Restrictions leave over 28,000 refugees in Rakhine without WFP food assistance in March

Narinjara News, April 5, 2023

In March, the World Food Program (WFP) was unable to provide assistance to over 28,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Maungdaw North and Buthidaung South, located in Rakhine State.

The WFP has reported that access to aid is still blocked by the authorities, due to the unrest in the region which has prevented deliveries.

A WFP official said, “Due to the unrest, we are encountering difficulties in providing assistance to over 28,000 people in Maungdaw North and Buthidaung South. We are urgently calling for the delivery of humanitarian aid to be allowed to pass through the checkpoints,” said an official.

During March, both Rakhine IDPs and Muslim IDPs were among those who did not receive WFP assistance. Among these individuals are the IDPs from the southern region of Buthidaung who were displaced from their homes due to the conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Military Council in 2019.

The UN agency has confirmed that these are IDPs who had been residing in Rakhine State prior to the conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Military Council and they are still rendering aid to approximately 300,000 people, which includes the IDPs located in other townships within Rakhine State.

As of July 2022, the Military Council imposed restrictions on humanitarian organizations, including NGOs and INGOs, from accessing six townships, namely Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Mrauk U, Minbya, and Myebon, due to the resurgence of fighting in Rakhine since June 2022.(Photo by WFP)