CNI News
21 Mar 2023
Residents have been unable to buy rice and some foodstuffs in Paletwa in Chin state, which relies heavily on Kyauktaw for trade, as only a few people have been permitted to transport them, according to residents.
In the past, Paletwa residents were allowed to buy rice from Kyauktaw but now they were not allowed to carry even a bag of rice, U Tun Aung Din, a resident, told the CNI.
He said, "We are having a hard time. Authorities operate ships only when they want to transport goods. At other times, operations of ships and motorized boats are banned. The military has also been doing what it wants. Authorities sometimes allow Rakhine merchants to transport goods. However, they do not permit us to carry goods and arrest us. We are not allowed to carry rice. We have to buy rice from Rakhine merchants."
Residents of Shinletwa Village in Paletwa Township.
Paletwa residents have to rely on Kyauktaw Township to buy commodities.
The Pawsanhmwe rice price hits MMK 100,000 per bag while that of rough rice reaches MMK 60,000 per bag in Kyauktaw at present.
As a result, the price of rough rice in Paletwa stands at MMK 70,000 and that of fine rice hits as much as MMK 180,000, according to residents.
Although authorities announced that rice can be carried with the permission of the township administrator, resident families get permission to carry half a bag of rice once in two months, U Hla Maung Thein, a Paletwa resident, told the CNI.
Provision of food to IDPs in Shinletwa Village in 2017.
He said, "They have imposed such restrictions not because of instabilities. Paletwa is now stable. Fighting has stopped. If they do not give permission, we cannot go to Kyauktaw to buy rice. If we carry a little rice for our children, who are students. They ask us so many questions like for who we are buying rice and where we are carrying rice to. They say they will seize rice if we carry a full bag of the crop. They allow us to carry half a bag of rice."
In transportation of goods to Paletwa, a z-craft is operated twice a week and private ferries are still prohibited.
Rice rations provided by the WFP to IDPs have been prohibited since early March while internet connections have been cut off, according to IDPs.
Local residents are required to apply for permission from relevant administrators to carry certain commodities.
