Short of wars or other national emergencies threatening the existence of a state that allow states to derogate some rights, countries must comply with the full array of human rights. What happens, however, is that states invoke Article 4 derogations inappropriately. We draw attention to the analysis of Article 4 in the excellent report of Mme Questiaux, U.N. Doc. Because the non-derogable rights are jus cogens, they apply to any state at all times. Our investigations show that slavery in Burma is rampant.
Many people die from exhaustion, malnutrition or torture and other severe abuse.
We will more fully address the situation in Burma under other items, but the gravity of the slave labor situation in Burma requires special attention and remedies on an urgent basis. We note the extreme difficulties experienced by the Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery due to lack of funds. It is imperative that member governments of the United Nations contribute to this fund and that the Board of Trustees maintain its independent character.