Extreme poverty drives Sittwe residents to dismantle abandoned houses for income

By Admin 03 Mar 2026

DMG Newsroom

3 March 2026, Sittwe

In Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State under the control of the Myanmar military regime, extreme poverty and widespread unemployment have forced some residents to dismantle abandoned houses and sell bricks and stones to feed their families.

Local residents say a combination of scarce job opportunities and soaring commodity prices has led people to break down brick walls and door frames of uninhabited homes for scrap.

“There are no jobs here, and everyone is starving. To survive, some people use crowbars, hammers, and chisels to dig up stones from the roads and dismantle bricks from vacant houses to sell,” a local woman told DMG.

Reports indicate that a bag of hard stones sells for around K8,000, while a bag of crushed cement and brick fragments fetches about K2,500. A labourer can typically produce only two bags per day, which are then collected by others for construction purposes.

Since the renewed fighting in Arakan State began in November 2023, the military regime has enforced a strict blockade on all sea and land routes to Sittwe, leading to severe shortages and sharply rising prices of goods.

“Residents of Sittwe are facing immense difficulties. With no income and prices for essentials like chili, onions, and rice soaring, surviving day-to-day is a massive struggle,” the woman added.

Current prices include onions at K10,000 per viss, cooking oil at K8,000 per liter, pork or beef at K75,000 per viss, high-grade Paw Hsan Hmwe rice at K230,000 per sack, and dried chili at K18,000 per viss. Prices for gasoline and firewood have also risen significantly.

Beyond the economic crisis, residents are suffering psychological trauma from frequent heavy and light weapon fire around the city and constant overnight guest registration checks conducted by the junta.