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Battle preparations by the Burmese Army has led to forced labor by villagers of Maungdaw Township in Arakan State, Burma since November first week, said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
Burma's border security forces (Nasaka) are summoning at least 20 villagers from every village from the northern side of Maungdaw Town daily. In every Nasaka camp, trench and bunkers are being dug by forced labor from villagers at the beginning of November.
Nasaka gives two kilograms of rice to every villager who works at the site, but those who are unable to work in the Nasaka camp have to pay kyat 1,500 per day to laborers they send.
Burma continues with its troop build up along the land border though tension has come down in the Bay of Bengal over its attempt to explore oil and gas in the disputed maritime zone.
Yesterday, many soldiers were brought to Maungdaw North, especially to Min Ga Hla Gyi (Pran Pru) village tract of Maungdaw Township by trucks, said a local trader from Maungdaw town.
Burma has deployed forces in border areas by calling in troops from Kyak Taw Township in Arakan State and also called army battalions that were deployed in Karen State from Arakan State earlier to fight rebels.
The crisis in the Bay of Bengal ended following withdrawal of the rig by Korean company Daewoo on November 8.
Although Burma withdrew its warships and the rig from the spot in the Bay of Bengal, it continues amassing troops on the frontiers with Bangladesh.
