By Janet Ng
Amid allegations ranging from forced labor to rape, Burma’s factories may soon find goods sitting worthless on their shelves, if two senators have their way. On May 22, Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Jesse Helms, R-N.C., introduced legislation prohibiting all imports from Burma.
The sanctions bill comes in response to a request from the International Labor Organization (ILO). Last November, the organization called for its members to end support of forced labor in Burma. The ILO, a branch of the United Nations, is made up of countries, companies, and labor unions. It had given Burma a year to stop its “modern form of slave labor.”
The bill has bipartisan support, including that from California Senator Dianne Feinstein. Before taking effect, it must be passed by both houses of congress and signed by the president.
One of Burma’s fiercest critics, the Washington, D.C.-based Free Burma Coalition, alleged the Burmese government, a member of the ILO, put up a lot of show in attempting to end forced labor.
“Thankfully, the ILO recognized that it was a lie,” said Jeremy Woodrum, director of the Free Burma Coalition. “Burma was suspended from all meetings, which is the first time this has happened in the 82 years of ILO’s existence.”
Woodrum also accused Burma’s factories of practices that amount to some of the worst forms of slavery. “It’s really disgusting” and “pretty gross” is about all he can utter when describing the forced labor conditions there.
“They have no food, no water, and no shelter when working on these projects,” he said. “It’s a sick form of torture for women who have to do what is called ‘double-duty.’ Women are forced to work during the day, then raped or gang-raped by the official overseeing their work detail during the night.”
Woodrum cited widespread cases of human rights violations throughout the country. Villagers, he said, are forced to porter for the military and walk in front of the army to detonate mines. The coalition also reported cases in which children are forced to join the army. If they can’t keep up or are ill, they are beaten up or drugged with amphetamines or tranquilizers before entering battle. Moreover, he alleged women and girls are forced into the sex industry in Thailand or become beggars and hawkers. An estimated 60,000 illegal workers there are Burmese, he said.
Dan Beeton, also of the Free Burma Coalition, said the organization had worked with the former Clinton administration to pass an executive order, which would have imposed sanctions immediately. The administration chose not to sign, however, because dialogue with Burma had opened.
Where the Bush administration stands on the issue is not yet known. They sent a non-committal letter that stated they are against sanctions in general.
“This is a good test case of whether it will be business as usual with anyone, regardless of how much some governments trample on basic human and worker’s rights,” said Bill Goold, foreign policy advisor to Senator Harkin. Goold hopes that the bill will go to a vote before the end of this year’s session.
The Federated Trade Unions of Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate and democratically elected leader, have both called for U.S. businesses to avoid Burma as long as the military dictatorship remains in power. The Federated Trade Unions operate in exile because Burma prohibits independent trade unions.
Burma received independence from Britain in 1948 and was led by an elected government until 1958, when a military government took power. In 1960, there were democratic elections. However, in 1962, the head of the Burma Socialist Program Party, Ne Win, led a military coup. The government saw pro-democracy uprisings in 1988, but by September of that year General Saw Maung reasserted direct military control and formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy won the democratic elections held in 1990. The SLORC refused to recognize her as the elected leader, however, and instead, imposed military rule. The SLORC later changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), which is a purely militaristic government, and has no constituency among the general people.
In 1989, this government changed the name of Burma to Myanmar. The U.S. State Department does not recognize the name or the government it represents.
The Burmese government profits from U.S. investments, which enable them to continue their military regime. Currently, U.S. clothing and garment industries support the government.
In a letter sent to major clothing companies with factories in Burma, the Free Burma Coalition states: “Many factories are owned by SPDC-affiliated companies, and profits from these factories facilitate the SPDC’s projects … which exploit forced labor. Profits … are used to purchase arms and military equipment used to enscript people into forced labor … The textile industry there is also intimately tied to the massive illicit trade in narcotics.”
Nine companies and the U.S. Army and Air Force Exchange Service promised to end ties with Burma. Last year, Kenneth Cole, the Dress Barn, Nautica, Wal-Mart Canada, Warner Bros., and JanSport, promised to cease sourcing from Burma after student protest. The National Labor Committee (NLC), though, still found Kenneth Cole products in their flagship store in New York with the “Made in Myanmar” tag in February, six months after the company claimed to have stopped ordering from Burma.
Michael Colosi, corporate vice president of Kenneth Cole, responded in a letter to the Free Burma Coalition: “… there may … be small quantities of goods made in Burma on the shelves of other customers of our licensee or in other outlets, but those products should be liquidated very soon.”
As of March 2001 well-known companies such as KMart, Tommy Hilfiger, Jordache, and Columbia Sportswear were still selling products made in Burma.
“Those products were determined to be counterfeit,” Emily Kaplan, a spokesperson for Columbia Sportswear, responded. “Columbia sportswear has not produced any clothing in Burma since 1996 as result of a perceived human rights violation.”
Fila, Jordan, Arrow Golf, Asphalt, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and Williams-Sonoma are also still in Burma, according to a July 2000 U.S. Embassy cablegram from Rangoon to Washington, D.C., and the most recent PIERS import shipments database.
The NLC states that Burmese apparel imports to the U.S. have increased from $185 million in 1999 to $403.7 million in 2000. Although the U.S. implemented sanctions that prohibited new U.S. investments in Burma in May 1997, imports actually increased 50 percent the next year, and 45 percent the year after.
“The Burmese garment industry is booming … most of the factories are [joint ventures] between the [Government of Burma] and Hong Kong, Korean and Taiwanese investors,” reports the U.S. Embassy cable.” |
