Authorities restricts movement and provisions supply in Kyauktaw

Authorities restricts movement and provisions supply in Kyauktaw
Published 27 December 2018
Thar Shwe Oo (Kissapa)

Authorities are restricting movement and provisions supply made by locals in Kyauktaw, an area where food and other rations are about depleted due to armed conflicts that had broken out.

Locals from villages in upper Yochaung area have been restricted from going out to work despite rations running dry. If they wanted to leave for lower Yochaung area to find supplies, they needed to have a recommendation letter from the police station.

“We cannot go to the forest to find meats and vegetables. We cannot reap chili and marrow from our plantations. The authorities have restricted our movements in the area. If we want to go the lower part of the stream, they inspected us at other side of the stream in Chinmawun Mountain. If we go the upper part of the stream, they inspected us at Taungmin Kalar Village. We have to go to ask for recommendation letter from the police station to buy rice in Kansaut Village. If we cannot get there, we will be starve and die. I have to borrow rice, fish paste, salt and other provisions from others as I had run out of them,” said an Mro ethnic Kyaw Aye from Laykwi Village.

The authorities told locals from Taungmin Kalar and Kansaut villages on December 24 that they can return to their villages as stability has been restored in the area. They will help them go home using powered motor boats.

However, the locals wanted to return home only after about two weeks as they want to observe the situation in their villages.

“We told the army captain that we will go home if we are freed to live and work in our villages. If we cannot go to find meats and vegetables, we don’t want to go back. The army captain said the army got rid of landmines in the area and we are safe to go home. However we don’t believe what he said. We want to stay here for two weeks before going home,” said Pyinnyarwa villager Kyaw Zan, who is taking shelter at Taungmin Kalar Village.

Rakhine State Chief Minister told the locals to return home on December 25 if stability was restored in the area.

“Although the army captain told us to return home, the state chief minister instructed us to return if only the stability is restored in the area. We were frightened as we heard gun fires. We don’t want to go back at the present. If the fighting broke out again, we are afraid that we will be trapped in the fighting,” said a war refugee from Kyunthayar Village.

Thiha Zaw, Kyauktaw Township administrator said they allowed the civic organizations to provide aid in the area with the recommendations from the village administrators and they will negotiate with the respective organizations for the locals to go in the area in emergency case.