The regime’s armed forces sealed off the town of Mutupi and imposed a travel ban on the township of the same name in southern Chin State, with the exception of the army, of course.
According to reports from locals, the Burma Army (BA) has set up military checkpoints on the Matupi – Mindat road, the Matupi – Hakha road and the Matupi – Paletwa road, which no one can pass.
“They’ve erected a red flag on the Matupi – Mindat road and I heard that the soldiers will shoot at people if they pass the flag. No one dares to go outside the town,” a local told Khonumthung News, asking not to be named for fear of reprisals. In the past, he said, you could get a travel document from your local administrator, but that’s over.
The Chinland Defence Force (CDF), which is fighting to overthrow the military regime, also maintains a local chapter near the town where BA’s command headquarters and two battalions are stationed. Fighting stopped for two months, but has flared up again since mid-September.
Locals suspect that the travel ban is related to a clash between the armed groups that occurred near the entrance to the town on 19 September. According to CDF, 17 junta soldiers were killed and one died in four clashes between 19 and 27 September.
Another anonymous local said: “Since the roads are blocked, people cannot transport goods to Matupi.
Some traders have a surplus of rice and cooking oil and I think food prices will go up in Matupi.
If the roads remain closed, everyone will suffer.”