Maungdaw: About 600 Burmese soldiers from the Military Operation Planning Bureau, or Sakhaka, 15 based in Buthidaung, 80 miles north of Arakan's capital Sittwe, arrived on the western Burma border early on Tuesday morning to resume construction of the fence , which had been postponed due to the rainy season, said local residents and officials on the border.

"They returned to our area yesterday morning to resume construction and are likely to start work from today. They were stationed at six locations on the border from Nasaka Areas No. 1 to 6," said a resident.

The six areas where soldiers are stationed include Taungbro, Nga Khura, Nantha Daung, Ma Kyi Chaung, as well as two other locations in Maungdaw Township.

However, the soldiers came to the area in Nasaka uniforms rather than army uniforms and most of them came without weapons.

"I think the Burmese authorities want to avoid any untoward incident with the neighbouring country. So the soldiers wore Nasaka uniforms," he said.

The authorities postponed construction of the fence during the rainy season due to obstacles posed by the weather.

"Many parts of the fence have been completed since the project started in January 2009 but some are still under construction. The soldiers are going to work on the remaining parts of the fence now," he said.

The army authorities have also asked local people to work on the project as day labourers. The army authorities say they will pay 1,700 Kyats to women workers and 2500 Kyats for male workers per day.

Many villagers who are unemployed are willing to work on the construction site at the pay offered by the army.

The villagers work at various construction sites alongside soldiers, digging earth, and transporting cement, pillars, and other materials, said another villager on the border.

The Burmese military authorities have been constructing a fence along the western Burmese border since the beginning of this year, ostensibly with the aim of preventing human trafficking and smuggling.