CNI News

15 August 2022

Due to the closure of the waterways running to Chin State Palattwa Township and Kyauktaw City in Rakhine State by authorities starting from August 1^st, the commercial flow of goods was disconnected entailing the situation where they cannot afford to buy some food items including rice as well as fuel due to their skyrocketing prices. 

In August, clashes broke out between the Myanmar Army and the Rakhine Army. Due to tension, access to Kyauktaw and Paletwa seas is now closed and Palattwa residents said that rice and other commodities could not be purchased due to rising prices, said Ko Khin Kyaw to CNI news agency. 

Ko Khin Kyaw said, “One ordinary bag of rice costs 120,000. We can’t even buy that. It’s 40,000 before the closure of that road (Kyauktaw – Palattwa waterway). Now that the road is closed, we can’t even buy it for 120,000. You can’t even buy one egg with 1000. One liter of oil can’t even be bought for 10,000. 

The Paletwa residents have frequently faced the current price hike and shortage of goods but this time was made all the more difficult, said the locals. 

Seeing residents from Shin Lewa village, Palattwa Township.

In the previous battles, although the water route was closed, the land transportation had been opened. The relief groups had come and made donations and the freight goods were also allowed, so it was not this difficult. 

Since both the waterway and land routes are closed at the present, the Palattwa region is in a more vulnerable situation, said an official from the Chin State Chamber of Commerce. 

He said to CNI News Agency., “Last year, this kind of thing only happened in Palattwa. Because there is Sami town on the side of Sami – Min Tu – Hakha. The rescue forces have arrived there. Before, the other side was open. The Hakha – Min Tat – Matupi – Hakha road is open. They can receive rescue equipment there. But now the situation is terrible since all the roads on both sides are closed.

 If the flow of goods continues to be closed like this, the residents in the Paletwa Township and the Matupi Township may have health problems within two weeks and they are worried that there can be famine.

Seeing the Kelantan River.

The Chin State Chamber of Commerce is trying to transport and sell rice and other goods by entering into discussions with the respective authorities to get permissions, said an official from the Chin State Chamber of Commerce to CNI news agency. 

He said, “We, as merchants, will try as hard as we can. We will deliberate with SAC. After deliberation, we will make purchases possible in Palattwa just like they are possible in Yangon and other regions. Leave those things to us. We are trying to get permission to carry how many bags from here to there, sell how many bags in Sami and Palattwa.” 

It is reported that the Paletwa residents who are in Rakhine due to the closure of Kyauktaw and Palattwa waterways are still stranded in Rakhine with no way to return. 

There is a battle between the Tatmadaw and the Rakhine Army (AA) during August in Palattwa Township in Chin State and Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State, said the AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha at the press conference on August 11.