Myitkyina (AsiaNews) – The Army of Myanmar is forcing villagers in Sinbo, Kachin State, north of Yangon, to work for their military camp and to modernize a road leading to the capital, Myitkyina.

A local businessman told a daily newspaper, Irrawaddy, that the government's Light Infantry Battalion 141 was forcing residents from three villages near the town of Sinbo to repair a road leading to the capital and to clean the army camp.

The businessman, of Kachin ethnic origin, who often travels to the Sinbo region, said he saw about 80 people apparently being forced to work on the road. "They included children and elderly people, digging the soil with hoes," he said. There were others digging up tree stumps and cleaning up undergrowth around the military camp.

The same man said he heard the soldiers ordering residents of Yinna Pinlong, Min Thar and Man Khin to supply a person per family to work without pay on a "volunteer programme". "Villagers have to make shelters for themselves and work free for a week," he added.

The battalion has been based in the area since 2004, and was reportedly ordered by Major Geneneral Ohn Myint – northern commander – to upgrade the road leading to Myitkyina.

Representatives of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Myanmar claim that although forced labour has been declared illegal, it is extremely doubtful whether the military junta in power really wants to do away with it. There are frequent cases of the army forcing the population to repair military division in more remote areas of the country, or to build barracks and fortifications.

The junta has never responded to the allegations and actually accused some workers of high treason for having filed reports with the ILO.