Many individuals remain trapped and subjected to abuse on offshore fishing rafts near Ye Township, Mon State, according to sources close to the fishing industry.
In recent days, a video circulating on social media showed an elderly man being abused on a fishing raft near Zee Phyu Thaung, prompting local administrative authorities to summon fishing raft owners and brokers in the area for a warning and discussion.
The captain seen committing the abuse in the video is reportedly on the run. Authorities have asked that any sightings be reported immediately.
Even before the military coup, migrant workers from Ye Township’s coastal areas—often recruited through brokers—faced threats, deception, and wage exploitation by boat owners. Since the coup, the situation has worsened.
A local man explained that due to years of ongoing abuse and killings aboard these rafts, which remain unresolved by authorities, thousands of fishing workers are still unable to escape.
“Workers always get beaten when they try to escape. I’ve seen many who were killed. Some were thrown into the sea, and others were taken back to their villages. The boat owners work with brokers and even the police to cover things up. This has been going on for a long time, and just now, only one case has gone viral online. There are so many others still suffering,” said a man from Asin village.
Most of the fishermen in Ye Township are migrant laborers between the ages of 18 and 40, originally from the Yangon, Tanintharyi, and Ayeyarwady regions. Brokers recruit them to work on boats based in Asin, Zee Phyu Thaung, and Dhamaine Seik villages.
These workers are sold to fishing raft owners for 1.5 to 2 million MMK (approximately USD 700–950) per person, resembling human trafficking practices. They are then forced to work at sea for 6 to 9 months.
“In the summer, they make them work on rafts. In the rainy season, they work on pipe boats. They don’t even get time to rest. The brokers keep rotating them, and it’s impossible to escape. The brokers have connections with the police. If anyone runs, they won’t get far. Some who couldn’t take it anymore jumped into the sea to end their lives,” said a local seafarer from Zee Phyu Thaung.
Zee Phyu Thaung village in Ye Township has the highest number of fishing rafts, with around 1,000 in operation. These rafts require over 4,000 workers annually.
Despite years of human rights violations occurring aboard Myanmar’s offshore fishing rafts, attempts during the previous civilian government to amend the country’s fishing laws through parliament failed to materialize.
