By Hafizur Rahman
Buthidaung, Arakan State — August 16, 2025
Eyewitnesses and survivors accuse the Arakan Army (AA) of carrying out a massacre that killed nearly 600 Rohingya civilians in Htan Shauk Kan village, locally known as Honya Seeri. Victims reportedly included women, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities. Survivors say the killings came suddenly, without warning, and that some bodies were later burned with gasoline in an attempt to conceal the crime.
Massacre and Survivors’ Accounts
Access to the site was blocked for over ten months, with internet cut off in Buthidaung, delaying documentation. When photos eventually surfaced, they showed human remains submerged in water and overgrown with plants. The images were reportedly taken in secret by a villager who entered while AA forces were asleep.
Survivors describe harrowing experiences. Tosmin Ara (26) told Rohingya Khobor:
“There were 19 women and 13 men with us. My husband and elder son were taken away, and my younger son and I were moved elsewhere. I was raped and tortured for five days while more than a hundred AA forces surrounded us. The men managed to escape, but I was left alone.”
Another survivor, a parent who lost five children in drone strikes, said:
“People could not leave their homes for months because of airstrikes, gunfire, and drones.”
Witnesses said the AA targeted villages searching for youths, accusing them of ties to the Myanmar military. Anyone approaching Htan Shauk Kan was threatened with being shot.
Denials and Forced Declarations
AA spokesperson Khine Thu Kha dismissed the allegations as “baseless smear campaigns.” Local residents said AA forced villagers to sign declarations blaming the military instead. Video footage reportedly shows such coerced statements.
After photographic evidence of mass killings emerged from Honya Seeri, AA forces reportedly visited nearby Thin Taung village to collect video statements shifting blame onto the junta. Meanwhile, skeletons from the Palm Sanctuary are said to be removed, raising fears of evidence destruction.
Military and International Context
The Myanmar military, itself facing trial at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide against the Rohingya in 2016–2017, has also accused the AA of carrying out the massacre. Spokesperson General Zaw Min Tun claimed AA forces killed more than 600 Rohingya in Htan Shauk Kan after seizing control of the region in May 2024.
By then, the army had already withdrawn from much of Buthidaung after heavy AA offensives. Survivors and local residents confirmed that houses were burned, civilians were killed, and drones were used to target Rohingya gatherings.
Between March and August 2024 alone, at least 2,500 Rohingya were killed and more than 93,000 fled to Bangladesh amid targeted violence by both the junta and the AA, according to humanitarian reports citing UNHCR data. New arrivals were registered for aid but were not issued individual refugee IDs.
Calls for Documentation and Justice
Ro Nay San Lwin, Co-chairperson of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC), stressed the urgency of preserving evidence:
“Perpetrators often deny their crimes. Evidence must be carefully documented to hold them accountable. Our Rohingya youths should dedicate time to the community and help document these atrocities. One day, this will be vital for seeking justice.”
The delayed access to the massacre site, severe restrictions on entry, and reports of evidence removal underscore the immense difficulty of documenting atrocities in Arakan State. Yet survivors, activists, and local witnesses continue to take personal risks to preserve proof.
Conclusion
The Htan Shauk Kan massacre stands as one of the deadliest incidents in recent years, with hundreds of Rohingya killed and survivors still silenced by fear. Denials, forced statements, and destroyed evidence reflect a broader pattern of impunity in Arakan. Without transparency, international protection, and accountability, the truth risks being buried — prolonging the suffering of victims and their families.
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