Kyauktaw: The Burmese military authorities have formed fire service brigades in central Arakan with the intent of mobilizing people to support the ensuing referendum to approve the draft constitution scheduled for May 2008.

"The authorities are now forming fire services in all villages in Kyauktaw Township and it is for the referendum, because even though fire brigades are not needed at the village level the authorities are setting them up," a  senior monk who recently arrived in Bangladesh said.

The township authority in Kyauktaw Township, located along the upper Kaladan River, recently visited many villages one after the other to form the fire service. In Arakan State, there is a fire brigade, but it has been formed at the town level, not in villages.

"The authorities have propagated among the people that the Burmese military government is ready to transfer power to a civilian government after the referendum. So the authorities are getting villagers to join the new fire service to help the government complete its referendum successfully," the monk said.

The village fire service units are reported to be cooperating with village administrations and members of the Union Solidarity Development Association to carry out the referendum at the village level and to supervise the voting process.

A village chairman in Maungdaw said, "I have information from the township authority that they will form a referendum commission in every village, comprising of 20 people who are members of the village administration, USDA, or the fire service."

The authorities in Maungdaw Township are now also discussing with the village administrations, canvassing for voting for the referendum, and setting up polling booths around the township.

"We members of the USDA, fire service, and village council are now working to mobilize people to vote in the referendum, and it is now a topic of discussion among us," the village chairman said.