Non-stop force labor in road construction

Independent Mon News Agency (Southern Burma)

October 1, 2004

Currently Burmese military government army has been using local villager in Southern Ye Township at the road construction everyday.

One person from each house in Ywa Thit village, Singu village and Hangan village are ordered by Tactical Commander Colonel Nyi Nyi to build a new road for connecting these three villages.

In order, villagers have to go to work in more than 7 miles long road construction everyday and they have to bring the material from their house.

“If you have cow cart, bring it. If you have car bring it. If you have a mattock and soil or stone carrier bring it. If you do not have anything, you need to come by your self,” explained by Mr. Nai Chae a Singu villager how the commander ordered to villagers.

“Everyday people have to go to work in the road construction from 7:00 AM morning to 4:00 PM evening with their own food and not get any payment for the work,” he added.

Could you refuse to go to work when Independent Mon News Agency asked, “don’t say the meaning word of refuse, even though villagers went to construction site a little bit late the commander, him self shot for frightening the villagers three times with gun on September 8,” Nai Chae who worked in the construction site explained.

“The commander collected 21,000 Kyat from the villagers for the compensation of bullet that he shot,” he added.

In the construction site, many of women and children went to work there because the man have to work for their family and it was daily.

During working time, the soldier under Tactical Command guarded around and watched the people.

The military government army launching the military offensive against Mon rebel moving there, started forcing villager to build road construction since the beginning of 2004.

Military planned to build the road connecting to each villages in the area with only villager worklabors. The estimated of the total length of the road was more than 30 miles.

During villagers working in the road construction site, some villagers seriously were beaten by the military government soldier because the villagers took a rest and they were ill during their working time according to the villagers.

To controlling the whole area and building road construction, military government put two Tactical Command in the area to do military operation to Mon rebel.

Some villager in the area also were used as porter to carry military properties when they lunching military offensive and some villagers also were captured with the suspicion of supporting Mon rebel.

For further information, please contact to Independent Mon News Agency
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