Ayeyarwady Region struggles as war triggers socio-economic downturn
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Phyo/Pearl (NP News) - July 1
A businessman from the region told The NP News that the socio-economic decline caused by the war is being felt significantly in the Ayeyarwady Region.
The AA (Arakan Army) has been waging war in Lemyethna and Yegyi Towns in Ayeyarwady Region, forcing many locals to flee their homes.
“They are not fighting with much force. They are moving from place to place in small groups. So, the locals are living in fear of being affected while they are working hard to earn a living. There is nothing worse than this life,” said the above-mentioned businessman.
It is reported that local residents are fleeing the conflict and seeking refuge either in peaceful townships within the Ayeyarwady Region or in major cities such as Yangon, where their family members reside. They are also taking up whatever jobs they can find to earn a living and cope with the situation.
It is also reported that although they were able to run their own businesses in their original areas, in the places where they have sought refuge from the conflict, some have had to take up basic labour jobs in the construction sector just to survive.
“In the forest, there are places where people have farmland. There are people who work in agriculture and fishing. When they come, it affects everyone. No matter what community they come to, it destroys everything. People who used to work in their own areas are now working as day labourers in areas where they have fled the war. They're struggling with jobs like masonry or carrying heavy loads. Their lives are ruined. When people who were peacefully working and living in their own areas can no longer do so, and have to flee to a peaceful place, everything they had is instantly destroyed and they can't bring anything with them. So, even if they were employers in their original place, they become labourers here. It's not easy for them to get their old lives back. Some children who have fled the conflict are even begging in villages. The villages can't provide for them, and some children even end up on the streets. These are children who should be in school," he continued.
Currently, schools in the Ayeyarwady Region and Rakhine State bordering Myanmar are closed due to fighting, and some school-age displaced children are reportedly begging for food.