The Brief Background History of The Office of the Central Inland Freight Handling Committee

In order to take care of the life of the freight handers, the MOL issued the Rangoon Foreshore Labour Employment Control Order in 1958 and the Labour Employment Control Order in 1959. In addition, the Regulation Protecting the Inland Freight Handlers (1970) was issued to take better care of freight handlers. According to the new governing system based on the Civil Labour Supervisory Section of the Department of Labour, freight handlers were put under the direct control of the government, which had enabled the better social security and welfare of the handlers.

In 1972, the Employment Control Division under the Directorate of Labour was reorganized as the Central Inland Freight Handling Committee to conform to the new administrative system of the Union of Myanmar. In 1988, the new set-up of CIFHC was approved. The Head-Office is now located at No. 6(A)/7 , Than Hlyet Soon Street, Botahtaung Township, Yangon and there are four zonal offices and 65 township offices under CIFHC.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF INLAND FREIGHT HANDLING

During the British Colonial Period, the freight handling activities were performed by Indian laborers. They were collected through head coolies from India on contract basis. After 1942, Myanmar laborers were introduced to the freight handling. In 1958, initiatives were made to supervise and control the freight handling by the state to be able to create an affluent society for the laborers in the hope of improving the efficiency of trade and transportation.
During the Post-War rehabilitation period, to be able to prevent the instability in prices, the MOL issued the Rangoon Foreshore Labor Employment Control Order, 1958 according to the Article 3, Sub-article 5, Section 4 of the Essential Supplies and Service Act, 1947 on December 6, 1958, and the following four regions were first supervised:
(i) Lanmadaw foreshore region;
(ii) Hteedan foreshore region (now known as Kyeemyindaing township);
(iii) Botahtaung foreshore region;
(iv) Pazundaung foreshore region.
Thanks to the improvement in the peace and stability of the life of the freight handlers and the support in peace and development from the experience of the supervision of the four Yangon foreshore regions, the Labor Employment Control Order, 1959 was issued on February 14, 1959 and the extended supervision was underway in the following 19 townships. :
(1) Mandalay (2) Monywa (3) Kalaywa (4) Myingyan
(5) Pakokku (6) Yenangyaung (7) Chauk (8) Minbu
(9) Thayet (10) Pyay (11) Hinthata (12) Pathein
(13) Pyarpon (14) Maubin (15) Bago (16) Sittway
(17) Thanlyin (18) Mawlamyaing (19) Mottama
Note: Initial – 4, Extended -19, Total – 23 townships
The MOL reissued the following rules and regulations to control and supervise the inland freight handling tasks more systematically, to provide facilities for the laborers, and to establish systematic funds for proper use.
(i) The Regulation Protecting the Inland Freight Handlers (1970)
(ii) The Principles Regarding the Authorities vested in the Body Protecting the Inland Freight Handlers (1970)
(iii) The Financial Regulations for the Body Protecting the Inland Freight Handlers (1970)
To extend the organization of the freight handlers from other townships based on the labor force and funds of the existing 23 supervised townships which were under the order of supervision, 10 principles for extended organization was adopted by the committee meeting of the inland freight handlers in August, 1970.
The following 25 townships which were in line with the principles adopted in 1970, had been extended to organize as follows:
(a) 1971-72: Myanaung; Magwe; Mawlamyainggyun, Bogale, Yezagyo; Myeik; Katha; Labutta; Kyankhin; Aunglan; Dawei totalling eleven townships
(b) 1972-73: Danubyu; Wakema; Zalun; Pantanaw; Kyaiklat; Bagan-Nyaung U; Sagaing; Kalay totalling eight townships;
(c) 1973-74: Myaungmya; Nyaungdon; Sin Phyu Gyun; Pa-an; Salingyi; Insein totalling six townships.
Note: Initial 23, Now 25, Total 48 townships.
The following townships had been extended to organize for the operation by the operational meeting of the Inland Freight Handling Committees held in November, 1980.
(a) 1982-83: Myitkyina; Bamaw; Lashio totaling three townships
(b) 1983-84: Amarapura; Shwebo totaling two townships
(c) 1984-85: Pyinmana; Yay totaling two townships
Note: Initial 48, Now extended 7, Total 55 townships
The Ministry of Labor drew a new setup for the Central Inland Freight Handling Committee on January 21, 1988. The rank or the status of supervisory officer was also upgraded and re-designated from the level of Director to the level of Director-General.
The following townships which comply with the principles for the extended organization had been substituted in the organization in the place of the remaining townships to be organized such as Pinlaung, Yankin, Kyarinn Seikgyi, and Taunggyi, as they did not conform to the norms of transportation routes, and commercialization of goods.
(a) Myinmu Township (instead of Pinlaung Township) on 16/6/1988
(b) Mayangon Township ( instead of Yankin Township) on 20/1/1992
(c) Kawkayeik Township (instead of Kyarinn Seikgyi Township) on 23/9/1992
(d) Muse Township (instead of Taunggyi Township) on 8/10/1993
Four townships included in the original setup had been organized as follows:
(a) Kawthaung Township, on 7/10/1991
(b) Kyonepyaw Township, on 12/11/1991
(c) Tharbaung Township, on 15/9/1992
(d) Tharzi Township, on 19/2/1993
Note: Previous 55, now extended 8, Total 63 townships
In order to be able to supervise the township offices efficiently, the four zonal offices had been organized. Freight handling tasks have been systematically supervised under the control of (65) township offices under the zonal offices in a system differen