Rakhine IDPs Forced to Cook Without Oil Amid Skyrocketing Prices

Rakhine IDPs Forced to Cook Without Oil Amid Skyrocketing Prices

Arakha Times (18–November-2024)

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Rakhine State are struggling to afford cooking oil due to the soaring cost of commodities, forcing many to cook with just water, according to reports from Arakha Times.

Since clashes resumed in Rakhine on November 13, 2023, the Military Council has maintained roadblocks on major trade routes for over a year, leading to unprecedented price hikes.

“Previously, we could afford cooking oil, but now it’s impossible,” said an IDP in Kyauktaw. “Cooking oil used to cost around 4,000–5,000 kyats per bottle. Now, it’s over 10,000 or 15,000 kyats. Most of us have stopped buying it. We just boil food with water or find alternatives. The situation is very tough—there are no jobs, and everything is expensive. Some groups support us by building toilets or bridges, but they don’t pay us money.”

Previously, the World Food Programme (WFP) provided monthly aid to displaced persons in Rakhine. However, a resident of Kyauktaw reports that they have not received any assistance since May 2024.

“In the past, WFP regularly supported us. We’ve been here for six years, and they used to deliver monthly. But for the past six months, they’ve stopped without explanation. We’ve called them, and they keep saying aid will come, but it never does. Some people now survive on borrowed food,” the IDP added.

Currently, several IDP camps in Kyauktaw are also facing an acute shortage of drinking water. Residents warn that water supplies may run out soon due to prolonged drought, intense heat, and a growing IDP population. Many reservoirs, which serve as their primary water source, are rapidly depleting.