DURING the 113th International Labour Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, Myanmar was deeply disappointed to learn that, during the tripartite meeting of the government, employers, and employees held on 5 June, a decision concerning Myanmar was made unilaterally without the involvement of the concerned country.
The decision in question appears to have been made with the intention of exerting pressure on the Myanmar government by countries and opposition groups that view it unfavourably, using the ILO platform with the adoption of the decision invoking Article 33. The decision is a one-sided demand aimed at compelling Myanmar to comply with the recommendations of the ILO Commission of Inquiry on Myanmar, which was formed on the grounds that the country was not adhering to Conventions 87 and 29 on Forced Labour.
The ILO making such a decision without the inclusion of the relevant country in discussions regarding Myanmar does not align with the ILO’s foundational principles. It represents a one-sided action that undermines the tripartite structure of the ILO. This decision is seen as politically motivated and lacking fairness and impartiality, resulting in a misjudgment that does not reflect the actual situation in Myanmar.
The decision is regrettable in that it proposes implementing measures that could genuinely push Myanmar’s social and labour conditions in a harmful direction. Action taken by certain countries through the ILO platform to exert political pressure on Myanmar poses a threat to the employment opportunities and regular income of ordinary workers. It should be noted that such threats could lead to significant changes in workers’ conditions and may result in a situation with more harm than benefit.
As an ILO member state, Myanmar has ratified four fundamental conventions and has been actively working to promote and protect the interests of workers in the country, in addition to fulfilling its responsibilities as a member. However, the ILO has overlooked Myanmar’s positive efforts and has instead applied one-sided pressure on labour-related issues in the country.
Such actions tend to bring more harm than benefit to the grassroots population and can undermine the trust and confidence that the broader working population of Myanmar has in the ILO. Myanmar has been actively implementing the constructive recommendations included in the report of the ILO Commission of Inquiry on Myanmar for the benefit of workers, and it has been regularly providing timely updates on the progress made. However, it is regrettable that, due to political motives and pressure, Myanmar’s positive efforts are being overlooked and instead subjected to coercive measures.
