Junta relaxes ban on rice supply to Ann Twsp villages

By DMG 26 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
26 May 2022, Ann 

Myanmar’s military regime has relaxed restrictions on the supply of rice to Dar Lat Chaung village-tract in Ann Township, according to residents. 

The regime had imposed a ban on transportation of rice to Dar Lat Chaung village-tract for two weeks, since May 6. The ban was lifted on May 20. 

The military has since allowed 20 sacks of rice per head to be transported into the village-tract daily, according to U Maung San Thein, the administrator of Dar Lat Chaung village-tract. 

“They’ve allowed 20 sacks of rice, with each sack containing two baskets, for each villager. Villagers can’t carry any more than that amount,” he said. 

The prices of rice and other goods have soared in recent weeks. Rice prices have remained high even after the regime relaxed supply restrictions, said residents. 

“We can now bring in rice and oil by quota. However, food prices have not declined,” said another resident. 

A sack of rice sold for around K23,000 before the ban, and is currently around K30,000, said residents. 

There are more than 40 villages in Dar Lat Chaung village-tract, whose residents largely rely on shipments of basic goods including rice and other foodstuffs from Minbya Township and other outside jurisdictions.  

The regime also banned the supply of basic foodstuffs to Dar Lat Chaung village-tract for nearly a year amid often-intense fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army from late 2018 to November 2020, causing significant hardship for locals at that time. 

Junta troops are currently deployed at a number of villages in Dar Lat Chaung village-tract, according to residents.