By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw & Buthidaung, Rakhine State – February 22, 2025
The humanitarian crisis in Arakan State deepens as the Arakan Army (AA) intensifies efforts to forcibly relocate Rohingya communities. Since seizing control of key towns in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Township, AA militants have dismantled several Rohingya villages and confined residents to an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in northern Buthidaung.
Forced Relocation and Camp Construction
Between February 20 and 21, AA forces ordered residents of Gyi Naut Thee village to relocate to Nga Yant Chaung. The following day, around 200 AA militants dismantled homes and transported belongings to Taung Bazar, where these items were reportedly redistributed among Rakhine and Hindu communities. The displaced Rohingya were then forced to move into a restricted area west of Nga Yant Chaung, where AA is constructing a refugee camp intended for their permanent settlement.
Local sources indicate that similar relocation orders have been issued across multiple villages in both Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. The new camp, however, offers only substandard living conditions with restricted movement and limited access to humanitarian aid, exacerbating an already dire situation.
Escalating Humanitarian Crisis
The forced relocations come amid a broader escalation in violence and oppression in Arakan State. Thousands of Rohingya civilians have been subjected to arbitrary detentions, forced labor, and severe movement restrictions since renewed conflict erupted between AA and the Myanmar military. Human rights organizations have condemned these tactics, likening them to past measures used to segregate and control the Rohingya population.
AA Detains Bangladeshi Fishermen
In a related development on February 20, AA forces apprehended 19 Bangladeshi fishermen near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in the Naf River. The fishermen, along with four fishing boats, were seized for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing activities. Families of the detained fishermen remain in distress, with no clear information on their whereabouts or conditions. This incident has further heightened cross-border tensions, with Bangladeshi authorities now in talks with AA for their release.
Calls for Urgent International Action
As the Rohingya crisis in Arakan State worsens, local communities and human rights groups are calling for immediate international intervention. They urge regional and global powers—such as ASEAN, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations—to pressure the AA to cease forced relocations and ensure the protection of Rohingya civilians. Simultaneously, diplomatic efforts are needed to secure the release of the detained Bangladeshi fishermen.
With ongoing displacement and segregation, the future for the Rohingya remains uncertain, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable solutions and accountability for human rights abuses in the region.
