Though there are very little details available, labor unions interest in Burma is nothing new. The ITUC has had a long running Burma campaign, the ILO has been one of the most vital international organizations in fighting for change in Burma, and basically, it is common on any labor and trade organization website to see a report on the suffering of women, children and ethnic minorities in Burma.

Here is a page which overviews past efforts by unions.

This meeting took place in Kathmandu and was initially disapproved of by India, for years these meeting took place in Thailand until they were banned.

The meeting was led by the International Trade Union Federation, International Labor Organization and Global Union Federation as well as dozens of other organizations from around the globe.

The draft declaration condemned the continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners. The first draft condemned the growing support for the junta by India and China particularly, but it was (perhaps wisely) decided direct blame might lead to further confrontation so a general appeal to stop supporting the military junta was put in place.

The labour campaign will especially target multinationals operating in oil, gas, mining, dams and infrastructure and ask financial institutions to terminate lending.

It is also asking insurance companies to terminate their coverage in Myanmar.

Priority will be given to forming parliamentary caucuses on Myanmar, especially in the SAARC region.

Unfortunately there is no central website that I can find to keep up with work and outreach conducted on the behalf of the unions. Perhaps sometime in the future, a formal draft of the declaration will be published.

Among growing interest and cooperation between the Indian and Burma government's there are still outcries for peace. The Netaji Subhas Foundation presented their first award to a representative of the National League for Democracy, Ramjeet Verma. Watch the video.

B.B. Nandy, who worked for several years on the Burma desk of India's external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, said honouring Aung San Suu Kyi is welcome but the All India forward Bloc, which is the main sponsor of the Netaji Subhas Foundation, should raise a question on India's policy towards Burma.

"They should raise the question why the government of India is not becoming more pro-Burmese people. And should persue the cause of Aung San Suu Kyi And the cause of the Burmese people [to the government of India]," Nandy told Mizzima.

Subroto Bose, treasurer of the Netaji Subhas Foundation, however, said the Foundation is a non-political body and is not concerned with today's politics.

"We know, as Indians, that the government of India now has diplomatic relations with the government of Burma. But this award has been chosen on an individual basis and the foundation has no political opinion of its own," Bose said.

"It has nothing to do with political affairs and I don't think that should affect Indo-Burmese relationship in anyway," he added.

It seems a politcal statement will accompany this award regardless of it's intent. The question is, will the Netaji Subhas Foundation directly ask Indians to look at the governments relationship with Burma, and the answer to that seems to be, No. Or is it?

Debabrata Biswas, Secretary General of the Netaji Subhas Foundation stated,

"Aung San Suu Kyi is the symbol of the democracy movement and by this award we want to draw the attention of the Indian people about the problems of our Burmese friends,"

For more see Burma Review; India Honours’ Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Deshprem Award 2007!