By: Camp Correspondent
March 21, 2025
A Rohingya family was blocked from visiting their critically injured relative receiving treatment at Kyain Chaung Hospital, despite obtaining official travel permission from the Arakan Army (AA), the armed group currently controlling large parts of northern Maungdaw.
The injured man, 44-year-old Aduhalek from Latha Village, lost his left leg after stepping on a landmine on March 14 while fishing in a stream between Latha and Shwe Zar villages. As his condition worsened, AA forces transported him to Kyain Chaung Hospital for treatment.
Two of his relatives, Arman Ullah and Robi Ullah, sought and received a written travel pass from AA officials in Maungdaw to visit him. However, when they arrived at an AA-controlled checkpoint near Kyain Chaung village on March 19, guards stationed there refused to let them pass.
According to a local witness, the guards told them bluntly, “It doesn’t matter what papers you have. You Bengalis are not allowed to travel.” The relatives, heartbroken and in tears, were forced to return without seeing their loved one.
Struggling to Survive Amid Landmines and Blockades
Like many other recently returned Rohingya in Latha Village, Aduhalek had been fishing to provide food for his family, as most villagers lack access to stable jobs or humanitarian assistance. Local sources say he stepped on an unexploded landmine left from previous conflicts, a growing threat for Rohingya civilians in the area.
Following the explosion, nearby villagers brought him to AA forces, who then arranged his transfer to Kyain Chaung Hospital. His family members, upon learning of his injury, followed official procedures to obtain permission to visit—but were still blocked.
“This is not just about Aduhalek,” said a resident from Latha. “We have no freedom, no rights, and now we can’t even visit our injured relatives. Our lives are controlled, and we live in fear.”
Ongoing Restrictions on Rohingya Movement
This incident highlights the ongoing movement restrictions imposed on Rohingya people across AA-controlled areas. Even in cases involving urgent medical care, Rohingya face discrimination, surveillance, and barriers that do not apply to other communities.
While some Rohingya families have been allowed to return to their villages in northern Maungdaw, sources say that arbitrary rules, discrimination at checkpoints, and lack of medical access continue to make life unbearable.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for equal treatment, freedom of movement, and access to healthcare for Rohingya civilians, urging all armed actors to uphold international humanitarian standards.
“What happened to Aduhalek’s family is just one example of the daily humiliation Rohingya people face in their own homeland,” said a Rohingya activist based in Maungdaw. “This system of control is designed to keep us powerless.”
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