Akyab Faces Hunger, Suicides Amid Military Blockade

Akyab (Sittwe), Arakan State A humanitarian crisis is deepening in Akyab, the capital of Arakan State, where severe food shortages, soaring prices, and prolonged aid restrictions have pushed vulnerable families into despair, with multiple reports of suicides in recent months.

According to reports by The Irrawaddy and the BBC, the situation has worsened drastically since renewed fighting broke out in November 2023 between the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) and the Arakan Army (AA). In response, the military imposed a blockade on Sittwe, cutting off all road and river routes into the city. This has left residents including more than 140,000 Rohingya Muslims who have been trapped in displacement camps since 2012 completely dependent on dwindling supplies.

For the past six months, international humanitarian aid has been blocked from reaching the area. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has issued urgent appeals for donations to prevent what it warns could become a full-scale famine, stating that over half of households in Rakhine State can no longer meet their basic food needs.

From May to August 2025, at least 14 people including entire families have reportedly taken their own lives due to hunger, debt, and hopelessness. Community sources describe a dire environment in which the price of rice has more than doubled, cooking oil and other essentials are scarce, and job opportunities have virtually disappeared. Many Rohingya families now survive only through remittances from relatives abroad or occasional private donations.

One of the most disturbing cases occurred on 20 April in Ohn Taw Kyi camp, the largest camp for displaced Rohingya in Sittwe. A 50-year-old father, unable to feed his family, poisoned the food meant for himself, his wife, and their two children. He died, while neighbours managed to save the other family members.

Just last week, an elderly Rohingya couple displaced by recent fighting were found dead after hanging themselves. According to local sources, they had been without sufficient food for several days and were unable to find help.

Starvation Outpacing Conflict Deaths
Local residents and aid workers report that hunger is now claiming more lives than the ongoing conflict itself. The scarcity of food, coupled with the blockade’s restriction on medicine and other essential goods, has led to worsening health conditions among camp residents particularly children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

Community leaders warn that unless the blockade is lifted and aid flows resume immediately, deaths from starvation and disease will continue to rise. “People here are not dying from bullets,” one resident told BBC Burmese. “They are dying from hunger.”

Humanitarian organizations are calling on all parties to the conflict to allow unrestricted access for aid deliveries. The WFP has stressed that without immediate funding and safe passage, it cannot reach the most vulnerable communities.

The crisis in Akyab is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of blockades and prolonged displacement on civilian populations particularly the Rohingya, who have endured over a decade of confinement, systemic discrimination, and statelessness.

Rohingya Vision News