ILO Article 33: No need to fear sanctions, but caution still warranted
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Phyo/Pearl (NP News) - June 7
A garment factory owner told The Statesman Journal that there is no need to fear sanctions under ILO Article 33, but caution is needed.
At the 113th International Labour Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland on June 5, the International Labour Conference approved a resolution to take action against Myanmar under ILO Article 33.
Currently, around 50 countries or regions have investments in Myanmar, with Singapore, China, and Thailand being the top investors. Despite the current restrictions causing some foreign investment businesses to withdraw, many businesses still remain," the garment factory owner observed.
“Times have changed. The situation is no longer the same. When the situation is different from the previous one, we are not worried. We already knew it was coming. The people who come to us aren’t really concerned about these things, so there’s no issue. For example, countries like Japan might want to pull out due to certain weaknesses. But when it comes to the China, I don’t really see them leaving. They are not afraid. If they are not afraid, then we don’t need to be afraid. We already know it is going to happen. Sooner or later. But I don’t want to say that there is no need to be afraid,” the above- mentioned businessman told The Statesman Journal.
He also urged workers to work hard, as orders for the garment industry are already full for this year and next year, but layoffs may occur.
“This year, there’s been no shortage of orders — they’re full. Orders for next year are also full. If we can’t ship or transfer goods, we might get a bit of a headache. We have to prepare for both the best and worst. The main thing is to fulfill the commitments we’ve made. The young workers are trying hard, working diligently. But the workforce will likely shrink. When that happens, the ones who slack off or keep dodging responsibilities will be the first to go,” he added.
"Although it is difficult to estimate the extent of the impact on seafarer employment due to the sanctions imposed under ILO Article 33, we are still closely monitoring the situation," a senior maritime officer told The Statesman Journal.
“At the moment, it's still difficult to estimate how much impact Article 33 has had on Myanmar seafarers. Looking at the current maritime industry, we see a significant increase in Chinese ownership and commercial involvement in shipping. Not only has it grown, but from what I observe, the maritime and logistics sectors seem to be heading toward greater consolidation and control. Regarding the implementation of ILO Article 33, I’m not sure to what extent China would heed any instruction like ‘We’ve sanctioned Myanmar, so don’t hire from there.’ From the perspective of those operating businesses inside the country, the sanctions certainly have an impact. However, if Western countries decide not to recruit seafarers from Myanmar, China will likely still be willing to do so — at least, that’s my view,” a senior maritime officer told The Statesman journal.
The ILO resolution imposed on Myanmar is politically motivated and intended to exert political pressure. As such, it will not have significant effects on employers, workers, or businesses operating domestically. Therefore, they can continue their operations without concern. The Ministry of Labour of Myanmar announced on June 6 that the country remains committed to working with the international community, including the ILO to promote the protection of workers' rights in accordance with the law, improve social welfare, and create job opportunities. These cooperative efforts will continue in a manner that does not infringe on Myanmar’s sovereignty and independence.
This is the second time that Myanmar has been sanctioned under ILO Article 33, the first time under Article 33 was in 2000, during the reign of U Than Shwe.
Some businessmen have also commented that this action may not have the same impact as the previous action in 2000.