Free Burma Rangers :: Reports: Widespread Forced Labor and Extortion in Western Burma 30.11.

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FBR REPORT: Widespread Forced Labor and Extortion in Western Burma

Arakan State, Burma
27 November, 2009

In This Report

The Arakan Free Burma Rangers team has documented widespread forced labor and extortion in their
mission area during October, 2009.

The Arakan Free Burma Rangers team has documented widespread forced labor and extortion in their mission
area during October, 2009

The team interviewed villagers in Paletwa

Township who testified to forced labor in
constructing the army camp at
Doechawnwa, as well as having to provide
bamboo and other building materials.
(Paletwa is in southern Chin state, but is an
area populated by Arakan, Chin and other
ethnic groups. Some Arakan consider it part
of Arakan State).

A village secretary described how people

from his village had to provide forced labor
to Kamtalam and Doechawnwa Army
Camps at least twice a month. This involves
building the camp, carrying water, cooking
or doing other tasks without payment. FBR
teams took photos of orders from Burma
Army units demanding villagers carry out
such work. The villagers are also sometimes
beaten by the soldiers. They also have to
supply chickens and other livestock without
payment to the camp as well as paying for a
boat to transport army rations. Villagers in
this area are still struggling with the food
crisis caused by the flowering of the bamboo
plant, a once every 50 years cycle which
causes a huge increase in the rat population
which then devours rice crops.

A 25-year-old villager told how he shared a

meal with Burma Army soldiers only to be
told in the morning he had joined the army.
He was sent to Sittwe, then on to Foundkree
Military Training Camp before managing to
run away. He said: "Until now, I am running Area of report (click for larger image)
from home. Sometimes I return home in
secret and meet with my wife and daughter.
When I hear that my wife and daughter are not well, I miss them very much."

One villager, 53, explained that because of the food shortage, he and his wife and three children had to leave
their village. He said they were given 24kg of food aid last year, but this year, he was told he had to repay 280kg
of paddy rice. The villager was told that if he did not repay the rice, he would be arrested.

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Another villager, 63, a Buddhist with five children, said: "I fled from Burma due to Arakan Liberation Army and
SPDC attacks, forced labor and SPDC oppression. Now, I cannot return to Burma because I am afraid of being
killed by the Burma Army. Due to rats eating rice, we have a food crisis and we have other problems with
security, our health and our children's education. If the situation in Burma changes, I will return home. I like my
home village and need to go back, but here we do not have any chance to see development."

FBR has copies of the letters to village headmen from the Burma Army or Village Peace and Development
Councils demanding forced labor and supplies. These letters detail the labor or material that is to be supplied as
well as stating that if these are not given, then villagers will be punished. There are also demands for militia units
to be raised with each soldier having to provide 12,000 kyat (approx US$12). The Burma Army units involved are
Light Infantry Battalions 2, 263 and 234.

Letter to village headmen from the Burma Army or Village Peace and
Development Councils demanding forced labor and supplies

The order dated October 11 reads: "From your village, the headman and a person who must be a road expert,
must come by order of the Battalion commander. Therefore, you and a person must come to Deochawnwa on
October 12 at 10am. If they fail to arrive, the headman will be held responsible."
Commander of Army Camp
Doechawnwa

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FBR team member giving medical assistance to IDP children.

Good Life Club in Arakan State

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Free Burma Rangers :: Reports: Widespread Forced Labor and Extortion in Western Burma 30.11.09 15:27

FBR team member giving medical assistance to IDP twins.

The Free Burma Ranger’s (FBR) mission is to provide hope, help and love to internally displaced people inside
Burma, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams, FBR reports on human rights
abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under the oppression of the Burma Army. FBR
provides medical, spiritual and educational resources for IDP communities as they struggle to survive Burmese
military attacks.

For more information, please visit www.freeburmarangers.org

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