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30.11.09 15:27Free Burma Rangers :: Reports: Widespread Forced Labor and Extortion in Western BurmaSeite 1 von 4http://www.freeburmarangers.org/Reports/2009/20091127.html
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FBR REPORT: Widespread Forced Labor and Extortion in Western Burma
Arakan State, Burma27 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 Ranger s team has documented widespread forced labor and extortion in their missionarea during October, 2009The team interviewed villagers inPaletwaTownship who testified to forcedlabor inconstructing the army camp atDoechawnwa, as well as having to providebamboo and other building materials.(Paletwa is in southern Chin state, but is anarea populated by Arakan, Chin and other ethnic groups. Some Arakan consider it partof Arakan State).A village secretary described how peoplefrom his village had to provide forced labor to Kamtalam and Doechawnwa ArmyCamps at least twice a month. This involvesbuilding the camp, carr ying water, cooking or doing other tasks without payment. FBRteams took photos of orders from BurmaArmy units demanding villagers carry outsuch work. The villagers arealso sometimesbeaten by the soldiers. Theyalso have tosupply chickens and other livestock withoutpayment to the camp as well as paying for aboat to transport army rations. Villagers inthis area are still struggling with the foodcrisis caused by the flowering of the bambooplant, a once every 50 years cycle whichcauses a huge increase in the rat populationwhich then devours rice crops.A 25-year-old villager told how he shared ameal with Burma Army soldiers only to betold in the morning he had joined the army.He was sent to Sittwe, then on to FoundkreeMilitary Training Camp before managing torun away. He said: "Until now, I am runningfrom home. Sometimes I return home insecret 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 leavetheir village. He said they were given 24kg of food aid last year, but this year, he was told he had to repay 280kgof 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 andSPDC attacks, forced labor and SPDC oppression. Now, I cannot return to Burma because I am afraid of beingkilled by the Burma Army. Due to rats eating rice, we have a food crisis and we have other problems withsecurity, our health and our children's education. If the situation in Burma changes, I will return home. I like myhome 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 DevelopmentCouncils demanding forced labor and supplies. These letters detail the labor or material that is to be supplied aswell as stating that if these are not given, then villagers will be punished. There are also demands for militia unitsto be raised with each soldier having to provide 12,000 kyat (approx US$12). The Burma Army units involved areLight Infantry Battalions 2, 263 and 234.
Letter to village headmen from the Burma Army or Village Peace andDevelopment 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 onOctober 12 at 10am. If they fail to arrive, the headman will be held responsible."Commander of Army CampDoechawnwa
 
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FBR team member giving medical assistance to IDP children.Good Life Club in Arakan State
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