Junta isolates Kyaukphyu town

By Admin 20 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
20 November 2023, Kyaukphyu

Myanmar’s military regime has isolated Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu town, creating woes for local residents.

The junta’s Kyauk Talone checkpoint outside Kyaukphyu on November 13 imposed a ban on people from entering or leaving Kyaukphyu town. The regime also imposed a ban on sea transport for one month, from November 19 to December 19.

Meanwhile, an order issued by the junta-appointed Kyaukphyu Township administrator reads: “Unauthorised fishing, sailing and mooring along the river and shore adjacent to the town is prohibited.”

Kyaukphyu is an island town, and mainly relies on water transport, and food supplies brought in from other parts of the country. Local residents have called on the regime to relax the ban.

“The ban is unnecessary. Those restrictions only affect civilians, not resistance organisations,” said Kyaukphyu resident U Tun Lwin.

A naval base in Kyaukphyu has been firing artillery shells daily, and armed soldiers patrol around the town, checking if there are unregistered visitors at households.

Fishermen and daily wage earners are suffering hardship due to the ban. “In the past, even if there was no job, we could still catch fish in rivers and creeks,” said a female resident of Ngalapwe Ward.

Kyaukphyu experienced no clashes during the previous fighting. As there is no ongoing fighting in Kyaukphyu, local people have called on the regime to lift the ban.

A community elder in Kyaukphyu said: “They can carry out checks if necessary. But they should not blockade all the routes.”

Locals complain about possible shortages of food and medicines. Patients who need emergency healthcare services can suffer from the ban, they say.

A Made Island resident from Kyaukphyu Township said: “All the villagers from our village buy food from Kyaukphyu. We didn’t know that there would be a travel ban.”

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Kyaukphyu Township administrator U Myo Min Htun about the isolation of Kyaukphyu.