One Man Died by Poison, Three Others Saved in Sittwe IDP Camp

Arakan Now, 30 April 2025

One Man Dies by Poison, Three Family Members Survive in Sittwe IDP Camp

A man has died after taking poison in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Sittwe, Rakhine State. Three other members of his family were saved. The case highlights the worsening food crisis in the camps.

The incident happened on 20 April in Oh Taw Gyi North (OTG-N) IDP camp. A 50-year-old father took poison first, followed by his wife, 15-year-old son, and 10-year-old daughter. A local from Sittwe, who spoke to Arakan Now, said the family had only eaten taro root for several days due to the lack of food.

Neighbors rushed to help and tried to give treatment. Sadly, the father died—likely because he consumed the poison first. The rest of the family members survived.

Another case of distress was reported on 27 April in the same camp. A 70-year-old man lay down on the road and said he wished to be run over. When others tried to move him, he said it would be better to die than to keep living without food.

Camp leaders told Arakan Now they are under extreme pressure. Children are begging for food, and many families are starving. The people in the camps did not receive food rations for the month of March.

The food shortage is also affecting people’s mental health. Some are showing signs of depression, and some are thinking about suicide as a way to escape their suffering.

Camp leaders and residents report that this food crisis is spreading. It may now be affecting more than 110,000 people in 16 IDP camps across Sittwe Township.

People in Sittwe are urgently calling for help from the world to stop hunger and save lives.