By Garcia Ni / MPA
In Gangaw and Htilin townships, Magway Region, due to the military tensions between the revolutionary forces and the military council, roadblocks have caused shortages of some goods and fuel price hikes, according to local sources.
Since early August 2024, the military council has repeatedly launched offensives around Gangaw and Htilin. Additionally, fighting that broke out on August 14, along the Pale-Gangaw-Htilin highway near the Yemyetni Police Station, resulted in road closures.
“As cargo vehicles do not run, goods are not coming in. Salt, fish paste, and MSG powder are still available, but the main shortage is cooking oil, which is no longer available anywhere. It is now time to harvest peanuts and sesame, so we’ll need to process them quickly to make oil. Gasoline is also not available. Additionally, betel leaves have run out. Some are still transporting goods by motorcycle along the trails, but prices are soaring,” a female owner of a grocery store from Htilin Township told MPA.
Before the roadblocks, a viss (approximately 1.63 kg) of betel leaves cost 12,000 MMK, but now it has risen to between 35,000 and 40,000 MMK. Similarly, the price of gasoline has soared up from 4,500-5,000 MMK to around 7,000-7,500 MMK per liter.
Since late July, the military junta has blocked all entry and exit from Gangaw, restricting the transport of goods. As a result, many residents have stockpiled essential items, fearing shortages, according to local reports.
“When the junta first blocked access to Gangaw, people rushed to buy oil, salt, fish paste, and MSG powder in anticipation of the rainy season. We are still able to buy these in the villages, but no new goods are coming in. Some have already run out of fuel and stopped selling,” said a resident from Northern Gangaw.
Furthermore, from August 14 to 17, fighting erupted at the Yemyetni Police Station in Htilin Township, during which the military council launched numerous airstrikes and sent reinforcements from Htilin.
“We can’t comment on the military situation at the moment, but we want the public to know that we are working hard on roadblocks to reopen as soon as possible,” said Ko Kaung, a spokesperson for the Yaw Revolution Army (YRA).
Due to the battle at Yemyetni, residents from nearby villages, including Sinze, Yepoke, and Myatmyoung, fled for safety, leaving them struggling with their basic needs, according to a local from Sinze Village.
“Today, a military column advanced from the Yemyetni side, so we had to flee again. We’re harvesting sesame and planting paddy, but we have to keep an eye on the military movements and work in fear,” he said.
After the battle at Yemyetni, the junta replaced troops at the Yemyetni Police Station and the troops from Defense Industry- 23 in Kyaw Township on August 28 with the military column from Kyaw reportedly burned a car and a house in Yepoke village during their operation.
Additionally, reports are spreading that the junta intends to block all vehicle movement within Kyaw for six months, causing widespread concern among the local population.