Narinjara News, November28, 2022

Althoughtransport operations since the informal ceasefire deal on November28 with the Arakan Army(AA) should have resumed, three days later the Military Council is stillblocking most roads andwaterways widely used by the Rakhine people. However the main routes that areimportant for theMilitary Council themselves are exempted.

Sofar transport operations have only been allowed to resume on theSittwe-Rathedaung- Buthidaungwaterway in Mayu river, and the A Ngu Maw-Maungdaw waterway, but other waterways and land routes are stillblocked locals said.

Aresident of Sittwe criticized the reopening of the Sittwe-Rathedaung-Buthidaungwaterway in MayuRiver as “only for the benefit of the Military Council.”

This local pointed outthat “When the transportroutes between Buthidaung, Sittwe and Maungdaw were closed, the peoplesuffered, but theMilitary Council itself suffered even more. They also could not travel on thoseroutes. When the transportationwas cut off, it was difficult for them to access their food supplies. Reopeningthis waterway now as a priority, meansthat it was done for their own interests, not out of concern for the local people”.

Asof the morning of November 28, Sittwe’s entryand exit gate remains closed. A driver from Sittwesaid that traffic was still blocked after November 28 because the gate islocated on the roadthat connects with other cities including Yangon.

“Whenwe heard the news that the ceasefire deal had been reached, we were very eagerto drive again,hoping that the blocked roads would be reopened. But in the morning, we went tothe militarypolice outpost to inquire, and they said that the road was not reopened yet.they didn’t knowwhen it would reopen”, he said. Mostwaterways in northern Rakhine state, including Sittwe-Ponnagyun-Kyauktaw,Rathedaung- Ponnagyun Sittwe,Minbya-Myebon waterways, are still blocked with strict checks at all checkpoints,with traffic is restricted as before.

“If theroads were closed due to military tension, they should have been reopenedduring the ceasefireperiod. When the roads were closed, all health, social, and economic aspects ofthe peoplewere affected. The commodity prices had also risen too much. Itis quite inconvenient when it isneeded to travel around very long distances instead of using a shorterroute. And it will be moredifficult for those who need to go to hospitals and clinics” , he said.

Inthe past, the Military Council justified the military situation in the regionto block waterways and roads in the region. But now, the ceasefire agreement has been reached, so the routesshould be reopened, a Kyauktaw resident alsosuggested.

StartingAugust 13, the Military Council has banned road traffic city by city in Rakhinestate. Then, from October 18, waterways in northern Rakhine state were still blockaded and theoperations of privatevessels were also systematically obstructed.