Maungdaw, Arakan State:  A local elder preferring not to be named said that forced labor is increased in Maungdaw Township recently. Since January 1, Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) has been extracting forced labor from villagers for road construction along the barbed wire fence. 

For instance, everyday,  many villagers from Nasaka area No. 5 and 6 have to go to work site for building road along the barbed wire fence that had already been constructed. Villagers, taking their own food have to go to work site in early morning. Villagers have to get up early at around 2:00 am and have to cook their food and have to reach at 4:00 am at the work site. Villagers have to go to work site by row boats from their villages, the elder more added.

There are 22 Rohingya villages in Nasaka area No. 5 and five villages in Nasaka area No. 6 including one Rakhine village. Since January 8, in every house, one person must go to the work site excluding widows and handicaps. But, villagers who gave Kyat 10,000 per family to the Nasaka and Rakhine villagers are also excluded from going to the work site, said another local trader preferring not to be named.

The road along the fence of Burma-Bangladesh border had already been completed but the authorities now want to extend another 18 feet wide. As a result, forced labor from villagers is immediately needed to build the road again, the trade added.

Besides, in Maungdaw south, villagers of Aley Tan Kyaw, U Daung, Tharay Kon Dan, Kunna Para and Korza Bill of Nasaka area No.7 are also engaged in forced labor in construction of road along the fence, since January 1.

Earlier, the concerned Nasaka commander provided Kyat 1,000 per head, but, later, villagers did not receive any money. It is learnt that the commander along with local Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairmen misused the fund for their purpose, said a businessman from Maungdaw south.

In the meantime, the villagers under the control of Nasaka Headquarters of Kawar Bill of Maungdaw Township are forced to provide wooden logs for baking bricks in the Nasaka headquarters. But, the villagers are free from the forced labor of road construction.

Meanwhile, the GE (Engineering Corps), who came to Maungdaw Township, forced to villagers of Maungdaw north to build local roads in the villages, an aide of Nasaka said on condition of anonymity.

A local youth said, “Villagers have no time for doing works for themselves to support their family members as every day they have to go to work site for road construction without any supporting.”

A local politician said that the States Peace and Development Council (SPDC) continue harassments and systematic human rights violations against the Rohingya community to weaken their will to resist and survive.  Continued human rights violations have driven more Rohingya people from Burma to take refuge in Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia and as IDPs within the State.