Local SPDC police captain orders forced labor for police station construction in southern Ye Township

September 9, 2010

HURFOM, Khaw Zar, southern Ye, Mon State:

The police captain in Khaw Zar sub-township has ordered the use of Yin Ye villagers in the construction and possible supply of a police station seated in Yin Ye village. The order requires 1 member of each household to serve each day, but offers no compensation. For villagers, labor lost by working on construction undermines incomes already impacted by years of continued conflict in the region.

On September 5^th the State Peace and Development (SPDC) police captain, based in Khaw Zar sub-township, issued a written order to the village headman of Yin Ye village, requesting village labor for the construction of a police station. The order requested that one person from each household be provided on a rotating basis for the construction of the station until its completion. According to residents from Yin Ye the village contains approximately 400 houses.

Nai San (not real name), 38, had to contribute labor to the preparation of the construction site for the police station on September 6^th:

Our headman and secretary said they didn’t order [this work] and the police station officer of Khaw Zar sub-township dictated [it] by a written order. A person for every house has to work till the police station is finished. The police station is not so big, but I think it will take a long time because we have to prepare for everything starting from preparing the land. We have been divided into three groups of a-person-per-house [for this] rotation. The east, the middle, and the west parts of the village. People [from each] house from each part have to contribute labor in rotation till [the police station is] finished. To avoid misunderstanding with the villagers, even the headman has been contributing labor. The work has [been going on] since September5th, but when it will be finished can’t be predicted. We can’t do our work till it is finished.

Although Yin Ye has 400 houses, residents report an apparent shortage in viable labor due to scarce local employment, high commodity prices, and increasing human rights violations by the local government and army units. Subjected to these factors, young people and family members who would make up most of the normal labor force have fled neighboring regions and countries for work.

A 56-year-old widow, who withheld her name, normally hawks snacks in the village, but explained the hardship this working rotation has created for her household:

My sons have [been] working in Thailand for four years. It is not suitable to send my two daughters [to contribute labor], so I had to be involved in contributing labor. The headman allowed me to work for just a half day on September 5th. Anyhow, I couldn’t do my work, and was [only able to] provide… money for a half day.

Previously, according to residents, policemen from Khaw Zar sub-township police station would come to address incidents in whichever village they occurred, including Yin Ye. However only Yin Ye villagers have been tapped for the construction of a separate police station. According to residents who have worked in government administration, the costs of public projects are normally supported by the local government. However, Yin Ye residents have reported being suspicious, as in previous circumstances police authorities have usually appropriated the money for projects, and demanded that the cost of a project be paid by locals.

Ko Kyaw (not real name), 43, explained his reason for his mistrust of the project and experience working as a laborer under similar projects:

Look at the previous cases. Whatever they did – constructing governmental buildings, roads, or bridges – the government always financed how much it costs. My uncle who used to be a governmental staff always points out that fact. He always said that “relying on self-reliance” is a beautiful phrase used by [local] the government for their own opportunities. Now, although the [construction of the police station] is not “relying on self-reliance” [yet – using local funds], the government is [fully] responsible for police station construction, but they ordered the villagers to work instead. Not only on just this: if they asked [the locals] to donate construction materials such as wood, iron, galvanized iron sheets, etc., it seems that the locals will have to support with. We experienced that a lot – we have had to work for and also pay money [already a lot]. At this time, I don’t know whether we will meet the same conditions again [this time].

In this case, the long-term systemic impacts of Yin Ye’s position within the “black area”, or contested territory, of southern Ye Township, have undermined its physical capacity to resist further abuse.

As noted here, long-term tension from frequent abuse and harassment by local SPDC forces has undermined the population of the Yin Ye, driving many residents and youth away to seek safety or regular paying jobs aboard[1].

The result has left some families less able to deal with abuses that continue in the home village. With fewer members available, a family may be less able to meet frequent demands for labor, as in this case, or less able to meet taxation or resource demands, as is feared here. This is a significant concern, especially as communities have fewer resources or members to meet demands, the impact of even the most basic abuses grows.

However it is important to note that despite this possible diminished ability to meet demands, some residents and local leaders have made efforts to mitigate or equalize the impacts on local residents. As noted in this case, the headman of Yin Ye chose both to participate in the labor, though it was likely not expected of him by the Police Captain, and halved the amount of work the elderly widow with absent sons had to perform due to her circumstance.

[1] In many cases the presence of family abroad is a boon to families remaining in Burma, as the added income of regular remittances significantly boosts the financial security of a family. However no such benefits were mentioned in interviews here.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News