2012-06-14 Vatican Radio

Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has arrived in Europe on her first visit in 24 years. Suu Kyi was scheduled to make a speech Thursday at the annual meeting of the International Labour Organization in Geneva. The agency decided on Wednesday to lift restrictions on Burma in recognition of recent democratic reforms in the country, also known as Myanmar.

The ILO has played a leading role “in pushing for change in Burma”, says Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK.

Speaking to Lydia O’Kane he adds that, “you still have endemic forced labour in the country… I visited one of the conflict zones in Burma earlier this year … and there, there were children recruited 14 and 15, 16 years old into the Burmese army."

Ang San Suu Kyi will also be visiting the UK, Switzerland, Ireland, France and Norway during her European trip. Listen