In a disturbing turn of events, the Arakan Army (AA) has reportedly coerced Rohingya youths in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State of Myanmar, to join their ranks. This development has instilled fear and anxiety among the local Rohingya communities who are already grappling with a dire humanitarian situation.
On the 5th of August, a truck carrying approximately 37 AA members approached Kyaw Hle Kha, a Rohingya village. The AA personnel gathered residents from the villages of Zin Paing Yar, Minglalar Gyi, and Kyaw Hle Kha, conducting a meeting that has left the villagers in a state of distress.
During the meeting, the AA demanded that 30 Rohingya youths from each of the three villages must join their ranks if the villagers wish to continue living in the area under AA control. This translates to a total of 90 youths from Zin Paing Yar, Minglalar Gyi, and Kyaw Hle Kha villages who are expected to join the Arakan Army by the end of the month. The youths are to undergo militia training, with threats of detaining their families if they refuse to comply.
Further exacerbating the situation, AA announced plans to forcibly relocate the inhabitants of Kyi Kan Pyin village to the villages of Kyaw Hle Kha, Zin Paing Yar, and Minglalar Gyi. The relocated families are to be sheltered in these villages, adding to the overcrowding and tensions already present.
The Rohingya residents are deeply worried about this forced recruitment, fearing that their children will be used as human shields in clashes between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military. This coercion adds another layer of suffering to the Rohingya community, which has endured years of persecution and violence.
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