Vehicles stranded on Mrauk-U - Kyauktaw road

By Khine Roe La 29 Aug 2019

Khaing Roe La | DMG

29 August, Mrauk-U

Traffic on a road section between Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw townships on Yangon-Sittwe road has been brought to a standstill, a driver whose car also was stranded, said on Thursday morning.

They have been stranded when fighting occurred between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) on 28 August at Linn Mway Taung Mountain range in Mrauk-U Township.

Vehicles were traveling on this section of road from 6 to 8 a.m. on 29 August, but drivers had to stop there because of security concerns. So, the traffic on the road is at a halt, said a driver of a bus running between Mrauk-U and Sittwe.

“I traveled on this road at about 6 a.m. Now, it is backed up starting from Tin Nyo Village. We had to stay two nights at Mrauk-U town. Now, vehicles are still queuing in Tin Nyo. We can’t continue our trip due to security concerns while fighting goes on,” driver Ko Chan Thar said.

Currently, there is no fighting, but the route is blocked because travelers are anxious about the situation and don’t know what to do. More than 100 vehicles are stranded including Yangon-Sittwe express buses, passenger buses and trucks. However, drivers refused to say who has blocked the road.

“We heard the road is blocked today also due to fighting. One of our buses had to stop near Tin Nyo,” said Daw Mar Mar Than, a clerk from Lay Wadi bus line running between Yangon and Sittwe.

The DMG phoned the head of Western Command Colonel Win Zaw Oo about the traffic jam on 28 August, he said that the Tatamdaw temporary blocked the road to prevent civilians from being affected in the armed conflict.

“We did it with good intentions in mind. We are worried that civilians would be hurt during the conflict,” said Colonel Win Zaw Oo.

The AA on Wednesday said that they temporary closed Mrauk U-Kyauktaw road in the interest of civilians.

“We temporary closed the section of road between Mahamuni in Kyauktaw Township and Mt. Linn Mway Taung in Mrauk-U Township so people wouldn’t be caught in any potential crossfires,” the AA’s spokesperson Khaing Thukha said.

Currently, business people are face losses because vegetables and other produce become spoiled and rotten when trucks are stranded.