November 8, 2022
A total of 1,400 bags of rice arrived in Paletwa town in southern Chin State on November 2 with the permission of authorities, but residents must present their household list and are only allowed to buy one bag per household from traders, said a woman from the town.
“We can only buy rice with the household list. We can’t buy it freely. This morning we had to wait in line. We pre-ordered, but we were only allowed to buy one bag. I don’t know if everyone got that one sack. We had to buy one sack of paw hsan hmwe [a high quality variety of aromatic rice] for 70,000 MMK. They also sell eggs and onions,” she said.
After Christian priests, Buddhist monks and community elders sent a letter to the Arakan Amry (AA) and the military council asking for the reopening of the waterway between Paletwa and Kyauktaw Townships in Arakan State, the traders were allowed to transport rice to the township in Chin State, although the waterway has not been officially reopened.
Currently, rice bags are sold by traders who charge MMK 52,000 for a bag of normal rice, MMK 72000 for paw hsan hmwe rice, MMK 1000 for four eggs, and MMK 4000 for a viss of onions.
After traders were able to import some food, including bags of rice and about 40 barrels of diesel, electricity is restored in Paletwa every other day, as previously distributed, said a local resident.
“Diesel was among the goods they imported. The electricity is back since yesterday. They divide the city into two groups and distribute to each ward in turn. The electricity was distributed to Yeikhka ward last night. So we will have electricity tonight,” said the resident of Paletwa.
The civil organizations and community elders plan to write to the authorities again to be allowed to transport rice to Paletwa for a second time, as residents are forced to buy rice on a limited basis.
After fierce fighting between military council forces and AA in Arakan State and Paletwa Township in Chin State, the military council blocked the waterway connecting Paletwa to Kyauktaw, halting the flow of goods.
Sent from KMG.