Palaw, May (20)
Rice prices have nearly doubled in Tanintharyi Region’s Palaw Township, where martial law has been imposed, since the second week of May, making it more difficult to buy rice in the villages, locals told Than Lwin Times.
Paw Hsan Hmwe, which was only K 100,000 a bag last month, is now more than K 150,000 per bag, while coarse rice has soared from K 80,000 to more than K 100,000 per bag.
Locals claim that the military council’s restrictions on rice transport, confiscation at checkpoints if a bag or more of rice is transported, and the fact that it is rainy season have caused the price to rise dramatically.
A local resident said that the situation has worsened to the point where they cannot even buy rice in some villages due to the skyrocketing price of rice.
The owners of rice shops and grocery stores in Palaw Township are being investigated by the military council, accused of selling goods to the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and IDP camps.
On the other side, since the military tension between the junta army and the revolutionary forces remains high, the locals are suffering from a lack of job opportunities and high commodity prices.
After the military coup, nearly 2,000 people fled the conflict between the regime forces and local resistance forces in Palaw Township and have not been able to return to their homes, taking refuge in nearby forests and IDP camps.
News – Than Lwin Times
Photo – CJ
Thanlwintimes