The Mon State is located in the South West of Burma. The Mon is part of a wide variety of peoples living in Burma. Up to this day the Mon continue to suffer from regular and frequent conscription of forced labour, various types of illegal and arbritary taxes, paddy collection and land seizures, as well as continued interruption and harrasment of Mon efforts in language education and cultural and literary production.

In June of 2000 the ILO (International Labour Organization) warned to stop all practices of conscription of forced labour in the whole of Burma. Nevertheless the peoples of regions under control of the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council), are to this day suffering from the malpractices of the government.

From the 5th of February through the 7th of February the Mon Unity League (MUL) held an International Conference on Mon National Affairs. The MUL is a Mon umbrella organization which is composed of representatives from major Mon Groups from Burma, Thailand and abroad. The league was formed after the seminar on Mon National Affairs in 1994.

Approximately 60 representatives from the Mon communities of Burma, Thailand and other nations, like Australia, Canada and the USA attended the conference. The main topics discussed were:

- The current political situation for the MUL and the Mon people;
- The review and forming of policy concerning the Mon people;
- Getting to the adoption and implementation of future MUL plans and activities.

The MUL believes that the current problems confronting the Mon and other ethnic minorities as well as the whole of Burma and all her people can be solved peacefully through dialogue, negotiation and political means. The military government however must enter into cease fire with all of the ethnic minority opposition groups in Burma and declare an amnesty and free all political prisoners and persons detained for opposition activities.

Ironically, economic progress in Burma means a decline in Human Rights. Weapons are being used to suppress the people and force it to work. This work creates an income, which is being used to buy more weapons: weapons used to suppress the people and exploit them as slaves, making them work to create an income.

In order to target the Burmese junta, global unions have taken the lead getting forced labour in Burma to be brought to a halt. From 28 of February to March 3rd, over 50 leaders and representatives of the International Trade Movement Union gathered leading to the adoption of several resolutions.

One of the decisions taken at the conference was that even though the Burmese junta was prompted to enter discussions with NLD (National league for Democracy) leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the international community should not weaken its stance. The ILO resolution should not only be maintained, but also strengthened in order for it to be used as a key instrument of pressure on the regime.

On the first of May an International Day of Union Action for Burma is to be held. Associates of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions worldwide will actively lobby in order to draw more attention to the situation in Burma. UN-bodies, member states and companies should be aware of the fact that their relation with Burma encourages the use of forced labour. As General Secretary of the ICFTU Mr Bill Jordan stated 'There can be no doubt whatsoever that anyone doing business today in Burma, whether in export, import or investment, in practice offers support to an illegal, undemocratic and corrupt regime'.