By: Camp Correspondent
Arakan State, Myanmar | May 5, 2025
The Arakan Army (AA), a powerful armed group now controlling much of northern Rakhine (Arakan) State, has been accused of systematically looting Rohingya-owned property, forcibly displacing civilians, and smuggling stolen goods—including livestock—into Bangladesh, according to multiple reports from residents and community leaders.
Targeted villages in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathidaung townships have seen a sharp rise in home raids, livestock confiscation, and violent evictions, often carried out under the guise of searching for militants.
“They are not just taking our cattle—they are taking our dignity,” said one Islamic scholar from Buthidaung, speaking to Rohingya Khobor. “Families are being told to leave their homes, and those who refuse are being beaten or arrested. This is collective punishment.”
Smuggling Networks Across the Naf
Sources inside Maungdaw and Teknaf report that confiscated livestock—particularly cows and goats—are being sold through cross-border smuggling channels, some of which involve corrupt intermediaries operating near the Naf River. In several cases, Rohingya eyewitnesses said that Arakan Army fighters escorted the herds themselves to the border areas.
“We saw them take our goats in the morning, and by evening, they were already across the border,” said a Rohingya elder from Rathidaung Township. “They are treating us as a resource, not as people.”
Drug Trafficking and a War Economy
In addition to property theft, the Arakan Army has been linked to drug trafficking operations—including the cross-border trade of methamphetamine (yaba)—raising serious concerns about the criminal economy that now funds armed activity in northern Rakhine.
“This is no longer just a military conflict—it is an organized system of control through fear, theft, and smuggling,” said a Rohingya teacher from Maungdaw who recently fled to Bangladesh.
Ongoing Displacement and Fear
Hundreds of Rohingya families have been forced from their homes in recent months as AA continues to expand its control. Many now live in makeshift shelters, while others have crossed into Bangladesh to seek refuge—again.
“We already lost our homes in 2017. Now, what little we rebuilt is being taken again,” said a father of four now living near Teknaf.
Urgent International Attention Needed
The Arakan Army’s actions mirror patterns of abuse once perpetrated by Myanmar’s military, raising alarm that the same cycle of persecution is continuing under a different actor.
“If those who claim to resist oppression become oppressors themselves, then justice has no meaning,” a Rohingya community leader told Rohingya Khobor.
With ongoing conflict, no legal protections, and the rise of armed profiteering, Rohingya civilians remain trapped between state collapse and militarized exploitation.
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