
reasons.
Despite the August 2000
call for economic sanctions by the world's labor
body, the International
Labor Organization (ILO), the Burmese military
continue to use forced
labor systematically on a large scale. Over two
million Burmese people
have been subjected to forced labour.
"Men and women of
all ages are forced to work against their will, including
children and elderly
people. Women are particularly at risk. Incidents of
gang rape by soldiers
are frequent, and many victims have been murdered
afterwards", says
the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU) recently.
The ICFTU has urged
national and multinational companies trading with and/or
investing in Burma to
withdraw as a matter of urgency because "it is
impossible to maintain
business relations with Burma without directly or
indirectly supporting
forced labor in Burma".
The ICFTU has called for
an International Day of Union Action for Burma to
be organized on 1st May
2001 against the ruling military junta in Burma. The
Burmese democratic
movement has responded with this Global Day of Action on
May 4.
Authorised by:
Ko Maung Maung Than -
Central Coordinator, Free Burma Action Committee
Telephone:
+61-2-96435646; mobile 0411337816
Email.
freeburma9999@hotmail.com,
www.actionfreeburma.com
Jeremy Pyner - Secretary
Australian Capital Territory-Trades and Labor
Council
Telephone: 0407065254