Amid escalating military conflicts and civilian casualties in Rakhine State, social relief organizations in the region are hindered in delivering effective assistance to the injured due to acute fuel shortages.
The scarcity of fuel poses hurdles for these organizations in operating their ambulances promptly when required.
"We've been dealing with a lack of fuel for almost a month. When people ask for help, we try our best. We had to buy whatever fuel we could find, even from roadside vendors. Sometimes, we had to push the vehicle manually because it ran out of fuel in the middle of certain trips”, an official from Sittwe-based Golden Love Foundation told DMG.
For nearly two months since November 13th, the Military Council has blockaded both land routes and waterways in Rakhine State, leading to critical shortages of fuel, medicine, and food for the local population.
Currently, certain businessmen are selling previously stockpiled fuel, causing the fuel price to surge to approximately 25,000 MMK per liter.
"At present, our services are limited to emergency situations due to the depletion of our fuel reserves. Despite paying a steep cost to acquire as much fuel as possible, our efforts fell short in meeting the demands”, the aforementioned source said.
In the midst of intense conflicts in Rakhine State, the Military Council has permitted the passage of ambulances from social relief organizations, transporting emergency patients through restricted roads. Consequently, individuals in need of urgent medical assistance predominantly depend on these organizations during health emergencies.
Nevertheless, due to the fuel shortage, social relief organizations encounter hardships in their operations, necessitating additional donations from patients to procure fuel. This poses a significant struggle, particularly for those facing financial constraints.
"In rural areas, the scarcity of hospitals and clinics compels individuals to seek emergency care in towns. In the past, chartering ferry vessels for these trips was cost-effective. However, with waterways now blocked, our reliance on social relief organizations has become imperative”, a woman from Pauktaw Township said.
"During the previous war, ambulances from social relief organizations offered free assistance along the Kyauktaw-Ponnagyun-Sittwe route. Presently, the severe consequences of the fuel shortage have imposed significant hardships on us, the local population”, a Kyaukphyu resident also remarked.
In the midst of these crises, the people of Rakhine State earnestly call upon the Military Council to consider reopening the closed routes and waterways as a humanitarian gesture.
