Northern Shan State fighting hurts Arakan crab businesses

By Kyaw Thu Htay 05 Sep 2019

Kyaw Thu Htay | DMG
September 5, Sittwe

Crab businesses in Arakan State are facing difficulties because of fighting in Northern Shan State between the Tatmadaw and the three Northern Allied Armed groups.

Ko Zaw Tun, who runs a crab business, said that crabs from Arakan State were mostly sent to China through the Muse gate, and the trading route was currently blocked.

“We send the crabs to Muse. Prices are high here [Arakan State] and there are delays to send them because of the war there [northern Shan State],” he said.

He added that crabs died on the way to Muse since the road was blocked, and the crab traders lost their investments.

“We lost our money. The trucks cannot go so the crabs just die on the way. When the trucks arrived in Muse, the remaining crabs were dead or were rotten. So they were all just buried in the ground,” he said.

The Northern Alliance of ethnic armed groups attacked five locations on August 15, including the Tatmadaw’s Defence Services Technological Academy in Pyin Oo Lwin. Since then, fighting between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups has continued in some townships in Northern Shan State.