Maungdaw, Arakan State
In northern Maungdaw Township, the Arakan Army (AA) is carrying out repairs on the highway connecting the 3-Mile Post Junction with Nga Khu Yea Village and Kyin Chaung Village. As part of this work, every Rohingya village under AA's Sector 5 control has been ordered to supply 50 laborers each for three consecutive days, entirely at the workers' own expense and without any compensation.
Forced Labor in Paung Zar and Hla Baw Zar Villages
Between April 1 and April 15, residents from Paung Zar and Hla Baw Zar villages were coerced into performing heavy manual labor. Tasks included breaking large stones into gravel and loading the material onto trucks. Workers were also forced to dig bomb shelters and trenches around the Kyi Kan Pyin headquarters.
At every work site, laborers were required to bring their own rice, cook their own meals, and supply their own drinking water. The AA provided no food, no water, and no wages.
"We Are Treated Like Modern-Day Slaves"
One worker who had been forced to participate described the conditions:
"Those without money suffer hunger and thirst while doing heavy labor like breaking large rocks. With no food in their stomachs, they lack the strength to work. If they rest because they are weak, they are verbally abused and ordered around by AA soldiers. We are treated like modern-day slaves."
Another laborer recounted the daily routine:
