Forced labor investigators hindered in Myanmar

Protesters outside Myanmar's Jakarta embassy in 2000: the issue persists years later

YANGON, Myanmar (Reuters) -- Myanmar's ruling military blocked an International Labour Organisation (ILO) delegation investigating forced labor from meeting pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, opposition party officials said.

The Monday move followed criticism of the junta by ILO officials meeting in neighboring Thailand, who said Myanmar was doing too little to curb use of forced labor.

The four-member ILO delegation's car was turned away from a checkpoint outside Suu Kyi's residence in Yangon, where the Nobel peace laureate has been under house arrest for more than a year, witnesses said.

Myanmar's ruling generals, eager for international legitimacy which could bring more aid, trade and investment, passed a decree in 2000 abolishing forced labor.

But an ILO report last year said the Myanmar army was still forcing villagers to farm, and work on infrastructure projects or as porters, especially in areas near the Thai border where it was fighting with ethnic minority armies.

Many Western countries, including the European Union and the United States, which maintain aid and trade sanctions on Myanmar, say they would soften their stances if the ruling generals improve their human rights record and move towards democracy.