By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw, May 11, 2025 —
As leaders of the Arakan Army (AA/ULA) make public efforts to promote unity among Arakan’s diverse communities, many Rohingya residents say those words are not being reflected on the ground. Discrimination and demeaning behavior by some local AA officials continue to wound hopes for genuine coexistence.
On May 2, AA/ULA leaders held a meeting with Rohingya community members in Maungdaw town. In that meeting, officials expressed a desire to build a united society across Arakan—where Rakhine Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and others would be treated as one family. They emphasized that AA/ULA is not a rigid military authority, but a people’s movement. The remarks were cautiously welcomed by many Rohingya who saw it as a rare opportunity for dialogue and inclusion.
However, the optimism was short-lived.
Just two days later, on May 4 at around 5 PM, a staff member of the AA in Maungdaw, identified as Kyaw Kyaw, was reported to have verbally abused Rohingya civilians near a local shop. According to multiple witnesses, he told them they had “no country, no land,” and were only being allowed to live there “out of pity.” The words, residents say, were not just offensive—but deeply humiliating.
“It shattered our trust,” said one Rohingya elder who was present nearby. “How can we believe in unity when the same people who claim to protect us treat us like we don’t belong?”
Kyaw Kyaw, who is reportedly married to the sister of a former local administrator and also runs a welding business in Maungdaw, is said to hold influence in local affairs. His remarks have widened the growing gap between AA leadership’s public messaging and the lived experience of Rohingya people under their control.
Community elders stressed that lasting peace and security in Rakhine cannot be built with hollow words. They insist that while top leaders may speak of inclusion, change must also come from the ground up—among junior staff, soldiers, and administrative enforcers.
“True unity means respect at every level—not just on the stage,” said a Rohingya religious leader in Maungdaw. “If such attitudes continue unchecked, it will only deepen the mistrust and drive people further apart.”
The community has called on AA/ULA leadership to take these incidents seriously—not just with statements, but through transparent investigation and corrective action. They also urged the group to remove the local restrictions and discriminatory orders that unfairly target Rohingya communities.
“For decades, we have lived on this land. We are not asking for special treatment—only fairness, only dignity,” a local Rohingya teacher said. “Peace will not come by leaving us behind.”
