Since August the Myanmar Military Council have tightly blocked roads following the tensions between Arakan Army rebel groups and military in northern Maungdaw, and inhabitants are facing heavy restrictions on movement locally. The travelers who have good character certificates, issued by the Military Council, and a Village Administrator issued travel permission card can cross the check points.
“In order to travel from one village to another, we the residents of Maungdaw North need to collect a clearance certificate of criminal history from the village administration offices and police stations under the military council,” a villager said.
Some security checkpoints, however, are denying travel privileges even when locals hold criminal history clearance certificates, said a resident of Mingalar Nyunt Village. “Even if we have certificates from village administrators and police, some security checkpoints do not allow us to pass,” he said.
“We have to pay 3,000 to 5,000 kyats to get a police certificate or a village administration certificate. Even if we pay and get a certificate, we have to face inspections on the road. They show various reasons to prevent,” a local told.
Locals are also facing food and medicine shortages due to the regime’s months-long travel restrictions. “We now have to apply for letters of approval from ward administrators and police if we need travel to Maungdaw town and other villages,” a resident of Taman Thar Village in northern Maungdaw said and added “Villages have run out of food including rice and oil. Locals are facing hardships as they have blocked roads for a long time already.”
The military imposed travel restrictions along the Agnumaw-Maungdaw road after junta troops and the Arakan Army clashed near the Mayu mountain range and Done Pike Village in Rathedaung Township, and Mt. Wai Lar in Maungdaw Township, on 13 August 2022.
The travel ban is taking a heavy toll on thousands of villagers across more than 20 villages in northern Maungdaw Township.
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