Junta selling food and consumer goods in Arakan State but few are buying, locals say

By DMG 22 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
22 December 2022, Sittwe

Myanmar’s military regime is selling foods and consumer goods to the public in some townships including Sittwe, Ann, Taungup and Gwa townships in Arakan State, but few locals are buying from the regime, according to residents.

The Facebook page of junta mouthpiece Rakhine Daily said “fresh vegetables, meat and fish are being sold at low prices in some townships under the aegis of the Arakan State Administration Council for public consumption.”

Junta soldiers and their female relatives are involved in selling vegetables, bananas, meat and fish, eggs, cooking oil, beans, rice, detergent and other consumer goods at ward markets and roadsides, according to locals.

“Though they say they sell at cheap prices, they are nothing cheaper than those sold in markets. No one is buying their products. But they have taken photos of residents who were curious about what they sell,” said a resident of Ann Township.

Junta media use photos of that curiosity to give the impression that people are buying from them, she added.

They have started selling in some markets in Ann one or two times monthly since August. Some 20 junta soldiers and women are involved in selling, she said.

“In Gwa, they don’t sell in markets, but by the roadside. They sell for around one hour. They were in their military uniforms. People don’t buy from them. Only family members of military personnel are buying from them,” said a Gwa resident.

One Taungup resident said: “We don’t buy from them. So, we don’t know their prices. They come to our ward twice a month.”

Vegetables sold by junta personnel are reportedly grown by the Arakan State Agriculture Department. DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura and Arakan State Administration Council spokesman U Hla Thein.