Maungdaw: A large stretch of over 200,973 feet of embankments for erecting barbed wire fences have been completed by 30 May, according to an official report of Maungdaw. The project to fence the western border began in February this year.

The embankments are being built by 7,000 workers everyday. So far over 200,973 feet of embankments have been completed along the Naff River in the western border township of Maungdaw. Construction began in February, the report said.

The Burmese Army authorities have built a long embankment along the Naff River to erect barbed wire fences.

Among the 7,000 workers at the site there are 800 soldiers and 600 riot police personnel. The rest are local Buddhists and Muslims.

A worker said he receives 2500 Kyats per day but a Muslim worker receives 2000 Kyats per day. However most of the Muslim workers are working at the construction sites with the lesser amount without any angst or complaint.

Though some workers are receiving wages, most workers in northern Maungdaw Township do not receive wages regularly.

A worker from Aung Zay Ya village in northern Maungdaw said that the army pays between 2000 Kyat to 2500 Kyat to a worker but it is not regular nor permanent. On some days army officials do not pay the money to workers even though they have worked from sunrise to sunset.

The junta has been erecting barbed wire fences along the western Burma border with Bangladesh to prevent human trafficking and cross border smuggling from February 2009.

The military authorities are likely to complete fencing soon before objections are raised by the international community and the Bangladesh government. So the construction of fences is being done at a fast pace by using many workers and a large budget.