A/HRC/39/CRP.2
this was done in an organized fashion, such as house by house, 490 on the basis of a quota for
each family,491 through a list,492 or with the cooperation of village leaders. 493 For example,
one individual from Namhsan Township, Shan State, recounted how 40 soldiers entered his
village in March 2013 and called a meeting of the village and then took people away for
forced labour.494 Individuals were also taken for forced labour from the areas surrounding
their villages while they were fishing or farming or running errands 495 or while travelling. 496
For example, one individual from Puta-O Township, Kachin State, described being stopped
by the Tatmadaw while travelling on a highway in February 2018, then being taken to a
military base and being required to dig trenches for eight days. 497 In another incident from
2015, individuals were taken for forced labour from a camp for internally displaced persons
in Bhamo Township, Kachin State.498
259. Individuals stated that it was not possible to refuse to participate in forced labour, 499
and no compensation of payment was received for the labour. 500 In some cases, arrest for
forced labour was accompanied by destruction of houses and looting of property, 501 or by
threats, including death threats, or ill-treatment against the individual, 502 or their family
members.503 For example, a teacher from Bhamo Township, Kachin State, described how she
was threatened and ill-treated while being taken for forced labour in 2012:
I was on my way to work when four soldiers stopped me. The soldiers asked me where
I was going and I explained I was going to the school where I teach. The soldiers said
“you don’t need to teach any more, come with us.” I told them that I had to go to
school because the students had exams and needed their teacher. The soldiers got
angry. They pointed their guns at me and said “do not speak to us this way, you need
to follow us, if you don’t come with us you will die.” They slapped me, blindfolded me
and made me walk with them carrying heavy bags.504
260. While in some cases only men were taken for forced labour,505 frequently women were
also victims.506 Children were also subjected to forced labour. 507 Most child victims were
aged 12 or over,508 but one victim from Kutkai Township, Shan State, reported being taken
for portering on multiple occasions from nine years of age until she left Myanmar aged 27,
following an attempted rape during forced labour in 2012.509 Victims of forced labour also
included individuals suffering from health issues510 and elderly individuals.511 For example,
one child from Tanai Township, Kachin State, described how all the people in her village
were subjected to forced labour:
There is a military base nearby my village. Villagers are often forced to work for the
soldiers at the base, cooking, cleaning, building and doing other tasks. Even the
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66
PI-081, QI-093.
PI-006, PI-007, QI-086.
PI-006, PI-007, PI-033.
PI-011, PI-033, PI-095, PI-109, PI-111.
PI-095.
PI-060, PI-079, PI-096, QI-095.
PI-029, PI-067, PI-078, PI-089, PI-096, PI-111.
PI-078.
PI-026.
DI-064, PI-017, PI-078, QI-077, QI-086.
PI-005, PI-013, PI-021.
PI-023, PI-067, PI-080.
PI-022, PI-023, PI-063, PI-067, PI-099.
PI-022, PI-068.
PI-067.
DI-063, PI-077, PI-080.
PI-006, PI-063, PI-067, PI-068, PI-089, PI-099.
DI-063, DI-071, DI-072, DI-073, PI-022, PI-063, QI-084.
DI-063, DI-072, DI-073.
QI-084.
PI-033, DI-071.
PI-063, DI-071.