CNI News

29 Nov 2022

As the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army have reached a ceasefire deal, it is necessary to reopen Yangon-Sittwe routes to resume the commodity flow to Rakhine State, U Than Naing, a merchant from Maungdaw, told the CNI.

Some waterways and roads, which were closed due to clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, have been reopened.

U Than Naing told the CNI, "Only when Yangon-Sittwe routes are reopened, can commodity flow to Rakhine State resume. This is the only major route to Rakhine State. When commodities flow into Sittwe, they can be transported to Buthidaung and Maungdaw. Routes in Buthidaung and Maungdaw have been reopened but Yangon-Sittwe routes are still closed. So, nothing will not improve."

Security forces search a highway vehicle.

Roads and waterways connecting northern and southern Rakhine State were closed for three months due to clashes between the military and the AA but some routes were reopened on 27th November, 2022.

Sittwe-Rathedaung-Buthidaung waterway has been reopened, Manager U San Maw Thein of Shwe Pyi Tan vessel told the CNI.

He told the CNI, "Authorities have reopened routes from Sittwe to Rathedaung and Buthidaung. In the past, there was a route connecting Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, Ramree and Taungup. The route has never been closed. The Sittwe-Mrauk-U route, the Sittwe-Rathedaung-Buthidaung route and the Sittwr-Pauktaw-Minbya routes were closed. Now, the Sittwe-Rathedaung-Buthidaung route has been reopened. The route leads to Maungdaw near the Bangladesh border. We have to use the route to go to Maungdaw. So, it is an important route."

It is not still clear when the Pauktaw, Myebon and Mrauk-U route will reopen." he added.

A marketplace in Rakhine State.

As closures and reopening of roads and waterways in Rakhine State were not announced officially, truck drivers are still closely watching the situation, he said.

He said, "Not all the routes have been reopened. It was said that routes were reopened. However, it is very difficult to travel. So, we are still collecting information and still closely watching the situation to operate trucks. There is no official announcement. When they closed the routes, they did not announce it officially. It is difficult to say exactly because they sometimes allowed vehicles to travel and sometimes did not."

Commodity flow to Rakhine State was disrupted due to clashes between the military and the AA, which forced local residents to face commodity shortages and higher prices.