Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Western Command Commander General Thaung Aye visited Maungdaw Township yesterday to monitor barbed wire fencing along the Burma- Bangladesh border, said an aide of Nasaka on condition of anonymity.

The commander accompanied by Tactical Operation Commander (TOC) of Buthidaung  and Nasaka Director Lt. Col Aung Gyi surveyed the barbed wire fence construction  of Nasaka area No.3 to 6 of Maungdaw Township. They surveyed the fence in a speed boat and an engine boat along the Naf River on Burma side.

They also went to Nasaka area No. 4 and 5 to see the fence. The construction of fence on the border area is nearly complete from Nasaka area No 6 (from Fadensa village tract to Nasaka area No. 3 (Taungbro Sub-town) under Maungdaw Township.

Villagers are forced to work on fence construction. Sometimes, the authorities pay wages for the work, but mostly they do not. The army which came to Maungdaw Township for supervising the fence construction has been harassing Rohingya villagers. At night, they loot goods from villagers and torture them if they see them outside the home, said a local elder preferring not to be named.

At present, villagers have to do sentry duty to watch fence at night. At night, Bangladeshis go to Burma side to steal barbed wire so Rohingya villagers are forced to do sentry duty at night.

Besides, the army has been building outpost camps in the guise of Nasaka at the mouth of every small river to control smugglers, said a fisherman from Burma side.