Forced labour is widely spread in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands Burmese are forced to work for the construction of roads, bridges and other facilities in the country. The majority of these workers belong to ethnical minorities such as the Karens, the Mons, the Shans. Whole families are called up to achieve what the junta calls "Duty for the country", forced labour that is. A striking example is the recent building of the only motorway of the country, the one linking Rangoon to the...
more »Forced labour is widely spread in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands Burmese are forced to work for the construction of roads, bridges and other facilities in the country. The majority of these workers belong to ethnical minorities such as the Karens, the Mons, the Shans. Whole families are called up to achieve what the junta calls "Duty for the country", forced labour that is. A striking example is the recent building of the only motorway of the country, the one linking Rangoon to the new capital, Naypyidaw.
To build this motorway ( 400 kilometers of concrete) and the city of Naypyidaw, the junta dispossessed thousands of families of peasants, leaving them without any land and therefore any resources. The families are compelled to work from sunrise to nightfall, watched by guards. They have to bring their own food and build their own shelters. They sometimes get a paltry wage, around $1 per day. This motorway is under strict surveillance. Thanks to a brave Burmese, we managed to bring back these images
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