Pletwa, Chin State : The Burma Army battalion No. 289 under the Western Command based in Inn Township has been forcing villagers into forced labor for the army's lucrative business, according to official sources.
 
Everyday 80 villagers of   Sami, Noonbu, Sik Chainwa and Stanwa villages of Marit village tract of Pletwa Township in Chin State , are being engaged in forced labor since March 3 in various lucrative business of the army. The villages live on the upper side of Kaladan River , which connects Chin and Arakan States . This river is also famous because the pipeline which is to be connected to Mizoram ( India ) in the future from Arakan State along the Kaladan River bank.
 
The labor group was led by Captain Nay Hlin Aung of Battalion No. 289 of Pletwa Township and provides work to villagers and monitors them everyday. The villagers have to work in agricultural projects and animal husbandry farms from 8 am till sunset having to take food from their homes.
 
Besides, the villagers have to bring bamboo, log and timber, which are needed for fencing the army's projects. They also have to do forced labor to clear land for cultivation or hill side cultivation.