Forced labor and inhumane treatment
in the road construction
By: Chan
August 19, 2004
An unpaid forced laborer
working in a road repair was seriously beaten by the Burmese soldiers, as he
took a rest for a while during the Burmese Army is planning to convert a
village to be a Sub-Town in Southern Mon State, according to a local resident.
Everyday 10 civilians from a
quarter from
“At least three or four
people were beaten everyday from a village,” said
“A week ago, when our group
(from Khaw-zar) are forced to work, three men: Nai Take, Thein Zaw and an 60 years old uncle (described as Nai Pu’s father) were inhumanely
beaten until nearly death because of they took a while rest,” Mr. Mon who has
been regularly forced to work for the Burmese Army explained.
“When they beat other
people, you will be careful to not look the soldiers’ behaviour. If so, they also come and beat you with
truncheon,” added Mr. Mon.
“Even the sick men they had
to go and work in the road repairs if the duties were in your household. If in
your duties and the soldiers saw you at your home because you are sick, they
still beat and fine you”, said Mr. Mon.
The forced labor among the
civilians in the area were recruited by the local based Burmese Army, which are
under the command of No. 3 Tactical Commander, Colonel Nyi
Nyi in order to implement in creation of a new
Sub-Town and smooth transportation.
Currently, the Burmese Army
is continuously conscripting forced labor in Khaw-zar
and Mon villages nearby. about 15 villagers from Hangan, a Mon village situates north of Khaw-zar
village, had been forced to work everyday and the conscription came a
standstill three days ago.
The villager told that they
have been forced in the road construction since the Burmese Army promoted the
administration Khaw-zar and
When the government started
constructing the road or road repairs, every house in the villages were forced
to work and there was more serious mis-treatment
against the villagers. The villagers
described how inhumanely treated during the construction as, “the soldiers beat
us as a cow trader beat the group of cows one by one in the hard ways climbing
mountains to Thailand even the cows are tired to walk”.
The Burmese Army is not only
forcing the civilians to contribute forced labor, they also collect money from
the villagers twice or three times per month.
The army collected at least
30, 000 Kyat from a slightly rich family and 3, 000 Kyat from a poor family
each time, the villagers told IMNA.
The construction of the road
in the area in order to have smooth transportation is under ‘the nationality
race and border area development program’ adopted by the SPDC leaders. Recently on July 30, Maj. Gen. Maung Bo,
from SPDC’s Defense Ministry, also paid a visit into
this area and instructed for the implementation of development of the whole
area.
Not only in the development
projects, the Burmese Army is also using villagers as porters to carry food
supplies and ammunitions during their military operations against the Mon
splinter armed group around the area.
The villagers have been also forced to work in the army bases including
building barracks and cooking.
Because of cruel treatment
by the Burmese Army, a lot of people from that area fled to
For further information, please contact to
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