Relaxing Economic Livelihoods

The first month of the new year 2023 seems to be resuming economic activities to some extent after the lifting up of travel restrictions in the previous month. The trade sector is the most prominent among these issues. For the first time since 2012, salt produced locally in Rakhine State will be exported to Bangladesh this year, said to the Arakan State Salt Farmers Association. The locals working in that sector are excited by this news, saying that “If the government allows the direct export of salt to the Bangladesh market, the people of Arakan will also benefit,” U Maung Tun Win, a local salt farmer from Shwenyoma Village, Kyaukphyu Township, told Narinjara in January 11.

Moreover, 2,500 tons in a total of rice from the Rakhine State were exported to Bangladesh on January 9, according to the junta-controlled Myanmar Alinn newspaper. A farmer from Pyaungseik Village said that since rice can be directly exported from Arakan State to Bangladesh, it is a sign of good prices for rice products. However, the farmers need to expand the cultivation of the summer paddy in order to cover the trade surplus and domestic food security. Still, it requires the technical and financial support of government agencies. A local farmer from Purein Village in Mrauk-U Township pointed out that “Farmers always need electricity when they grow summer paddy with a river water pumping system. Now that we don’t have regular electricity, farmers are having trouble growing summer paddy”.

In regard to the special economic project, Sittwe Port, invested by the Indian government in the designation of the international port, is said to be ready to launch. Still, the exact date of the opening ceremony has not yet been determined, according to the social media post on U Hla Thein, Rakhine State Government spokesperson. Furthermore, through the Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline in the Shwe Natural gas project in Rakhine offshore, the military council exported and sold US$1.43 billion worth of natural gas from Rakhine to China in 2022.

In contrast to those, the coup’s triggered exodus has been the prevailing biggest issue. The Chairman of the Arakan National Network recorded the highest number of people from the state going abroad in 2022 due to instability, war and scarcity of jobs. Both the men and women population constituted the migrant population. Data from the passport office said that the number of women leaving Arakan State is higher than men. But, other sources said women migration could be more than what the office has counted. In addition to it, a large number of youths living in IDP camps also choose to go abroad while they barely live in the camp under limited assistance and jobs. The key targeted places for these migrants are Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and China, and arrests, disappearances, and even death are not uncommon for those illegal migrants. Those illegal migrants are more likely to be the victims of human trafficking. However, the official complaints received by the Anti-Trafficking Task Force are relatively low, accounting for one complaint within 2022, said Police Major Myo Lwin.

Despite the legal relaxation by the junta authority, there are still some difficulties in transporting medicines along the road. Some military checkpoints are demanding money from motorists and extorting money from motorists by delaying their time. Moreover, it has been reported that money is being forcefully collected from businessmen in Ponnagyun township to purchase medicine for the junta military mobile medical team. Similarly, the municipality, police and fire brigade seized petrol from the small bakery and betel shops selling petrol in Bu May Ward in Sittwe and in Maungdaw; the municipal representatives are charging much more than the regular tax to the vendors in the market. Furthermore, the junta officials and administrators in Tauggup township are working cooperatively with the gambling rounds by collecting money.