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ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - MYANMAR should ban all forced labour and punish the perpetrators, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said on Saturday.
The United Nations agency has been at loggerheads with the former Burma for more than a decade over what it calls a widespread practice of forcing villagers to work on infrastructure projects or as porters for the army.
The ILO urged Myanmar to 'make, without delay, an unambiguous statement at the highest level that the exaction of forced labour is prohibited and violators will be prosecuted and convicted'.
It also called for the immediate release of those in prison 'for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association", including those with links with the ILO.
The latest demand was among the conclusions of a debate held by a committee of ILO's 182 member states and are likely to be endorsed by the ILO plenary by June 13. -- REUTERS
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