Both those who fled Sittwe, due to the fear of conflict, who remain living in the capital of Rakhine State, residents and IDP refugees are all y grappling with mounting hardship.
In Sittwe despite the current absence of actual conflict, it resembles a war-torn city with deserted streets and an eerie silence around the clock, as only a small fraction of its population remains, a local elder who decided to stay remarked.
"People in Sittwe are gradually vanishing, like mothballs. Even without any war, the entire city has fallen into a profound silence. It used to be quiet only at night, but now the silence stretches throughout the day”, he said.
Driven by fear of conflict, many residents of Sittwe have abandoned their work and their homes, seeking refuge in Yangon. Others sought refuge in liberated areas across Rakhine such as Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships.
A woman displaced by the conflict and now seeking refuge in Yangon, voiced the growing struggles among displaced individuals, citing mounting hardships in sustaining livelihoods amidst increasing unemployment.
A woman displaced to Pauktaw Township from Sittwe lamented, “ I fled from Sittwe because of the conflict. Now my savings are all gone. I depend on relatives, I scrounge for food in the mountains, unable to afford even a cup of tea. My son is also struggling financially. We never know when war will erupt, all I yearn for is to return home”.
"I chose to flee to Yangon, as escaping to rural areas seemed unsafe. With dwindling funds over time, some of us rely on the hospitality of others, while others rent accommodation. The decision to leave was prompted by reports of conflict in Sittwe. Now we are struggling to find any livelihood. Not knowing how the conflict will develop, I am torn between whether to return home, or stay in Yangon”, she said.
On the other hand, financial constraints are preventing some individuals from fleeing Sittwe, forcing them to remain in the city.
He noted that those who stayed in the city are encountering livelihood difficulties, grappling with unemployment, and soaring commodity and food prices, a situation reminiscent of wartime hardships.
"Both those who fled and those who stayed shared a common desire: not to see the city's destruction. Currently, those who remain face significant livelihood struggles. Despite not being an actual war, the current situation feels like one”, he added.
Some houses abandoned by those fleeing the conflict in Sittwe were being demolished and sold off. Residents also witnessed the brazen theft of essential goods like rice, oil, salt, charcoal, and even larger items such as fans, refrigerators, bicycles, and motorcycles from unoccupied homes even in broad daylight.
Residents in Sittwe expressed living in fear as Junta battalions and the Navy fire artillery shells, with daily sightings of jet aircraft, helicopters and drones filling the sky, and Junta forces patrolling the city at night in military vehicles, amplifying the sense of insecurity.
