Over 30,000 Displaced Civilians Face Acute Food Shortages in Southern Rakhine State

More than 30,000 war-displaced civilians in southern Rakhine State’s Kyaukphyu District are facing severe food shortages and acute healthcare deficits as ongoing military blockades and heavy fighting halt humanitarian aid, local relief groups reported Wednesday. Among the displaced population sheltering across Kyaukphyu and Ramree townships, roughly 5,100 people are in need of emergency assistance, according to Zinchaung Youth, a local social aid organization. The group estimates that sustaining these most vulnerable refugees requires 10,200 bushels of rice monthly, at an estimated cost of 163.2 million kyat (MMK), about 42,000 US$ at the market rate. Humanitarian deliveries remain entirely blocked due to active clashes between the Myanmar military regime and the Arakan Army (AA) along the Kyaukphyu–Sane–Ramree road. Junta forces have imposed strict blockades on land and waterway transit into Rakhine State, driving up prices for essential commodities like rice and cooking oil while causing widespread food insecurity. “Food is the most urgent need because people must eat every day, but displaced families also lack essential medicines, basic household goods, and school supplies for children,” a Zinchaung Youth official said, appealing for urgent donor support. Continued airstrikes and artillery shelling have forced residents from surrounding villages to take shelter in monasteries, nearby forests, and temporary displacement camps. Severe transport restrictions and a shortage of healthcare personnel have left vulnerable groups—including children, the elderly, and expectant mothers—without access to basic medical care. Photo caption: Some war-displaced people in Kyaukphyu District. (Photo: Zinchaung Youth)