Buthidaung, Arakan State:  An army artillery camp is being constructed by the military junta in Buthidaung Township, in northern Arakan, near the Bangladesh border, aiming to strengthen the military check post on the Western border, a reliable source from Arakan said.

The artillery camp is located at Kyauk Pry Daung of Buthidaung Township, about 80 miles north of Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State.

The army officers of Buthidaung Township confiscated about 100 acres of land from Rohingya villagers recently, for extension of the former artillery camp.

Previously, the army had an artillery camp, but recently it is being extended with confiscated land, for storing artillery weapons, which were brought from Rangoon.

Lt. General Maung Aye and other senior army officials visited the new artillery camp, during their trip to Arakan from January 10 to 15.

On January 13, many weapons and equipment were brought to Kyauk Pru Daung artillery camp of Buthidaung Township at midnight. The villagers, who were on the road and out of their houses, were arrested by the army for not seeing the incident, while weapons were brought inside the camp. However, the arrested villagers were released in the morning, a villager who was an eyewitness said.

After the dispute between Burma and Bangladesh over the issue of oil and gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal last year, Burma has been building up military outposts in northern Arakan, bordering Bangladesh.

The concerned authority has also increased construction of roads and bridges in border towns, while extracting forced labor from villagers, another villager, who refused to be named, said.

The artillery camp is being built at the site of a former smaller artillery camp, which was used by the British during WWII.