Bangkok (AsiaNews) – Three men have been found guilty of treason and sentenced to death for contacting the UN's International Labour Organization and alerting them to the forced labor conditions stil present in Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma. Min Kyi, Aye Myint and Shwe Manh were among nine others who were sentenced to death in November. On March 19th, the UN labour agency's officials met Min Kyi and Aye Myint in Yangon's Insein prison with the "full-cooperation" of prison authorities. The men relayed that they had been interrogated for several days, beaten, and deprived of food, water, and sleep.

"Under no circumstance should anyone be prosecuted for contacts with the ILO," the organization declared, demanding that "the matter be settled by the government of Myanmar" immediately." The UN agency has worked for years to end forced labour in Myanmar.  Though it was formally banned in the government in 1999, allegations continue that villagers are mandated to work on government projects or are used as army porters to carry supplies, act as guides and even sweep mines, without pay, according to the Washington-based human rights group EarthRights Internationalin a report issued last year.

In November 2000, the ILO urged its 175 member countries to impose sanctions on Myanmar, but backed off after reaching an agreement with the junta last year. However, the deal was suspended last May, when opposition leader and democracy spokeswoman Aung San Suu Kyi was taken into custody by the government. She currently remains under house arrest.

The government of Myanmar faces constant international disapproval for its poor human rights and anti-democracy record. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Lorne Craner said at a congressional hearing last week that the Myanmar generals were not sincere about their commitment to democracy announced last year.

Myanmar is a military regime with a primarily Buddhist population of 45 million.