Junta bars WFP from providing relief supplies to Maungdaw Twsp 

By Admin 10 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
10 July 2023, Maungdaw

Myanmar’s military regime has reportedly banned the World Food Programme (WFP) from providing humanitarian assistance to some 10,000 locals in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, since March.

“Since March of this year, WFP is facing a travel restriction to provide assistance to about 10,000 people in northern Maungdaw Township,” the United Nations body replied to DMG via email.

WFP said the United Nations is currently negotiating with the relevant officials to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to those in need. WFP did not respond to a DMG request for additional details on the matter. 

The World Food Programme provides monthly supplies of consumer goods, including food, to about 100,000 local people in northern Arakan State.

“The WFP suspended providing assistance to IDPs effective immediately, without explaining to us. We have not received any relief supplies since four months ago. We are struggling to make ends meet,” said U Maung Tha, a resident of Jeitchaing (Mro) Village.

The junta’s Border Guard Force set up about 10 security checkpoints along the road to the north of Maungdaw, and residents say that inspections at most of these checkpoints do not allow them to travel freely.

Since Maungdaw Township is a border area, basic food and commodity prices are higher than other townships. Therefore, the military junta’s restrictions of WFP aid has made it difficult for the affected population, residents said.

“We face livelihood hardships due to lack of regular assistance. The price of rice is skyrocketing. Since the WFP has halted provisions of relief items to locals in northern Maungdaw Township, we have been struggling to make ends meet,” said Ko Min Myat Wai, a local man from Thupannaka Village.

The WFP and some nongovernmental organisations and international nongovernmental organisations have provided for thousands of locals set back by the Maungdaw upheaval of 2017.