International unions condemn Burma links
10 December 2003
The international trade union movement publishes new list of multinationals with
links to Burma.
The ICFTU represents 158 million workers in 231 affiliated organisations in 150 countries and territories.
Brussels, 9 December (ICFTU Online): The ICFTU today released an updated list
of companies with business links to Burma. A total of 375 companies are
registered on the list, including 48 new entrants. Despite recent measures taken
by the US government, 41 US companies still remain on the Global Unions list for
their dealings with Burma.
International trade union campaigning has been successful in slowing
investment into Burma and has encouraged a number of well-recognised
multinational companies to sever ties with the country. Most notably, these have
included Marriott Hotels, Triumph International, Accor Hotels and Premier Oil.
British American Tobacco's (BAT) retreat from Burma can also be seen as a
partial success of the campaign led by the international labour movement.
However, the international trade union movement's list* shows that
large-scale public protest has failed to move a number of large, well-known
companies to leave Burma including Total, Unocal, Ivanhoe Mines and Daewoo.
Austrian Airlines** also continues its relationship with Burma, undeterred by
international pressure including a campaign led by the International Transport
Workers' Federation (ITF) to persuade the Austrian firm to suspend its services
to Rangoon.
Despite US sanctions on Burma, including a ban on Burmese imports, the ICFTU
notes that 41 US companies still remain on the list, however this is a reduction
on last year's figure.
The international trade union movement highlights a disturbing trend
occurring when certain multinationals pull out of Burma. Companies from
neighbouring South East Asian countries are tending to 'fill the gap', left by
departing businesses. The ICFTU continues to pressure these companies too and
reminds them that investing in the country equates with investing in terror
against Burmese men and women.
Global Unions believe that it is impossible to conduct any business
relationship with Burma without supporting the Burmese military dictatorship, be
it indirectly or directly. The dictatorship is directly responsible for the
extensive use of forced labour and guilty of other human rights and trade union
rights abuses. Despite persistent rights violations in Burma, all of the
companies on the list have been found to have business links in the country, to
have been in direct contact with officials of the dictatorial regime or to
promote tourism to Burma.
Burma has one of the worst human rights and trade union rights records in the
world. There has been little change over the last few years in the way which
Burmese dictators treat their citizens. Brutal methods of repression, such as
violence against religious and ethnic minorities, forced internal displacement,
beatings, child labour, sexual assualt and murder continue on a daily basis. A
high number of political prisoners still remain in custody today.
In a related development, the ICFTU has recently submitted a report of over
1,000 pages of new evidence to the International Labour Organisation,
highlighting the persistent use of forced labour on a massive scale in
Burma.
The ICFTU represents 158 million workers in 231 affiliated organisations in
150 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org
December 2003 contents
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