Rice transports will once again be permitted to Chin State’s Pawleta Township beginning on January 20 provided village and township administrators give their consent, said Amyotha Hluttaw MP Aik Tan.
“Each person is allowed to carry two bags of rice, and inspections have been carried out since December 2. The public has been worried – restrictions [on rice transport] are not good. The Tatmadaw was worried that [the rice] will end in the hands of bad people,” Aik Tan said.
“We negotiated with the Chin State chief minister and [state] Municipal Minister Issac Khen and the [Tatmadaw’s] 289th Infantry Battalion’s commander yesterday [December 18]. They told us that it would be alright [to transport rice] to villages, provide there are endorsements from the village and township administrators. But merchants aren’t allowed [to transport the rice] yet,” he added.
Commodity prices have soared in Paletwa due to the prohibition on rice transports, as well as hostilities between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army.
“As sufficient stores of rice cannot be transported due to the fighting, the cost of meal is rising from K1,500 to K2,000 at restaurants. Villagers already couldn’t afford to buy [food],” said John Kim Kham Man in Paletwa.
Civil society groups have also been unable to access the area due to fighting, which has displaced thousands of local residents.
