A/HRC/42/CRP.5 Rohingya were treated worse than slaves and had control over nothing. They did not have control over their lives, livelihood, property or cattle.334 Restrictions to access to markets 166. Rohingya businesses suffered serious losses during and after the 2017 “clearance operations”. In Maungdaw, many markets were either burnt or closed. 335 The few businesses that remain open are at risk of closure due to the loss of customers and reduced supplies.336 This has also contributed to a spike in food prices. 337 Interviewees told the Mission that food prices have increased many times over.338 One interviewee said that the price of 1 kg of potatoes has increased by one hundred-fold in price, from 50 or 60 kyats (0.035 USD or 0.042 USD) to 5,000 kyats (4 USD). He said, “As we were starving, I decided to leave”.339 Restrictions on humanitarian access 167. Government-imposed access restrictions on domestic and international humanitarian organizations are interrupting life-saving assistance to Rohingya communities in need. These organizations provide support for health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation, and food security. As found in the Mission’s 2018 report, the Government suspended or severely restricted humanitarian access to Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung Townships after the 2012 violence, further tightened them in June and July 2017, and also did so after the clearance operations in 2016 and 2017. The restrictions left the population without critical lifesaving assistance, including access to food and health services.340 As discussed in more detail below, humanitarian access to northern Rakhine has been further curtailed following the escalation in violence in 2019 between the AA and the Tatmadaw, leaving the population in need of support and assistance. 341 168. The only international humanitarian organisations permitted access are the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and their access is unpredictable and arbitrary. When access is granted, they are hindered by restrictive procedures, including the short validity of travel authorisations and the requirement to provide detailed information on staff, places and dates of visits. 342 As of April 2019, only 25 per cent of national staff were authorised to carry out operations and, with exception of food assistance, other life-saving programmes outside urban centres were suspended.343 169. On 10 January 2019, the Rakhine State Government introduced new access restrictions in five townships, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Rathedaung, citing security concerns.344 WFP and ICRC were exempted from these 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 FI-038. FI-003, FI-010, The 2018 FAO/WFP Agricultural and Food Security Mission to Rakhine State, 12 July 2019, available from http://www.fao.org/3/ca5330en/ca5330en.pdf, FI-010, The 2018 FAO/WFP Agricultural and Food Security Mission to Rakhine State, 12 July 2019, available from http://www.fao.org/3/ca5330en/ca5330en.pdf. A 2018 FAO/WFP report found rapid increases in food prices in northern Rakhine, where most Rohingya live, in comparison to the rest of the country. Food prices have increased overall by 26 per cent during the first four months of 2018 over the same period in 2017 and by 44 percent over the same period of 2016. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition among children was reported at 37.5 per cent, the third highest in the country. The 2018 FAO/WFP Agricultural and Food Security Mission to Rakhine State, 12 July 2019, available from http://www.fao.org/3/ca5330en/ca5330en.pdf. CI-229, CI-246, FI-010, FI-024, FI-025, FI-027, FI-028, FI-029, FI-031, V-370. CI-229, FI-007, FI-018, FI-046. A/HRC/39/CRP.2, paras 573-578. FFFGEN-1-85647, LM-056, V-370. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Situation of human rights of Rohingya in Rakhine State, 11 March 2019, A/HRC/40/37. FFFGEN-1-84225. Letter on file- FFFGEN-1-86994, Frontier Myanmar, Rakhine aid access ban leaves 95,000 lacking basic services, say INGOs, 2 April 2019, Relief Web, Humanitarian Access in Central Rakhine, 55