By: Camp Correspondent
21 January 2025
BUTHIDAUNG, Myanmar – The Arakan Army (AA), a Rakhine militant group, has intensified its oppressive campaign against the Rohingya in Arakan State by confiscating telephones, threatening villagers, and imposing severe restrictions on movement. These actions have added to the ongoing genocide against the Rohingya population.
On January 18, 2025, AA forces surrounded villages in southern Buthidaung, including Fuimali, Titupaut, Miyandafara, Nowyafara, Zummafara, Wariyoung, and Shafar Fara. During forced meetings, they ordered the surrender of all communication devices, warning that non-compliance could result in executions or detention of family members.
“They’ve already confiscated phones and SIM cards, threatening us to suppress dissent and isolate us further,” a resident of Fuimali shared, requesting anonymity.
The AA has also restricted villagers from leaving their areas and banned gatherings of more than three people. Villagers have been coerced into forming security groups of ten to guard their own communities, diverting attention from securing their livelihood.
This crisis has now spread to northern Buthidaung, including Sein Nyin Par and Nyaung Chaung, previously considered safer areas where displaced families sought refuge. These regions are now experiencing similar persecution, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Human rights observers have criticized the AA’s tactics, labeling them as deliberate steps to isolate and silence the Rohingya. Confiscating communication devices, imposing movement restrictions, and enforcing forced surveillance are seen as strategies to intensify their control and erode the Rohingya’s basic rights.
The international community has been urged to intervene immediately to address this escalating persecution. “The ongoing genocide against the Rohingya is a global failure. The world must act now to hold all perpetrators accountable and ensure the safety and dignity of the Rohingya,” a human rights activist stated.
The plight of the Rohingya remains dire, as they continue to endure systematic violence and oppression in Myanmar. The urgent need for global attention and intervention has never been greater.
