Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Guatemala (Ratification: 1989)

The Committee recalls the conclusions reached by the Governing Body at its 267th Session (November 1996) following the recommendations of the committee set up to consider the representation made by the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) and Public Services International (PSI) under article 24 of the Constitution concerning the application of the present Convention and Convention No. 105. It notes that the Government's report does not contain the information requested by the Governing Body on the action taken in relation to its conclusions.

The Committee hopes the Government will deal in full in its next report with the application of Article 1(1), Article 2(1) and (2) and Article 25 of the Convention in this connection. The Committee recalls in particular the conclusion of the Governing Body as to compulsory labour exacted from hundreds of thousands of people under the guise of service in the so-called Civil Self-Defence Patrols (PACs) and Voluntary Civil Defence Committees (CVDCs), and the failure to impose penalties for the illegal exaction of such labour. It requests the Government to provide information on steps taken to make effective the prohibition of compulsory association with such bodies which is contained in article 34 of the Constitution, including the repeal of legislation such as Legislative Decree No. 19-86 and the results of judicial proceedings in these matters.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on other points.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 1999.]