Junta transit ban leaves over 200 displaced Arakanese stranded on Maday Island

By Admin 01 Jul 2026

DMG Newsroom

1 July 2026, Kyaukphyu

More than 200 displaced civilians fleeing ongoing conflict remain stranded under difficult humanitarian conditions on Maday Island, a key location along China-backed energy corridors off western Myanmar, local administrative sources said Wednesday.

The stranded group includes families from Kyaukphyu, Ramree, Ann, Taungup, and Thandwe townships. They had gathered on Maday Island in hopes of securing travel clearance into Kyaukphyu town and onward evacuation through available transport routes.

Monitoring groups said the displaced population includes patients requiring urgent medical treatment in Yangon, as well as students attempting to return to their studies.

"Logistical agents told us they were arranging permits with local authorities," a displaced woman from Ramree Township said. "We have been stuck here for nearly two months and our money has run out."

Under existing procedures, civilians must obtain travel permits approved by the Township General Administration Department and military authorities before being allowed to travel to Kyaukphyu, with onward movement by boat across waterways.

However, transit systems collapsed on May 10 following heavy clashes near the junta’s Taung Maw Gyi naval station.

After the fighting, authorities imposed a suspension of travel permits and a naval blockade restricting civilian boat movement out of Maday Island.

"Those with connections to officials were allowed to leave early," a local resident said. "The remaining stranded people are mostly ordinary civilians, including serious patients who have no choice but to stay despite the hardship."

Humanitarian workers estimate that the stranded population has dropped from about 400 to around 200, after evacuation priority was reportedly given to families of military personnel and government staff.

Maday Island lies in the Thanzit River estuary in Kyaukphyu Township and hosts major China-backed oil and gas infrastructure, including storage and terminal facilities linked to regional energy exports.

The island, which has a population of about 3,000 across several villages including Ywama, Pyain, Kyauktan, and Kyeinchaung, remains under junta control.