The increased cost of fuel is causing additional hardship for the people of Chin State, who’re already struggling with a civil war that’s led to supply chain shortages and massive displacement in one of Burma’s poorest states. Many people can no longer afford to buy petrol, and even if they can or have to, they often cannot find it because many petrol stations no longer sell it.
“There’s still some petrol in Chin State, but it’s really hard to find. Some shops have already closed down. This has affected many drivers and motorbike taxi drivers in Hakha,” a local told Khonumthung News, asking that his name not be mentioned. He said five gallons of petro now cost between $38 and $43.
According to a Tedim man who requested anonymity, a litre of petro now costs $1.80 if you can find it, but you can not buy as much as you want.
“The prices in Tedim are changing by the hour…Shops are still selling, but I think petro will run out soon.”
Another anonymous source from Matupi town said a litre of petro costs between $2.40 and $3.30, if you can get it at all in the township of the same name in southern Chin State.
The cost of staple food has also gone up because of rising fuel prices and the fact that the Burma Army has blocked all roads to Mindat during its war against resistance groups.
The same is true for Paletwa, where the military has prevented essential goods from reaching the town as fighting escalates with the Arakan Army, and fuel now costs $6.70 a gallon.