{"id":12901,"date":"2024-03-05T10:04:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T09:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/news\/myanmar-european-trade-unions-call-on-eu-to-oppose-forced-conscription\/"},"modified":"2024-03-05T10:39:20","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T09:39:20","slug":"myanmar-european-trade-unions-call-on-eu-to-oppose-forced-conscription","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/news\/myanmar-european-trade-unions-call-on-eu-to-oppose-forced-conscription\/","title":{"rendered":"Myanmar: European trade unions call on EU to oppose forced conscription"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 10 February, the military junta of Myanmar announced that they will begin mandatory military conscription. The European Trade Union Congress (ETUC) and European trade union federations, including UNI Europa, completely oppose this shocking announcement. On behalf of workers and trade unions in Myanmar and their international trade union representation, they urged EU Member States \u201cto agree on urgent EU action as soon as possible\u201d in a letter sent on 1 March.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The junta\u2019s announcement further endangers the lives of workers and citizens in Myanmar who have already been living under the military junta\u2019s reign of terror for over three years. Reports from the field are alarming. Already young workers living in hostels near the industrial zones, or in family houses in the big cities and in villages are in danger of being kidnapped or arrested by the military and the militias in all villages and towns. In total more than 13 million young people are at risk of being taken away by the SAC local authorities to be used as porters or on the frontline of the fighting against the democratic forces.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

With reports that the junta will use employee data to identify targeted individuals, men aged 18-35 years and women aged 18-27 years, urgent action is needed to stop employees\u2019 data being used, for the whole process to be stopped and for democracy to be restored to Myanmar.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The letter states that \u201cthe international response to date has been far from sufficient and that the military junta will continue its abuse of workers and citizens without fear of real repercussions. This desperate situation needs to end and we call on the EU to stop the military junta\u2019s abuse of workers and citizens which amounts to forced labour.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Urgent EU action is needed\u00a0<\/h4>\r\n

The signatories \u2013 ETUC, UNI Europa, IndustriAll Europe, EPSU, EFBWW, EFJ, EFFAT and ETF \u2013\u00a0 \u201cask for all EU Member States to universally oppose this recent act by the military junta and to take urgent action with the aim of targeting the regime\u201d by:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n