Sittwe, Feb 9: Prisoners and detainees are suffering
due to insufficient food supplied by jail authorities due to a price spiral
that has drastically reduced the purchasing power the jail's food supplier,a source from the police
commented.
In Maung Daw police prison, the food contractor has to supply the prison by
begging from the public due to insufficient food supplied by them as per
contract rate.
A supplier to the prisoners from Maung Daw said, Previously 10 kyat a day for
food per prisoner was possible, but today this government grant is too low to
buy food for them.
The junta government grants 10 kyat for food to a prisoner per day. Today this
grant of 10 kyat is just enough to buy a sweet for a baby.
According to a Maung Daw police source, the situation of the prisoners is
increasingly deteriorating as the price of foodstuff is skyrocketing all over
A police officer from Maung Daw Police Station said, We,
servicemen are badly affected by the price spiral, not to mention the prisoners
plight, theirs is more serious.
As the money allotted by the government for the prisoners is insufficient, the
inmates try to feed themselves by buying food from outside with whatever cash
in hand. These inmates who cannot afford to buy food become the victims of starvation.
At present prisoners need a lot of money not only for running suits in the
court but also for feeding themselves in the prison, said a lawyer from Maungdaw township court.