Crowds of people gathered in front of a house in Ward-87 in Dagon Seikkan Township, Yangon Region, on the morning of November 20 as police raided the house where a Chinese citizen ran a business after receiving a tip-off that he was committing forced child labour.
The Chinese man is said to be running a Chinese dumplings and cakes sweatshop. The police raided and searched the house as the Chinese man reportedly tortured the children working there on the night of November 19. Crowds of people then gathered in front of the house during the police raid.
“The building has existed for about three or four years. What business is run here is up to the YCDC (Yangon City Development Committee) because a business permit has to be sought from it,” said a local administrative official.
Police came to the scene after the people in the neighbourhood reported on the morning November 20. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the house.
The crowds were urged to disperse but some still remain in the vicinity despite the police shooing them away.
“The family at the house have been taken. The child workers are being questioned by officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. The case is now under investigation,” a police officer said.
