The army camp from LIB (34) based in Mait Wa village in Paletwa township near the Indo-Myanmar border uses local people for guard duty to ensure security. Every night four villagers guard the camp as a matter of routine, said a local who visit Indo-Myanmar border from Chin state.

There are four guard towers around the Mait Wa camp and local people do guard duty every night. Those who cannot do duty have to pay Kyat 80,000 or 50 tins of rice a year.

"The army is using civilians as a shield from their enemies," a local said.

"Though we don't know whether the army units use local people as guards in other places, but we have heard that sometimes they do," he added.

Last year too the authorities in Thantlang Township ordered villagers to do guard duty every night for the security of the town and they punished those who could not by imposing fines.

The army camp in Mait Wa which has only 20 soldiers order villagers to routinely carry water for the use of the army. Sometimes they use local people as porters and as labourers in the constructions of their camp.

Last year, the army camp based in Mait Wa was attacked and burnt down by ALP (Arakan Liberation Party) when soldiers went out on patrol duty. That is why now the army uses local people as camp guards. – KNG.