A resident of Loije, who did not want to be named reported that the Military Council has imposed an indefinite ban on the transportation of goods along the Bhamo-Loije Road in Kachin State.
Since August 6th, the Military Council has significantly intensified its inspections on the Bhamo-Loije Road, leading to an excessive tightening of regulations. As a result, the transportation of goods has been entirely halted, and passengers are now restricted to carrying no more than one luggage each, the source told KNG.
“The road is completely closed for transporting goods. Even permitted vehicles can only carry passengers”, he said.
Residents believe that the halt in goods movement on the Bhamo-Loije Road might be an attempt to restrict food and supplies to Laiza, the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), and Maija Yang. Both areas are currently experiencing heightened military tensions.
“Laiza depends on food shipments from Loije. The blockade could be an attempt to bring hardship to Laiza”, a local suggested.
The Military Council did not issue an official announcement regarding the ban on goods flow, and no specific reasons have been provided for the blockade.
The residents of Loije are concerned about the possibility of food shortages in the area due to the interruption of goods transportation.
Loije, a small trading town situated on the Myanmar-China border, relies on imports from Bhamo for essential food items like rice and oil.
As a result of the Military Council’s imposed restrictions, the cost of traveling on the Bhamo-Loije Road has increased from 30,000 kyats to 70,000 kyats per passenger, according to locals.
A 50-mile road connects Bhamo and Loije, with the Kyauksakan outpost along the route gaining notoriety for its stringent checks on travelers.
