Maungdaw Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) has been using forced labor from villagers in Maungdaw Township for building a Buddhist pagoda since October 17, said a local trader on condition of anonymity.

The pagoda is being built between a Rakhine village and a Natala village under the Baggona village Tract of Nasaka area No. 7 of Maungdaw Township.

The authorities are using forced labor from nearby village tracts such as ---Aley Tan Kyaw, Magyi Chaung, Tone Chaung, Gawdu Sara --- of Maungdaw Township for the construction of the Buddhist pagoda.

Every day, 25 villagers from one village have to go to work at the construction site of   the pagoda. It is being monitored by Nasaka. As a result, most of the poor villagers have been suffering from starvation as they are unable to support their family members because they are being used as forced labor. The villagers have to stay at night at the work site for the security of the pagoda. The following day, when another group of villagers go to the site, the previous group is released, said a former village chairman of the locality.

The pagoda is being built after land was confiscated from Rohingya people. Whenever, the authorities want to build infrastructure in northern Arakan, Rohingya people suffer as their lands are confiscated or are used as forced labor, said a local elder wanting not to be named.