by Hafizur Rahman
Arakan State | October 22, 2025
The Arakan Army has subjected Rohingya Muslims, Hindus, and other ethnic minorities to forced labor across Rakhine State, according to a new report released by Fortify Rights. The group said civilians have been compelled to work under threats of violence, arrest, and punishment, raising concerns that the abuses may amount to war crimes under international law.
Between November 2024 and October 2025, Fortify Rights interviewed 21 survivors and witnesses from Rohingya, Hindu, and Chakma communities. Many said they were forced at gunpoint to carry ammunition, dig trenches, build military camps, and perform unpaid labor for extended periods.
A 23 year old Rohingya man from Buthidaung Township said he and others were surrounded by armed members of the Arakan Army and ordered to work. He said they were told it was the armed group’s law and refusal was not an option.
Compulsory Labor System in Villages
After taking control of large areas of Rakhine State in 2024, the Arakan Army reportedly imposed a compulsory labor system in many villages. Survivors said at least one person from each household, usually men, was ordered to work for periods ranging from a single day to several months.
Village administrators were reportedly pressured to meet labor quotas. One Rohingya administrator said he was beaten repeatedly after failing to supply enough workers and was then forced to threaten his own community to avoid further punishment.
In Maungdaw Township, residents said families that failed to send a laborer were fined 50,000 kyat per day, a sum many could not afford.
Dangerous and Unpaid Work
Survivors said forced labor included carrying military supplies, repairing bunkers, digging trenches near active conflict zones, and clearing land. Others were ordered to perform non military work such as farming, road maintenance, and caring for cattle seized from civilians.
None of the interviewees said they received payment.
One Rohingya man said he was used to carry ammunition so fighters could avoid checkpoints. Another said those unable to fight were forced to do heavy labor instead.
Several survivors said they were made to work in areas exposed to artillery fire and airstrikes. One man said shells landed near them while they were digging trenches and that survival depended on luck.
Detainees Forced to Work
The report also documents cases in which civilians were arbitrarily detained and forced to work in prisons or makeshift detention centers run by the Arakan Army. Former detainees said they were beaten, tortured, denied adequate food, and forced to work long hours without rest.
A former detainee from Kyauktaw Township said they were given only small portions of food at night after working all day. He said illness was punished by withholding food.
Several detainees said they were never charged, brought before a judge, or given access to legal counsel. One Rohingya man said he disappeared from the outside world before managing to escape and later flee to Bangladesh.
Forced Recruitment of Minorities
Fortify Rights also reported forced recruitment of ethnic minorities. Young men were allegedly taken for military training and later forced to perform dangerous labor on frontlines.
A Chakma man who fled Rakhine State in late 2024 said armed members warned families that their sons would be detained if they refused to join.
Legal Concerns and Accountability
Under international humanitarian law, forced labor of civilians during armed conflict is prohibited. The Geneva Conventions require humane treatment of civilians and detainees and ban forced labor near frontlines, particularly without pay.
Fortify Rights said the practices described meet legal definitions of forced labor and may constitute war crimes prosecutable under the International Criminal Court, which is already investigating crimes linked to Rakhine State.
The Arakan Army did not respond to requests for comment. In the past, it has denied allegations of forced labor, saying detainees only perform routine physical activity.
Calls for Immediate Action
Fortify Rights urged the Arakan Army to immediately end forced labor practices and release all civilians detained for labor.
Yap Lay Sheng, Senior Human Rights Specialist at Fortify Rights, said the armed group cannot claim to protect the people of Rakhine while exploiting them. He said the abuses must stop.
The report also noted that Myanmar’s military junta continues to use forced labor nationwide, prompting the International Labour Organization to call for global action against all parties responsible for labor abuses in Myanmar.
