by Hafizur Rahman
Buthidaung, October 13, 2025:
After more than a year in displacement, Rohingya residents of Kya Kyet Pet Kan Pyin — also known as Tat Yar Ywar (Zawbbor Fara) — in Buthidaung Township have finally been allowed by the Arakan Army (AA) to return to their burned-down village.
Permission Granted After Months of Requests
According to local residents, the AA recently informed them that they could go back to their village, which was completely destroyed during heavy fighting in May 2024. “We have been requesting for months to be allowed to return to our homes. Finally, they accepted our plea, and we are happy,” said one villager.
The decision reportedly came after a series of meetings between AA officials and Rohingya community representatives in Nyaung Chaung. The AA has begun making arrangements for resettlement in the area, which was once home to dozens of Rohingya families who fled when fighting erupted for control of Buthidaung town.
Rebuilding from the Ashes
On October 12, the AA instructed villagers to begin cleaning the area in preparation for reconstruction. Some displaced residents have already returned to start the process.
“It’s painful to see our village destroyed, but we are ready to rebuild from nothing,” another resident told Rohingya Khobor while clearing debris around his former home.
Many families say they are filled with both relief and uncertainty. While the opportunity to return offers a sense of hope, the lack of homes, aid, and basic infrastructure poses serious challenges to rebuilding.
Hopes for Others Still Waiting
Residents expressed gratitude for being allowed to return but urged that other nearby Rohingya communities, who remain barred from their villages, should also be given the same opportunity.
“We want everyone to have the chance to go back home like us,” one villager said.
For now, Kya Kyet Pet Kan Pyin stands as a symbol of both loss and resilience — a reminder of the destruction faced by Rohingya civilians and their determination to reclaim what little remains of home.
