Army Uses Dynet People for Forced Labor

http://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/army-uses-dynet-people-for-forced-labor/

2009 March 23
tags: Arakan, Burma, Human Rights, Junta, world focus on Burmaby peacerunning3/23/2009

Buthidaung: Dynet tribal people in northern Arakan have been forced by the Burmese army to work at many government construction sites and on other projects without any pay, said a tribal leader.
“we have to send at least three or four people, along with our own food, from each village in a week to army headquarters to labor at the army compound,” he said.

Most of the villagers have been working in the army compounds on tasks such as carrying water from the pond to the base, clearing out brush and grass, transporting letters from one battalion to another, and cooking for the soldiers.

“The army authorities have used forced labor at LIB 353 and 534 based in Buthidaung on a rotating system where the villagers work one group at a time. One group is able to return home when another group arrives at the headquarters. If any group does not arrive, the previous group has to continue working at the headquarters until another group shows up,” the leader said.



Dynet villagers from Long Chaung, Tet Ma Chaung, Kyauk Pru Daung, Pyin Kaung, and Nga Kyin Dauk villages are being forced to work on a daily basis. The Dynet people are an ethnic group in the Arakanese community that lives in the border area of Burma near Bangladesh. Most of the community members are uneducated.

Since the people are unable to complain about the use of forced labor by the army to the Rangoon ILO office, the army has taken advantage of them and used them for labor whenever they need work done, the leader added.

According to local source, forced labor is continuing in Arakan State but is primarily now occurring in remote areas near Bangladesh where foreigners are unable to visit
Narinjara News

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