Buthidaung, Arakan State: The Burmese Army and Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) continue to use forced labour from among local Roingya villagers in north Arakan, said a local businessman.

Every day, at least 10 villagers have to go to one army camp or Nasaka camp in north Arakan. For instance, villagers have to provide 10 villagers everyday to army battalion No.552, of Buthidaung Township and another 10 villagers have to go to Aung Min Gala Nasaka camp of Nasaka area No.6 of Maungdaw Township.

Similarly, in Buthidaung township villagers have to provide forced labor to Nga Kyin Tauk army camp, Mogh Bill army camp, Khaya Siri army camp and Military Operation Commander (MOC)-15 camp of Dabru Chaung among others. In Maungdaw Township too, villagers have to provide forced labor in every Nasaka camp including Nasaka Headquarters of Kawar Bill.

They have to construct roads in the camps, bridges, military facilities, take care of camp maintenance, carrying water, cooking food, collecting fire wood, washing pots and plates, cleaning the camp including washing the clothes of officers’ wives, said a labor who once worked as a forced labor in an army camp.

If anyone fails to deliver in time, he will be beaten up with a bamboo or cane.

Military has long been using forced labor in everything from building roads to carrying military supplies to their outpost camps in border areas. Many people are forced to work against their will including children and elderly people. Many suffer abuse, said a local youth.

The army relies on local labor and other resources as the result of the inability of the regime to deliver any form of support for their activities (the self-reliance policy). So, the military unlawfully confiscates lands, livestock, harvest and other property from villagers, while Burma has increased the number of its battalions nationwide since 1988. The implementation of self-reliance policy by the local military, has contributed to undermining the rule of law and damaging the livelihood of local communities, according to sources.  

The UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO) said yesterday Burma has made limited progress in curtailing the use of forced labor. Steve Marshal, the ILO’s liaison officer in Burma said, over the past three years, there have been “significant steps” toward eliminating forced labor in the country.