Begging rises in junta-held Sittwe as commodity prices soar and livelihoods deteriorate

By Admin 12 Nov 2026

DMG Newsroom

12 November 2026, Sittwe

The number of people begging for food and money in Sittwe, the Arakan State capital still under military junta control, has been rising as a lack of jobs and soaring commodity prices worsen living conditions, according to local residents.

In Sittwe, a sack of rice costs more than K200,000, cooking oil sells for between K18,000 and K25,500 per liter, and onions cost as much as K15,000 per viss, residents said.

Residents report that more people are turning to begging across the city to survive amid widespread unemployment and rising prices.

"There are no jobs here, and with commodity prices surging, making ends meet is extremely difficult. Daily wage labourers have it the worst if they don't find work for a single day, they go hungry. It is not just manual labourers; even civil servants are struggling to get by and have to ration whatever little they earn," said a Sittwe resident.

At least 20 people, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), can now reportedly be seen begging each day in crowded areas and residential wards across the city.

Meanwhile, residents are living in fear amid military airstrikes and artillery shelling, which have significantly restricted their movement outside their homes.

"In Sittwe, people only go outside when strictly necessary. We have to buy food supplies in bulk to last a month because the situation is not safe enough to go out every day. When supplies run out, we just buy from nearby shops. Above all, we are deeply worried about our safety," said a female resident of Sittwe.

Clashes have continued along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun border as military regime forces attempt to advance into Ponnagyun Township.

Fighting has also continued on Ngapyi Island in Werathani Township, which borders Sittwe, while junta battalions stationed in Sittwe continue to fire heavy artillery, according to local sources.