The Burmese military junta has been extending its military camps in Paletwa, in Chin State, Western Burma.

According to local reports, Sittwe based IB 34 battalion in Rakhaing state and Paletwa based LIB 289 battalion have extended tow military camps at Kintalin, and Utalin villages during the first week of April 2009.

"They have extended military camps for security concerns. The reasons maybe to prevent the opposition party’s activities like the No Vote Campaign, objections to hanging posters in Chin state, for the forthcoming 2010 general elections. The government therefore is getting ready to prevent such activities before the 2010 elections, by extending military camps," a local person said.

In fact, earlier the authorities had arrested at least two people, who had pasted posters regarding objections to the Referendum in 2008, just before it was held in Shinletwa village, Paletwa Township.

Currently, the total number of military camps is about 20 in Paletwa Township. These camps are located in Meihwa, Suilaingpui, Ungtiwa, Duchawngwa, Ngapui, Shinletwa, Kuantaung, Tru Aing, Daletme, Lapahwa, Tawngpyo, Sepitpin, Kuwah, Sami, Pikung, Sin u wa and Kuantaung villages. Besides, the government is constructing a helipad in Tru Aing village.

Due to this extension of military camps, the local people are being forced to work as labourers for digging the ground, fencing and constructing military camps.

The Burmese military government has highlighted Chin State as a black area after the revolutions in 1988, so they have plans of extending military camps to about 50.

Meanwhile, the military personnel are torturing the local people in different ways and they are also violating human rights, so that most of the Chin people are fleeing to neighboring countries daily.