Forced labor

An extensive investigation by British newspaper, The Guardian, has uncovered evidence of endemic use of “slave” labour in Thailand’s fishing industry, with migrant workers being “beaten, tortured, and killed.” The investigation said that the 270,000 migrant workers in Thailand’s fishing industry were vulnerable to human trafficking and rampant exploitation in a racket involving brokers, boat captains and corrupt Thai authorities.…

Chin refugees in India fleeing persecution in Burma are left to fend for themselves as the UNHCR and local organisations tasked with protecting them fall prey to a “culture of denial and victim-blaming,” says the Chin Human Rights Organisation. The Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO), a non-governmental human rights watchdog founded in 1995, has warned that hundreds of Chin refugee…

Villagers accuse a Burma Army Battalion commander, based in Wah Kla (Wa Daw) in Southern Burma, of demanding villagers use their private vehicles to travel him around the area. Naw Hser Tha U Htoo, from Wah Kla village, told Karen News. “The battalion commander demands villagers use their cars on a regular basis. Sometimes it’s twice a day or once…

Villagers taken from 30 villages were ordered to work on the construction of the HteeLah Eh Hta Bridge that crosses the Yunzanlin River, near Papun Township. The Karen Human Right Group’s report released on June 13, described how villagers from Meh Mwe, Day Wah, Kyaw Pah, Htee Th’Daw Hta and Meh Pree village were forced to construct the bridge. KHRG…

A Burma Army officer physically assaulted four villagers from Wa Daw last week for refusing his orders to do forced labor for him. Lt.Colonel Aung Win Htun, from Column 1 is accused of beating the four villagers from Wa Daw village, located in the Myitta sub-township, Dawei District of Tenasserim Division. Eyewitnesses said the four villagers refused to be porters…

Despite a ceasefire in place, a Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) report criticizes a government-controlled militia, the Border Guard Force (BGF), for committing human right violations against villagers in Papun Township, Karen State. The KHRG’s report released on 23rd of April, documented that BGF battalions based in Papun Township – the 1013th and the 1014th – forced villagers from Meh…

Karen villagers have accused the Border Guard Force, a militia under the control of the government military, of forcibly recruiting villagers. The Border Guard Force (BGF) militia in the Nabu area, Hlaingbwe Township Karen State is alleged to have conscripted civilians since late October 2012. Villagers alleged that the four BGF battalions – 1017, 1018, 1019 and 1020 based in…

A humanitarian organisation that delivers aid to displaced communities in rural Burma reports that despite peace-talks between the Karen National Union and the Burma government armed clashes, forced labour and other abuses are still ongoing in Karen State. The organisation, the Free Burma Rangers has documented abuses by the government’s army and its militia allies in five districts in Karen…

The Burma Army camp based east of Tenasserim division in Southern Burma has increased its demands on villagers to use their vehicles to transport military supplies. A pick-up owner who does not want to be named (for his own security), told Karen News that despite the cease-fire between the Karen National Union (KNU) and Burmese government the Burma Army are…

Villagers living in the Tandaung Township, Taungoo District accuse Burma Army soldiers of demanding of them force labor and threatening their ability to earn a living. A villager (who security reasons is not named) told Karen News that Burma Army battalions under Division 66 ordered seven villagers from Kaw Thay Der to use their motorcycles to deliver army rations to…