Kyauktaw, Arakan State: The Burmese Army has been using forced labor from among Zee Chaung villagers of Kyauktaw Township since November second week for construction of a dam for generating hydro-electricity, according to official sources.

Everyday, 100 to 150 villagers from nearby villages have to go to the site for construction of the Zee Chaung Dam. The villagers have to work from 6 pm to noon.  The army does not provide any wages, but give two kilograms of rice a day to every worker.

Most of the laborers are Rohingya Muslims even though there are many Rakhine villages close to the dam site. The dam is near the Maha Mrat Muni Buddha statuette.

The construction of the dam was started in the period 2006-2007, and was to be completed in 2009, said a close aide of the army from Kyauktaw town. 

The second Military Operation Commands (MOC) Headquarters will be shifted to Kyauktaw Township in 2009 and the whole western office will be supplied with electricity from the Zee Chaung Dam by producing hydro-electricity. As a result, the concerned authorities are trying very hard to finish the project by 2009. There are three MOC headquarters in Arakan State under the Western Command, added the official.

At present, the Western Command Commander's office is in Inn Township, Arakan State, Burma.