Forced labours continue in Aley Than Kyaw, Maungdaw

RB News

July 20, 2013

Maungdaw, Arakan – Since last year, a military camp was built on the beach of Aley Than Kyaw. The military seized about 20 acres of paddy field from Rohingya farmers around the camp without any compensation. Now the military is asking for forced laborers to plough their farms through the village administrator.

The village administrator of Aley Than Kyaw, Maung Thet Naing is a Rakhine from Sittwe. He was appointed as village administrator by Township administrator. As per the law village administrator needs the majority votes of the villagers, but in this case the rule was ignored just to appoint a Rakhine of their favour.

“The village administrator Maung Thet Naing is forcing us to go and plough the farms of military. He is asking one person from each family. Either go or give 3,500 kyat for one day wage of a labourer.” a villager told to RB News.

And the villagers said the village administrator also threatened that they would be harassed if fail to follow his instruction.

The Rohingyas in Aley Than Kyaw are not only forced to work as forced labourers but also 45 villagers need to patrol the village and the military camps every night. 45 Rohingyas divided to 9 groups and they need to patrol the whole night while the security forces sleeping in their camp. Although patrolling and security of the region is the responsibility of security forces, the Rohingya villagers are forced to do so as an ongoing persecution.