Tough times blamed for suicides in Arakan State

By Admin 27 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
27 April 2023, Sittwe

Social organisations are raising concerns about the conditions — high unemployment, rising costs of living, economic malaise and food insecurity, among others — that they say have led to a rise in suicides and suicide attempts.

At least nine people committed suicide in Arakan State last year, according to figures compiled by local social organisations.

A 50-year-old man from Naypukhan displacement camp in Kyauktaw was among those in difficult circumstances who attempted to end his life last year, though his attempt failed.

“Internally displaced people (IDPs) do not receive adequate assistance from charities and the government. They [IDPs] are depressed because they don’t have a job. So some IDPs attempt to commit suicide,” said U Maung Saw Aye, manager of the displacement camp.

A teenager from Sittwe’s Lanmadaw Taung Ward committed suicide on April 23. The teen’s parents had died when he was young and he had been living with his younger brother under the care of his grandmother.

A resident of Sittwe said the boy’s grandmother had also died recently.

“The teenage boy started drinking as he was not cared for by guardians. He became confused and killed himself like that,” the Sittwe resident added.

Post-coup life has been difficult for many, and social organisations say collective morale is low and mental health is of growing concern.

“It can be considered that these suicides are usually based on economic and livelihood hardships,” said Saw San Nyein Thu, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Initiative Organization.

According to a report released by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2022, one in four people in Myanmar are severely affected by food insufficiency.