Civilians have been arbitrarily seized as porters from their villages by the military and held in army custody for periods ranging from a few days to a month or more. Those who were seized were usually not told how long they would be held and have expressed fear of the consequences if they refused the military s demands or protested the fact that they were being held against their will. Many of those forced to act as porters have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment as punishment if they could not carry their loads of supplies and ammunition. Forced labour by civilians continues on the Ye - Dawei railway in southeastern Myanmar on a large scale. The army has forced hundreds of thousands of ethnic Burmans and members of ethnic minorities to work as unpaid labourers on these construction projects.
Conditions are often harsh, in many cases amounting to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Amnesty International is seriously concerned by the practice of forced portering and forced labour in Myanmar, and over a number of years, has reported on the human rights violations that are associated with these practices. This practice should be abolished. Anyone wishing further details or to take action on this issue should consult the full document.