Vox Pop: Residents share views on daily blackouts in gas-rich Arakan State

By DMG 18 Mar 2022

Daily and prolonged blackouts are severely disrupting lives across Arakan State, which is — residents often note with irony — rich in natural gas and other energy resources. Ordinary citizens and businesses alike are suffering as many are forced to make the difficult choice between going without electricity or paying increasingly expensive costs to run generators at a time of soaring fuel prices. 

DMG recently solicited opinions on the situation from a handful of those affected by Arakan State’s electricity woes.  

U Tun Kyi || Executive Director || Kyaukphyu Peace and Development Centre 

From 2013 to 2015, we repeatedly demanded that Arakan State should be separately supplied with electricity produced from natural gas. But our demand was not met. While we are under military rule, fuel prices have soared in the international market because of global [Russia-Ukraine] conflict.  

I think the regime is cash-strapped, so it is imposing power cuts to gradually reduce its expenditures on power supply. The regime is directly responsible for power outages in Myanmar. Blackouts happen because they can’t manage the existing infrastructure well.  

Myanmar has lost large sums of revenue due to the combined effects of the coup and the Covid-19 pandemic. To me, oil and gas produced in Arakan State has been the largest source of income for the regime. But it alone can’t fulfill all the financial needs of the regime. Blackouts occur as a result. It is unlikely that Arakan State will be supplied separately with its own natural gas. Perhaps some individuals and investors [in Arakan State] may be supplied, but it is very unlikely that ordinary citizens will enjoy 24-hour access to electricity under military rule. 

U Thein Win || Teacher || Kaung Myat Hein Private School (Sittwe) 

At first, blackouts struck at regular intervals and there was only one outage a day. Later, electricity was cut off at the said time, but did not return at the supposed time. Then the number of outages increased to two or three times a day. It is the result of mismanagement. Arakan State does not have access to electricity despite the fact that it is rich in natural gas. Gas produced in Arakan State reaches foreign countries through the mainland. It is not wrong of Arakanese people to wish to have sufficient electricity from the natural gas produced in their region. 

I have nothing to say if a surplus is sold to foreign countries. However, they only give a small share inside the country and sell the rest, which upsets the local people. Blackouts are creating chaos for teachers and students. There must be sufficient electricity as the [end-of-year] exams are drawing near. As students have to study by candlelight, this can easily exhaust them. And there is also a risk of fire breaking out. There must be sufficient electricity at least for the exam. 

Daw Thin Thin (pseudonym) || Junior Assistant Teacher || Thandwe 

It will be difficult for students to study if the electricity goes out in the evening during the exam period. Students can study by candlelight, but there is a risk of fire outbreak. Instead of imposing power cuts in the evenings, electricity can be cut at night; from midnight to 4 a.m., while people sleep. But power outages currently strike in the daytime, while people work and cook. So, it is causing many problems.  

It is not acceptable that blackouts are happening in Arakan State, which produces natural gas. Today, almost everyone is dependent on electricity to do their jobs, so power cuts are causing a lot of trouble. If possible, we want to have proper access to electricity. And if power cuts are necessary, they should be imposed at fixed intervals. 

Ko Maung Maung Than || Resident || Maday Island, Kyaukphyu Township 

Maday Island is home to a number of pipeline projects and major Chinese projects, and power outages were rare before the military coup. We’ve had no regular access to electricity after the military coup. We rely on electricity for our livelihoods — economically, socially and educationally — so we don’t want power outages if possible. 

U Khin Maung Gyi || Vice Chairman || Rakhine Economic Initiative Public Co Ltd  

Frequent power outages also have a huge impact on businesspeople. A rice mill owned by my company is often out of operation due to lack of electricity. Due to the nonfunctioning of the rice mill, it is difficult for the workers and staff who depend on the rice mill to earn a living. Today, it is a society that focuses on electricity. People are relying on electricity in the economic, social, educational, industrial and manufacturing realms. So, this lack of electricity in many areas is affecting people a lot. 

Power outages affect people’s basic income. I think the next thing is for the Arakanese people to demand that electricity be allocated to Arakan State rather than mainland Myanmar. This is a political situation. The government is now pursuing a policy of equal development for all states and regions. I think these policies have been ineffective for many years, and we have not been able to get enough benefits. Therefore, the government needs to reconsider these policies.