CNI News
26 August 20222
Imposing travel restrictions in Maungdaw amounted to neglecting the public interests, Chairman U Tha Tun Hla of the Arakan National Party told the CNI.
The restrictions have caused difficulties in the livelihood of local residents and governing bodies are responsible for offering assistance to solve their problems, he added.
He told the CNI, “Currently, local residents are in trouble. They have difficulties in finding food, clothing and shelter for themselves. Transportation of goods and travelling have been prohibited. Such restrictions hurt the well-being of local residents and shoul not be imposed. Administrative bodies are responsible for offering assistance when local residents face difficulties but they are imposing prohibition. So, such restrictions amount to neglecting the public interests.”
Clashes broke out between the Tatmadaw and the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army on 13th August and the ULA/AA announced that travelling and transportation goods were prohibited along the Yaychanpyin-Angumaw-Maungdaw road and the Maungdaw-Kyeinchaung road.
The border guard outpost in Angumaw. (CJ)
The restrictions posed difficulties and local residents were not allowed to travel in front of the border guard force, Ko Aung Oo, a local resident of Angumaw told the CNI.
He said, “We can’t do anything for our living. We cannot even go outside our houses at any time of the day or night. Orders have been issued to shoot anyone who goes outside their houses.
He said, “The problem is we can’t do anything for our living. We can’t even go out at anytime in the day or night.n They have ordered their soldiers to shoot at anyone. The order was issued on 13th August when fighting started. We cannot go past in front of their camp. When villagers went out, they shot at them or threatened to shoot at them to prevent them from going outside. Residents cannot fish or collect vegetables for their food.”
Currently, villagers are afraid to go near the border guard force, according to local residents.
Local residents in Rakhine State.
Ko Aung Oo, a local resident from Angumaw said, “Wherever border guard forces are located are facing the same problem. If there is no border guard force, local residents can got out as usual. However, all border gaurd forces are located on highway roads and they are threatening anyone who walks or rides a motorcycle past them. Some local residents were arrested for doing so.”
Currently, a curfew from 10 pm to 5 am has been issued in Maungdaw and local people are facing hardship due to the curfew and travel restrictions, according to the AA.
Under the current political climate, political parties are not able to intervene in such crises and thus it is difficult for him to negotiate with relevant parties, said U Tha Tun Hla.
Although the AA and the Tatmadaw had agreed to an official ceasefire, fighting has resumed recently due to rivalry in administrative issues.
In the same way, the AA and the Tatmadaw are arresting each other’s members.
