Junta restricts transportation of rice, building materials to Maungdaw border town

The Myanmar junta authority has restricted the transportation of basic food items, including rice, along with house building materials to Maungdaw township on the western border of Rakhine State.

The restricted food items, besides rice, include oil, salt, dry fish, paste, betel nut, onion etc. The  construction  materials include roof zinc, iron, nails, cement, etc.

These items are not allowed to transport with trucks or  cars from Sittwe to Maungdaw through  Anga Maw and Maungdaw motorable road without permission of Rakhine’s security & border affairs ministry as well as the concerned departments.

Many  trucks were  sent back from  the checkpoints which had no relevant certificate.

The goods trucks have to cross  Mayu river by ferry ships through Ray Chan Pyin harbor in Sittwe and  by cargo ships to Angu Maw area of Rathedaung township.

A regular motor driver on  Sittwe-Maungdaw road informed  Narinjara News  that they are being  checked at Angu Maw  checkpoint, Inden checkpoint and also Three-Mile checkpoint in Maungdaw township.

"We are asked for the certificates. For the fish, fish-halves, fish-paste items, they ask for certificates from the fishery department. For the rice and construction materials, the authority want to see  certificates with the signature of  Rakhine security & border affairs minister. In earlier days,  they didn't ask for these documents,” he added.

Another driver from Yangon-Sittwe road told Narinjara News that because of the restriction, the truckers are finding it difficult to transport goods from the mainland to the Rakhine region.

"Now, we only move inside Sittwe city. Without the permission, we have to drop the goods  at main city gates,” he added.

Local residents allege that because of the limited supply of items to Maungdaw, they will face a  shortage of food items and other goods.

Rakhine political analyst U Pe Than told Narinjara News that if the current restriction on goods to Rakhine State continues, there may a possibility of gunfighting against the Arakan Army (AA).

"Before resuming fighting, the  junta did same in earlier occasions too. Regular inspections, checking of transported materials and over all increased vigils indicate the preparedness of the junta forces,”
he pointed out.

Last year, prior to the rerun of battles between junta forces and AA members,  the military council restricted and controlled the flow of goods to the Rakhine region, which caused hardships to the locals.

In November only, the restriction was eased after the mutual understanding between the two armed groups was established. Now the restriction has returned and also the fear of gun fighting between junta soldiers and AA members.