Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) Director Lt. Col Aung Gyi ordered villagers in Maungdaw north on November 1, to renovate the road, connecting Maungdaw town to Nasaka headquarters, said a Nasaka aide from the area.

The Nasaka Director of Kawarbill Nasaka headquarters ordered villagers from Kawarbill village tract, Nwarondaung village tract, Myo Thu Gyi village tract and Italiya village tract of Maungdaw Township to do the work.

Every household has to renovate the 36 feet long and 20 feet wide road.  The road was renovated last year, but it was destroyed during the monsoons this year and needs to be renovated again. Everyday villagers have to go to the site to work on the road. Some poor villagers are having difficulties in supporting their family members as they don’t have free time to eke out a living, said a local school teacher.

Moreover, villagers of Maungdaw south have also been working on the road construction since last month. It connects Nurula Para from Mage Chaung village of Maungdaw Township, said a local elder.

Beside, villagers of Maungdaw south who have been working in fence erecting  work by carrying  soil to the pillars only get Kyat 300 to 700 per day while in the market one day’s labor charge is Kyat 2,000. But those working in pillar erecting jobs get kyat 1,500 to 1,700 per day, the elder added.  

The fence is being built from Aley Than Kyaw village to Maungdaw north.

Mamon Rashid (50), son of Nazir Hussain from Shwe Zaar village of Maungdaw Township was forced to work in a new construction of the Nasaka outpost near the ferry of Shwe Zaar village since October 1. He was released from forced labor on November 5 without being paid.  He is a carpenter and worked for a month and five days. If he had worked outside, he would have got Kyat 5,000 per day, said a close friend of the victim.