The Nigeria Labour Congress has described the continued military rule in Myanmar as an aberration,
The NLC President Comrade Ayuba Waba stated this in a release as part of preparations to celebrate the international day of democracy which is slated for the 15th of October 2021.
NLC said since February 1, 2021, General Min Aung Hlaing led the Myanmar military to stage a coup against the democratically elected government of Myanmar. The coup attracted global outrage and umbrage. Unfortunately, more than eight months after the coup, the military government in Myanmar continues to entrench itself and perpetuate a climate of rights violations in the country.
The Nigeria Labour Congress strongly condemned the military coup in Myanmar and we still condemn the sustained military rule in Myanmar as an aberration of the international democratic order.
Ayuba Waba said since the military coup in Myanmar, more than 900 people have been killed, 5,000 civilians arrested and 300,000 workers dismissed for joining the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
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According to the President, Over 175,000 persons have been displaced. The coup and the third wave of Covid-19 have halved the income of 83% of the families, and more than 25 million people in Myanmar are now living in absolute poverty.
The NLC further call on the Nigerian Government to take urgent action against the military coup to end the human rights catastrophe in Myanmar.
Organized Labour in Nigeria fully supports the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and the trade union movement in Myanmar to end the military rule and restore the civilian government elected in November 2020.
The international trade union movement is the global democratic force that first called on the international community to formally recognise the NUGof the Republic of Myanmar established on 16th April 2021 by the democratic parliamentarians elected in the 8th November 2020 elections.
Workers, through the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM), supported the NUG’s tripartite delegation to the 109th International Labour Conference (ILC), which included U Maung Maung, President of the CTUM (Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar) and member of the National Unity Consultative Committee (NUCC);
NLC said it wishes the NUG consultative body and Mrs Sandar Soe, CTUM general secretary, elected by the ILO Governing Body to represent the voices of the fighting people of Myanmar and the civilian democratic government they elected.
The NUG, made up of all the ethnic representatives, is deliberating a new federal democratic constitution and amending the labour and citizenship laws.
Ayuba Waba said the NUG is committed to respecting the international obligations of Myanmar before the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court regarding the human rights violations of the Rohingya people.
NLC further frowns at the attitude of the Myanmar military which is still being financed to buy ammunition to kill civilians instead of purchasing Covid-19 vaccines for the people.
Ayuba Waba also recalls that the 2021 ILO resolution for a return to democracy and respect for fundamental rights in Myanmar specifically recommends to the Member States that they support the restoration of democracy in Myanmar, including through the United Nations, other multilateral bodies, regional groupings and dialogues, and bilateral engagement, as appropriate.
He said Nigerian workers support the recognition of the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government representing the people of Myanmar at the United National General Assembly (UNGA) taking place from 14 to 30 September 2021 in New York.
‘’We urge the Nigerian Government to support, at the next United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, the call of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to officially recognize the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government representing the people of Myanmar.
Recognition of the NUG by individual governments worldwide, and at the UNGA in particular, is crucial in order to mount pressure on the military junta to stop the violent repression of the people, to return power to a civilian democratic government, to facilitate access to the humanitarian aid inside Myanmar, and to resolve the Rohingya crisis.’’ Said the statement.
