Buthidaung: Tribal people in northern Buthidaung Township in Arakan State have been forced by the Burmese Army to transport army rations along the western border areas of Burma near Bangladesh, reports a Dynet tribal leader who came to Bangladesh to settle in a village with his family.
"I came to Bangladesh to settle in a village with the family because our family is unable to stay in Burma where large-scale forced labour is taking place. The army was using our tribal people as porters every day," he said.
In northern Buthidaung Township, there are two strong army outposts - Warnet Ron and Nahon Nahan - which are located along the Bangladesh border.
"Many villagers from Dynet and Mro tribal groups have been forced by the Burmese Army to transport army rations from Taungbazar market to Warnet Ron and Nahon Nahan outposts. The army authority transports many tons of rice to the outposts right now to store as the rainy season is coming soon. We have to transport the rations to the two camps across the Dodan mountain range and it takes two days to reach the camps," he added.
However, the villagers who have been used as porters have never received any kind of wages or compensation for their work for the army.
"The army officials sometimes gave us 100 kyat per porter when they arrived at the outposts, despite that the rate for a day's work of labour is 1,000 to 1,500 kyat, but most of the time the army authority neglects to give any wages to the porters," he said.
Many villagers from Dodan, Kauk Kyat, Tharagu, Pan Gon Ma, Chaung Chay, Got Pe, Sa Own Khar,Ba Ho Byin, Min Sari, and Tha Wra have been forced by the army authority to transport rations to the border camps from Taungbazar market 20 miles north of downtown Buthidaung, where 13 army battalions and one brigade are stationed.
Meanwhile, the villagers in the area are facing problems with many robberies having taken place recently in villages in the area.
According to a source, a group of about 30 men with weapons have been carrying out the robberies. Because of this, the villagers have to keep a sentry posted in their villages every night to defend against the robbers.
"The rate of robbery is increased in our areas this year due to the economic crisis. Many villagers in our region have been facing problems with robberies this year. So we are busy with sentry in our villages every day," he said.
Some Dynet families in the area have deserted their villages and moved to Bangladesh to settle in tribal villages there because of the forced labour and robbery that has been occurring in the region.
Ko Maung Tha Aye, a human rights defender on the border said, "Some Dynet families fled to Bangladesh after they faced many obstacles in Burma like forced portering and robberies. Some other families also came here recently to look for a suitable place to live if they flee Burma."
In Burma, the military authorities announced that there is no forced labour, but the army in Arakan has been using forced labor widely in rural areas of the state, particularly in tribal areas near Bangladesh.
