Storm victims forced to pay transportation costs for relief supplies

By Admin 06 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
6 June 2023, Sittwe

Junta-appointed village administrators in some Arakan State townships are reportedly charging fees for delivering junta-provided relief supplies to victims of Cyclone Mocha.

Poor families, therefore, are not receiving relief supplies as they can’t afford to pay the delivery fees to administrators, according to local sources.

“We have to pay 500 kyats for 12 cans of rice, and 5,000 kyats for a corrugated roofing sheet. Administrators and community elders said it is for transportation costs,” said Ko Phone Htet of Pauktawpyin Village in Ponnagyun Township.

For their part, local administrators said the regime only provided relief supplies and did not pay for transportation costs, which forced them to charge villagers for the transportation of relief supplies.

“We have to rent a car to bring those supplies to the villages. It costs 100,000 kyats to hire a car. We also have to pay labour costs to load up the vehicle. This is why we have to charge villagers,” said administrator U Kan Tun Maung of Pauktawpyin Village.

There are more than  400 houses in Pauktawpyin Village, which has a population of over 2,200 people. More than 300 houses were damaged or destroyed by Cyclone Mocha. Families whose houses were damaged by the storm received 12 cans of rice per household, and families whose houses were not damaged received instant noodles.

In Kyanthinkhar Village, Myebon Township, villagers are also being charged transportation costs for relief supplies.

“It is not OK for us to pay money to get relief supplies. Some families can’t afford to pay. If the regime really wants to help, it should also pay for transportation costs,” said Ko Kyaw Kyaw Phyo of Kyanthinkhar village.

DMG was unable to reach the Arakan State Administration Council to enquire about its plans for supplying relief aid to storm-hit areas.

Cyclone Mocha hit Arakan State on May 14, inflicting serious property damage in several townships, as well as killing more than 140 people and affecting more than 1.2 million more.