The Arakan Army (AA) has summoned four people from each village in Paletwa Township for forced labour under the armed group ‘civil administration policy’ in southern Chin State.

A local source, requesting anonymity, told Khonumthung News that AA has forced 400 Chins from 100 villages along the Pee River in western Paletwa Township to work for them after the Rakhine group seized more territory in the region since striking an informal ceasefire with the Burmese military just before the coup more than a year ago.

“The locals have no choice but to work for them because they control the area,” the man said.

Another man, who also didn’t want to be named, said AA forced them to join a meeting in March. “In the past, they used to demand one bag of rice and 100,000 kyats ($54) per month from each village. This meant that each family had to provide four to eight tins of rice and 3000-7000 kyats per month, and they were punished if they didn’t.”

The man said that a person from Ahtet had to cut 3,000 bamboos because the villagers didn’t attend a meeting. Sometimes the armed group forces villagers to go to their camp.

He said if people are punished if they refuse to work or pay the taxes.

There are 400 villagers living in 196 village areas in the township. AA troops are stationed in Anouk Kwam Bok, Kyauk Pyin Htaung, Peinnae Tapin, Taema Chaung, Kywa Thoung, Kyilay, Maung Nama, Kyaung Chaung and Chin Dauk.

Intense fighting between AA and the Burmese military began after the armed group moved into the township in 2015 and continued until late 2020.