Man Aung: It will be almost six months since the local laborers from Man Aung Island in southern Arakan State have not received the wages promised them for their work on a road constructed by the government. The road encircles the island.
"We worked on the construction of the road until last March and we have not received our wages yet. Whenever we go to ask for our wages, the engineer responsible for the project, Daw Aye Aye Nwe tells us that because of a delay of funds from her department, she cannot pay our wages yet", said the laborer.
He said there are 30 laborers who are from the Sar Chark Village on the island and had worked for the part of road nearby their village. They were hired with a wage of 1,500 Kyat for a day work and 2,000 Kyat for collecting a heap of rocks and gravels and have to get the wages that range from 15,000 to 150,000 Kyat for their respective labors on the road construction.
"Whenever we tell the engineer Daw Aye Aye Nwe that we will complain about our wages to higher authorities, she told us not to, and that she would give us the wages, but she hasn't", he said.
Another laborer also said they would like to complain about their wages to the state level government, but they are not able to do so as they are poor as well as illiterate, and so cannot lodge a complaint on the issue to the government.
"We would like to complain about our difficulties to our regional government but we are unable to do so, because we are poor, rural born and illiterate as well, so instead we have to endure being tricked by the engineer", said the laborer.
The circuit road on Man Aung Island is 52 miles long and was constructed by the government through 108 villages, under the supervision of 36 village groups on the island and was opened on 6 February 2011.
