Military Junta Bans Muslim Fishermen from Inshore Fishing in Sittwe

News ၊ May 23, 2026

A fishing boat seen in the sea near Sittwe in 2022 (Photo - BBC)

The military junta, which still controls the city of Sittwe, has issued a fresh ban preventing Muslim fishermen from engaging in inshore fishing, according to local sources.

While the military junta had restricted Arakanese fishermen from fishing since the early stages of the conflict and only permitted Muslims to do so, it has now extended the inshore fishing ban to Muslim fishermen as well, citing security concerns and human trafficking.

Since the resumption of clashes on November 13, 2023, the military junta has restricted Arakanese residents in Sittwe from both offshore and inshore fishing.

However, due to severe seafood shortages, the military had previously permitted Muslim fishermen from villages outside Sittwe—such as Thei Chaung, Ohn Taw Gyi, Ohn Taw Chay, Pallin Pyin, and Aung Taing—to conduct inshore fishing operations.

The recent restriction and ban on Muslim inshore fishermen took effect in late April, leading fish prices in Sittwe to spike double or triple their previous rates.

Residents inside junta-controlled Sittwe are currently restricted from traveling outside the city limits and are relying heavily on food and consumer goods transported from Yangon.

Fearing an offensive by the Arakan Army (AA), the military has fortified the waterfront along Sittwe's Strand Road with strong fencing, and has recently expanded its defensive positions by constructing bunkers, sandbag walls, and trenches alongside the perimeter.

Source@onenationnews