Sittwe, 29th July 03: "The Burma Army has begun construction of artillery base on an island close to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, in western Burma. The base is being installed at the southern tip of West Farunga Island, about fifty kilometres south to Sittwe. Sources in the administration preferring to be anonymous said that the artillery base is aimed at safeguarding the construction of facilities in an offshore gas field, from which the gas would ultimately be piped to neighbouring countries..."