An international association of trade unions has accused Burmese authorities of labor abuses.
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions says the Burmese people have been coerced into doing road construction, agricultural work and other forms of forced labor as recently as last month. The organization says it got its information from an underground workers' group in Burma called the Federation of Trade Unions - Burma.
In a report issued Friday, the international group cites examples of forced labor, including an incident in which a Burmese military official Colonel Soe Thet is reported to have coerced almost 300 people into building a road. It also says another officer Commander Win Oo was accused of forcing nine men to carry heavy equipment at an army camp last May.
The Burmese government has consistently denied charges of promoting forced labor.
Another group, the International Labor Organization, is scheduled to discuss Burma's forced labor situation at a meeting next week.