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Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Liberia (RATIFICATION: 1931)

I. The Committee notes that the Government has not yet been in a position to send its report and refers to its general observation. The Committee would appreciate complete and detailed information in the Government's next report on the current practice and legal situation with respect to the following points:

1. Article 1 of the Convention. Would the Government please indicate the provisions in any legal text in force prohibiting forced or compulsory labour in all its forms and send a copy of such provisions, and explain the situation of servants and military career personnel, including under what conditions they may resign from their work if they so wish?

2. Article 2. (a) Would the Government please indicate the legal provisions ensuring that only work or service of a purely military character can be exacted in virtue of compulsory military service law?

(b) Would the Government please indicate the forms of work or service which are part of the normal civic obligations in the country, and whether there are any forms of local public works?

(c) Would the Government please send a copy of any provisions applicable to work or service undertaken by prisoners convicted by a court of law?

(d) Would the Government please indicate the provisions governing work or service exacted in cases of emergency, such as threatened calamity (fire, flood, famine, violent epidemic or epizootic diseases, etc.) and in general any circumstance that would endanger the existence or well-being of the whole or part of the population?

(e) Would the Government please indicate what is the practice with respect to minor communal services in the interest of the community?

3. Article 25. Would the Government please indicate under what provisions the illegal exaction of forced or compulsory labour is punishable as a penal offence and what is the practical application of such provisions?

II. The Committee has been informed that a communication of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions dated 22 October 1998 concerning allegations of forced child labour in south-eastern Liberia was forwarded to the Government for comment. The Committee asks the Government to send its observations on the matter with its next report, so that the Committee may deal with the substance at its next session.