Myanmar has agreed to allow victims of forced labor to seek redress, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said on Monday following several months of pressure on the military regime.
The "understanding" will give victims "full freedom" to submit complaints directly to an ILO official in the capital, Yangon, and guarantees that they will not suffer from retaliation, the Geneva-based agency said in a statement.
The ILO's governing body had signaled last November that it was ready to bring its concerns about forced labor in Myanmar to the UN Security Council and international courts after talks broke down.
Officials complained at the time that Myanmar's government appeared to be negotiating in bad faith on the issue of complaints.
The new mechanism will be set up on a trial basis over 12 months and may be extended by mutual agreement.
The ILO's liaison officer in Myanmar will examine complaints of forced labor and make a confidential preliminary assessment on the validity of each case, triggering investigations by local authorities, the agency said.
The UN labor agency said "appropriate action" should be taken against perpetrators.
"The understanding incorporates guarantees that no retaliatory action will be taken against complainants," it added.
The ILO official in Myanmar is also being granted "timely freedom" to travel around the country to meet witnesses and plaintiffs, according to the agency.
An investigation by the agency in 1998 found that forced labor was pervasive and systematic in Myanmar, particularly with the military, triggering a long diplomatic battle to try to stop the practice.
Although the junta says it has banned forced labor, human rights groups say little action has been taken, especially in areas where foreign visitors are barred.
Deputy Labor Minister Major General Aung Kyi said in December that Myanmar objected to the ILO's request to meet and question in private those who complained of forced labor.
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