Relevant Legislation
Order Supplementing Order No.1/1999, 2000, SLORC¹

The Order states that requisition of forced labour is illegal and an offence under the existing laws of the Union of Myanmar. Article 2 further stipulates:

When the responsible persons have to requisition work or service for purposes mentioned in Clause 1(b) of this Supplementary Order the following shall be complied:-

(a) The work or service shall not lay too heavy a burden upon the present population of the region.
(b) The work or service shall not entail the removal of workers from their place of habitual residence.
(c) The work or service shall be important and of direct interest for the community. It shall not be for the benefit of private individuals, companies of associations.
(d) It shall be in circumstances where it is impossible to obtain labour by the offer of usual rates of wages. In such circumstances, the people of the area who are participating shall be paid rates of wages not less favourable than those prevailing in the area.
(e) School teachers and pupils shall be exempted from requisition of work or service.
(f) In the case of adult able-bodied men who are the main supporters of the necessities of food, clothing and shelter for the family and indispensable for social life, requisition shall not be made except only in unavoidable circumstances.
(g) The work or service shall be earned during the normal working hours. The hours worked in excess of the normal working hours shall be remunerated at prevailing overtime rates.
(h) In case of accident, sickness or disability arising at the place of work, benefits shall be granted in accordance with the Workmen’s Compensation Act. The work or service shall not be used for work underground in mines.

Endnotes
¹ SLORC, Order Supplementing Order No.1/1999, 2000, available at http://www.ilo.org/ dyn/natlex/docs/WEBTEXT/59641/65226/E00MMR01.htm (accessed 28/09/11).