Forced labor for Mudon residents

IMNA

In anticipation of a visit by high-ranking Burmese army officials, Mudon villagers are being forced to clear brush from the main roadway.

On June 16th the order was delivered from the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) to village headmen who then passed it along to their individual villagers.

19 villages have been included in the order, and a Mudon headman reported that the clearing occurs as a mixture of forced labor and extorted villager money to pay laborers, to avoid inconsistencies and inferior work when the military officials cavalcade arrives.

The use of forced labor both directly from the Burmese army and indirectly through the leadership of individual villages represents a long-standing and pervasive abuse committed against Burmese residents.

“When Burmese authorities’ high-ranking officials visit and travel in the village, we have to clean bushes along the main road,” said a village headman.

“Village headmen are making orders for us to clear brush from our plantations along the main road to Mudon and Thanphyuzayat. So I have to clean bushes on the main road now every day. If you don’t clear the brush you have to pay money to the village headman,” said a villager from Mudon Township.

A plantation owner who is clearing the brush said that he couldn’t refuse the village headman’s order because the headman would inform the TPDC.

Some villagers have already finished the brush clearing along the road whereas others are continuing to do so.