Narinjara News, January 13, 2023

IDPs in Paletwa town of Chin state are forced to provide food supplies forthe military according to IDPs.

“Nobody wants to go. But they are forced to go. If we refuse to go then weworry that we will be arrested and tortured. Both men and women have to carrythe rice,” said a refugee who did not want to be named.

Junta forces collect food in the military camps from Paletwa township andtransport the rice by car from Paletwa to Ahbaungthar village. Then IDPs areforced bring food from Ahbaungthar village to the edge of Supoketaung village.

“We have to transport the rice through Ahbaungthar village, passing Khaweabatvillage and near Supoketaung. About 3 miles away. Each person has to carry a bag oftwo baskets of rice. They only pay 7,000 kyats each, and 10,000 kyats forfuel for those who carry by motorbikes,”  he said.

 A woman who participated in the delivery of rice said, "Men andwomen in their 30s participate in the military’s rice delivery. I didn’t wantto go but I was forced yesterday, so I had to go. Some women are tired and shedtears,” she said.

In order to transport the rice, on January 8th, the people in charge of theIDP camps were summoned to the General Administration Department of Paletwa townand told to release 5 IDPs from each IDP camp to transport the rice rations forthe military.

Regarding the matter, an official of the Paletwa refugee camp said, “We were not forced. Wewere given money to carry them. It was less. There was no limit to how manypeople we could have. The camp leaders were called and told by the General Administration,who dares to say that they would not agree?”

The military rice rations are full in two warehouses of Ahbaungtharvillage, and all those sacks of rice have to be sent from the IDPs nearSupoketaung and are not allowed to go beyond that point, the IDPs said.

In August last year, the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar junta forcefought fiercely on the road where the refugees are currently transporting rice.

Currently there are five refugee camps in Paletwa town, where thousands ofrefugees are sheltering.

The junta forces forces IDPs to transport the ration (rice)  to armyoutposts with a minimal payment. The Myanmar armypretends that their puny payments for rice transportation are real wages. In reality it is thinly-disguised forcedlabour.