By Camp Correspondent
March 3, 2025 – Maungdaw, Rakhine State
The Arakan Army (AA/ULA) has intensified its campaign against Rohingya business owners in Maungdaw, forcibly seizing their homes and properties under false accusations.
Local reports indicate that since February 1, 2025, AA has systematically blocked access to Rohingya-owned houses, placing red signboards with “Restricted Notice” written in the Rakhine language, effectively evicting families from their homes.
Rohingya Business Owners Targeted
Among the victims is Yusuf, the son of Haji Shong Shuu, whose home in Ywa Thit (New Village) was taken over by AA.
Yusuf, a respected businessman dealing in motorcycles and representing the Mandalay-based Car & Motorcycle Pyo Company Ltd., has been falsely accused of links to armed groups.
“AA is not honest. They take money from people, and now they are blocking their homes,” said a local Rohingya resident.
Reports suggest that Yusuf, like many other Rohingya entrepreneurs, has been forced to pay illegal “taxes” to AA for the past two years.
Now, despite complying with these payments, his home has been confiscated.
Expanding Land Seizures
The recent land grabs are part of a broader pattern of persecution against Rohingya in Rakhine State.
Families returning to their villages after fleeing past violence have found their homes blocked or occupied by AA forces.
In Shwe Zar village alone, more than 50 homes have been marked as “restricted,” while over 30 buildings in the Kyain Tan neighborhood have been similarly confiscated.
These actions highlight the increasing vulnerability of the remaining Rohingya population in Myanmar.
While over 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh following the 2017 military crackdown, those left behind continue to face restrictions on movement, denial of citizenship, and escalating threats of displacement.
Erasing Rohingya Presence in Myanmar
The forced eviction of Rohingya business owners is part of a systematic effort to drive the community out of Maungdaw and other areas of Rakhine State.
“We have nowhere to go, no rights, and no protection. They want to erase us from our land,” said a Rohingya resident.
Despite international calls for justice, both Myanmar’s military and armed groups like AA continue to exploit and suppress the Rohingya. By seizing businesses and homes, AA is ensuring that the Rohingya have no economic security or means of survival.
Calls for International Action
With the crisis worsening, human rights groups are urging the international community to take stronger action.
“This is another attempt to push the Rohingya out of Myanmar. The world cannot stay silent,” said a spokesperson for a Rohingya rights group.
As Rohingya in Myanmar continue to face land grabs, forced displacement, and growing insecurity, the need for urgent international intervention is critical.
Without meaningful action, the remaining Rohingya population in Myanmar risks further persecution, leaving them with no future in their homeland.
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