NarinjaraNews, December 14, 2022

The informal ceasefire has produced a welcome lullin fighting between the Military Council and the Arakan Army (AA ), but it has made littledifference to the regime’sblocking many transportation routes in the upper areas of Paletwatownship, where thereused to be fierce conflict in the past.

This trade blockade has inflicted great hardship on the locals.

Since July the Military Council closed the routesfrom upper Paletwa in Chin State, connected to the Indian border.

A resident of Tarunaing (Ywarthit), a village in theregion, said, "Even during the ceasefire, traffic is still not allowed in our Paletwa township.We cannot travel betweenPaletwa and Tarunaing. The Chinletwa-Tarunaing, Myeikwa-Tarunaing routesare still blockedaswell. Now people are facing livelihood problems because of this blockade that prevents the arrival ofmedicine.  

 The routes above Paletwa, where waterways are mainlyused for transportation, have also remained by the Military Council troops based in Doe Chaungand Tarunaing localssaid.

 A healthcare worker who did not want to be named commented“ Due to the blocking ofwaterways, local health and education staff have repeatedly written torequest that the routesbe reopened, but nothing has changed. “

 “Staff from Chinletwa, Myeikwa and Tarunaing havereported many times about the difficulties they are facing, but the routes are still blocked.They have reopened the Kyauktaw-Paletwaroute. We want the waterways to be reopened as soon as possible here”, she told Narinjara.