Rathidaung: The Burmese military junta is constructing a road between Rathidaung and Ponna Kyunt Townships in Arakan State and are forcing villagers to work on the site for a small compensation, said villagers.
"The road is being constructed by an army battalion based in Rathidaung. The army officials forced us to work at the construction site for 500 kyat per day. The amount is very small but we have to work there out of fear of harassment by the army," a villager said.
According to a local source, the Light Infantry Battalion 536 based in Rathidaung has been constructing the road since the beginning of the dry season.
Many villagers from several villages in eastern Rathidaung Township, including Tun Ra Wai, Ba Hta Lay, Kyin Tha, Sa Owe Kya, Pri Daung, Pyr Chaung Gri, and Upper Nga Ga Mouk, have been working on the road construction daily for inadequate pay.
Army officials summoned the villagers through the village administration council, or Rayaka, to work on the construction sites. At least 20 labourers from each village near the road construction have to be sent to work every day on the road.
Villagers have been put to work in many tasks at the construction site, including digging, carrying rocks, dirt, and cement, as well as building road embankments. Work is from 8 am to 5 pm every day, but workers are given one hour at noon for lunch.
"We have to work as hard labourers at the construction sites, but the pay is very low. A day labourer in the area receives 2,000 kyat per day in wages at present. The authorities refuse to pay the full amount to us, and we are unable to ask for the full pay," he said.
An official from Rathidaung said that he received information from locals that the army officials were forcing villagers to work on the road construction at a rate of 500 kyat per villager per day, adding that, "The military government seems to pay full wages to labourers at local rates, but it is monopolized and exploited by the army officials for their own interests."
The road link between Rathidaung and Ponna Kyunt will connect with the Sittwe and Rangoon highway to improve transportation in the region. The road link is over 22 miles long.
In Arakan State, the use of forced labour by military authorities has appeared to have diminished after the ILO pressured the government, but local authorities compel villagers to work at below-scale pay in order to avoid blame from the ILO or the international community.
