by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, November 14, 2025 —
Rohingya villagers in northern Maungdaw say they have been ordered by a local Arakan Army (AA) commander to send 50 workers every day or leave the country, raising serious concerns about forced labor and human rights violations.
According to residents, village administrators from Area 6 were summoned to a meeting at the local office on November 12. During the meeting, the AA commander reportedly issued three directives:
- Villagers must not support ARSA and must report immediately if ARSA members enter any village.
- Each village must send 50 people daily to work for the AA, without exception.
- To remain in Rakhine, villagers must follow AA rules, including compulsory work; those who refuse were told to leave the country.
Several administrators explained that it is currently rice-harvesting season, and families need to collect their harvest to survive. They asked for relief from the daily labor demands, noting that working for the AA six days a week leaves families without time to gather food.
Residents say the commander rejected their requests, insisting that the daily quota must continue “regardless of the harvest or any difficulty” and that villagers must keep working until forests in the area are cleared. Those unwilling to comply, they were told, should “leave the country.”
Locals reported that workers are made to labor for long hours in the heat with little rest.
Human rights observers note that these actions constitute forced labor under international law, which prohibits coercive labor under threat of punishment. Rohingya communities in northern Maungdaw have reported increasing incidents of forced work, intimidation, and other abuses in recent months under AA control.
