Junta’s blockading of multiple key routes takes toll on Arakan State residents

By DMG 17 Sep 2022

DMG Newsroom
17 September 2022, Sittwe 

Life has become increasingly difficult for many residents of Arakan State as the Myanmar military regime’s blockading of key road and water routes has continued, in some cases for months. 

The military has restricted access to the Ponnagyun-Rathedaung, Agnumaw-Maungdaw, and Yaychanbyin-Agnumaw roads, as well as the Paletwa-Kyauktaw water route. 

Ponnagyun-Rathedaung road 

The Ponnagyun-Rathedaung road was blocked off after a junta soldier was seized in Ponnagyun Township on June 16. The regime also suspended the Shwe Pyi Tan express ferry boat service on September 15, creating significant inconvenience for residents, said Rathedaung resident Ko San Htone. 

“We have a lot of difficulties as both land and water routes are inaccessible,” he said. “Food prices have skyrocketed in Rathedaung. I haven’t been able to support the health and education of my family. You can see what is happening in the country. I dare not think about the possibility of worse things that we may face.” 

Paletwa-Kyauktaw route 

Food prices have shot up in Chin State’s Paletwa since the military regime last month blocked waterways linking Paletwa and neighbouring Arakan State’s Kyauktaw, which Paletwa heavily relies upon for food supplies and other goods. 

“It has become increasingly difficult to buy food,” said a Paletwa resident. “A sack of rough rice now sells for more than K70,000 in the market. A sack of Paw Hsan Hmwe sells for more than K100,000, and you can only buy three eggs with K1,000, and one litre of cooking oil with K6,000. I have never seen such high food prices in my lifetime in Paletwa.” 

Angumaw-Maungdaw and Yaychanbyin-Agnumaw roads 

Myanmar’s military regime blockaded the Agnumaw-Maungdaw and Yaychanbyin-Agnumaw roads following fighting between the military and the Arakan Army (AA) near Cheinkhali and Koetankauk villages in Rathedaung Township on August 13. The regime also suspended Shwe Pyi Tan express ferry boat services on September 15. 

“Not to mention health and education [concerns], we are even struggling to feed ourselves,” said  the administrator of Thit Tone Nar Kwa Sone Village in northern Maungdaw Township. “We are going hungry. We have eked by on the food that we have since August 13. We have been sharing food with each other, and all of us have almost run out of food now.” 

The administrator called on the military regime to reopen the roads, considering that local people are starving. 

“The food mainly comes from Maungdaw town. We call for reopening the road for food supplies. Even if we are not allowed to carry rice with vehicles, it would not be so bad if we could carry rice with motorcycles,” he said. 

A series of clashes between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army have been reported across Arakan State since August, with thousands of people displaced by the renewed hostilities and military tensions continuing to escalate.