2 Important reports that were released last year confirmed that the military regime forced children to join it's army and work as combatants and support staff. This is only one of the areas in which the regime is accused of forced labour.

In spite of international pressure on Myanmar's military regime to eliminate forced labour, the the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) liaison officer to Burma said there has been little progress. He warned the regime of tougher policies if it fails to implement ILO recommendations.

According to ILO Liaison Officer Hong Trang Perret-Nguyen, Burma’s army continues to force villagers to work and refuses to cooperate with the ILO. Last November, the ILO’s governing body called for a joint plan from both the ILO and the military government to combat forced labor in Burma. Perret-Nguyen presented a draft plan to Burma’s Ministry of Labor but it was returned with several conditions on Dec 26 last year. ILO was not able to endorce the plan that was returned to them by the regime and so the joint plan of action did not become a reality.

The most serious problems of forced labour is felt in areas where the army keeps a heavy presence. The army is mainly responsible for forced labour, said Perret-Nguyen, an issue that has not been addressed adequately by the military regime. Apart from this Perret-Nguyen argued the junta’s plan failed to review existing measures, did not refer to a search for alternatives, and did not address proposals for investigation and mediation.

"My impression is that there is probably less use of forced labor in the central part of Myanmar [Burma], but the situation in the border areas on the Thailand border and the Bangladeshi border in northern Rakhine [Arakan State] is still very serious," Perret-Nguyen told The Irrawaddy news agency. Though in some areas, forced labourers are paid salaries, these wages are far below the minimum requirement.

Perret-Nguyen is to submit her her draft plan, together with the plan drawn up by Burma’s Ministry of Labor with her comments as an addendum, to the ILO’s governing body when it meets in Geneva this month.

Unless the military regime decides to work progressively towards eliminating force labour in Myanmar, there is little hope for the thousands of children being forced to join the army everyday. [Irrawady]

Reports on Child Soldiers in Myanmar:
"My Gun is as Tall as Me" by Human Rights Watch [http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/burma/index.htm]
"No Childhood at all" by Images Asia [http://www.cwa.tnet.co.th/V15-2/burma.htm]