Government servants including teachers are having a trying time providing security to their establishments on the orders of the Township Peace and Development Councils (TPDC) in Mon State.

According to a principal of a high school in Mon State at least three to four teachers have to do security duty at night, even though they have to teach students during the day.

Teachers need to come back to school again after school is over, the principle said and added that "They go back home after security duty is over. And have to come back to school in time to teach."

It is very difficult for the teachers especially who live far away from the school to do guard duty in school.

"We have to take responsibility for the safety of the school because authorities are afraid of something happening like an explosion as had happened in Thanpyuzayart and Mudon Township," said the principal. At the end of July a small bomb exploded in the Telecommunication office at Mudon.

The TPDC ordered in a circular that every staff member of every office needs to patrol their administrative centers because three terrorist groups are operating in the area.

According to the order, the staff has been on duty since the beginning of last month. The circular did not mention how long they need to guard their premises.

Not only schools in the State but other departments and Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) offices are being guarded continuously depending on the number of staff present.

In the beginning of September about four vehicles of Burmese soldiers went to the lower part of southern Mon State and the authorities increased the number of soldiers at each gate on the highway and along the gas pipeline.

Vehicles carrying soldiers also conduct checks around the capital of Moulmein (Mawlamyine) and around the University campus.

According to an eyewitness, security has been beefed up. There were about three or four soldiers in each gate earlier but now there are about 10 in a gate.