By: Camp Correspondent
June 22, 2025 – Arakan State
Reports are emerging from Buthidaung Township, now under the control of the Arakan Army (AA) since May 18, 2024, detailing a discriminatory practice targeting Rohingya residents. The AA is allegedly extorting 300,000 Myanmar Kyats (approximately $140) from Rohingya individuals for the installation of mobile signal antennas used with Bangladeshi SIM cards. At the same time, Rakhine residents are reportedly exempt from such fees.
According to local sources within Buthidaung, the AA’s regional commander has issued an unofficial directive enforcing this payment solely on Rohingya who seek to improve their poor phone signals in remote areas by installing small antennas.
“In areas with weak mobile reception, people use small antennas to catch better signals. But if a Rohingya person wants to install one, they must pay 300,000 kyats to the AA,” a Rohingya resident explained. “If they refuse to pay, they’re not allowed to install it. And if they’re caught using an antenna without paying, they could be jailed for one month.”
A Rohingya business owner, who reluctantly paid the fee, expressed profound frustration over the evident disparity. “I gave them 300,000 kyats just to get better mobile signal. But I noticed this only applies to Rohingya. Rakhine people can install antennas without paying anything. It’s deeply unfair.”
Community members in Buthidaung are voicing increasing concern over what they describe as the systematic and discriminatory practices of the United League of Arakan / Arakan Army (ULA/AA). They assert that the Rohingya population is being disproportionately subjected to forced taxation and arbitrary fees.
“Even small vendors selling betel nuts on the roadside are forced to pay yearly taxes in the tens of thousands of kyats,” another shop owner elaborated. “But Rakhine vendors are often exempted or not even approached for payments. The bias is obvious.”
There is growing fear among residents that this ethnic and religious discrimination under AA control will intensify, exacerbating the already severe hardships faced by the Rohingya community, who endure ongoing displacement, severe movement restrictions, and economic deprivation.
As of now, international rights groups have not publicly commented on these specific allegations. However, local voices are urgently appealing to the international community to direct greater attention to the reported abuses and discriminatory policies being implemented under the AA’s administration in Arakan State.
