A/HRC/39/CRP.2 411. The international community has focused much attention on the human rights situation of the Rohingya. Human rights violations against ethnic Rakhine have largely gone unnoticed. The Mission purposefully reached out to ethnic Rakhine communities, finding consistent patterns of serious human rights violations against them. In most cases, Tatmadaw soldiers were the perpetrators. 1. Forced or compulsory labour918 412. The Mission found a consistent pattern of the Tatmadaw using ethnic Rakhine men, women and children for forced or compulsory labour. 919 Forced labour took place throughout the reporting period and across Rakhine State.920 The victims were mostly from remote rural areas. Considering that victims also referred to family members, including their parents, 921 being subjected to similar practices in the past, it is clear that such practices have been a feature of Rakhine rural life for many years. 413. The ethnic Rakhine have experienced multiple forms of forced or compulsory labour. The most common form was the carrying of heavy packs, weapons and supplies for Tatmadaw patrols, referred to as “portering”, with the victims usually being males. Both men and women have also been forced to work in Tatmadaw compounds, with men usually constructing infrastructure and women washing, cleaning and cooking. Other forced labour related to road construction, breaking and carrying rocks, cutting firewood, clearing forests, and working in paddy fields. 414. Victims told the Mission of the typical experience. Tatmadaw soldiers would arrive in a village or where villagers were gathered, including fields while farming 922 or when returning from work,923 and order villagers to join them without warning or consultation. Soldiers would often physically grab people as they passed through the village, 924 or take them from their homes.925 In such instances, the selected villagers were often unable to inform their families. They were given no information on the work they were supposed to do and had to embark immediately on portering or other forms of work for days or weeks. One victim described his experience: I used to go to the forest and collect firewood to sell. One day, I was on my way back with other villagers. Suddenly, some Tatmadaw soldiers appeared and grabbed us. They beat us and said that we had to go with them for portering. We had to go with them straight away. We were then portering in the high hills for eight days.926 415. Alternatively, the Tatmadaw would gather labourers by telling the head of the village to provide a number of persons. 927 One victim, who lived in a village next to a Tatmadaw base, reported that announcements were made indicating the number required on a particular day.928 416. Most victims had to participate in forced or compulsory labour on multiple occasions. For some, it was once a week, for others it could be once a month, or two to three times a year.929 It appears that proximity to a Tatmadaw base may have affected the frequency. While there was little scope to avoid forced or compulsory labour, there are instances where 918 919 920 921 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 For legal framework, see chapter IV, section A.7: Forced labour and forced recruitment of adults and children. CI-053, CI-055, CI-056, CI-057, CI-058, CI-060, CI-153, CI-154, CI-158, CI-159, DI-014, DI-015, DI-016, DI-017, DI-018, DI-019, DI-028, DI-029, DI-032, DI-033, DI-036, DI-039, DI-041, DI-043, DI-044, DI-045, QI-072, QI-074, QI-075. The Mission documented cases in the following townships in Rakhine State: Buthidaung, Kyaukpyu, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Maungdaw, Minbya, Pauktaw, Ponnagoyun, Ramree, Rathedaung and Sittwe. DI-017, DI-029, QI-075. CI-055, DI-019. QI-074. CI-053, CI-058, CI-060, CI-153, CI-154, CI-158, DI-018, DI-028, DI-043. CI-056, DI-015, DI-017, DI-032, DI-036, DI-041, DI-044, DI-045. QI-074. CI-056, CI-057, QI-074. QI-072. CI-056, DI-015, DI-016, DI-032, DI-033, DI-036, QI-072, QI-074, QI-075. 101