Over 40,000 residents flee Pauktaw

By Admin 08 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
8 December 2023, Pauktaw

More than 40,000 people from Arakan State’s Pauktaw town and surrounding villages have been forced to evacuate their homes amid the fighting between Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in Pauktaw town.

They have fled out of fear for their safety as junta troops have been pounding the town and nearby villages.

“Naval ships in the Kaladan River fire artillery daily.  Shells flew over the village daily. So, we fled out of fear,” said a resident of Thawin Chaung Village.

It has been more than 20 days since junta troops and the AA clashed in Pauktaw town on November 16. More than 20 villages in the east and west of the town have been deserted. 

Meanwhile, Arakan residents are facing shortages of food items, medical supplies, fuel and other goods as the regime has blockaded roads into Arakan State, and between towns in the state.

Displaced people in Pauktaw Township are also facing food shortages. “We have run out of cooking oil, salt, pepper, onion and so on. Fortunately, we still can eat rice as it is harvested now,” said a resident of Letpanpyar Village.

The rice harvest was due last month, but farmers could not harvest as they fled their villages. They are concerned that ripe rice plants will go bad before the end of December.

Farmer U Than Maung Tun from Ywar Chaung Gyi village said: “Our village is close to Pauktaw town, and we can’t go home. We are already late for the harvest. We will lose [our crops] completely if we can’t reap them in the next three weeks.”

A poor rice harvest was predicted this year in Arakan State as cultivation was badly affected by a cyclonic storm and widespread flooding. The harvest is also expected to be affected by the escalating fighting and tensions in many parts of Arakan State.