Interview #7

Karen Farmer
Tavoy Township, Tenasserim Division, Burma

I came from my village three days ago. [The interviewee was interviewed in April 2001.] . . . I did not go for porter in year 2001, but I had to go in year 2000.

My uncle had to go porter in March 2001, and he had to go for one week. They called this portering to show the way for the soldiers. Three to four people in the village had to go with them each time they needed people. They also had to go by rotation each time, and they had to go for one week. They do not get payment because they call this porter lo-ah-pae porter [common term for forced labor]. Lo-ah-pae porters had to show the way and also carry supplies as the soldiers asked them to carry. The military that asked for lo-ah-pae porters were LIB 374, IB 25, LIB 104, and LIB 280. The military asked for porters from the village head, and the village head told the villagers.