By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State — May 20, 2025
Rohingya villagers in northern Maungdaw are being forced into unpaid labor by the Arakan Army (AA), compelled to build roads and dig water canals under harsh conditions, with no wages, food, or proper rest, according to testimonies from affected families.
Since February 15, AA authorities have reportedly instructed village administrators to recruit one laborer per household in villages such as Halbawza, Paungza, Mingalagyi, and Kyaukhlaykha, specifically for the construction of a stone road leading to Kyikanpyin AA headquarters.
“If we refuse, we are fined 20,000 to 50,000 kyats,” said one resident. “Even houses without adult men are forced to send underage boys.”
The forced labor begins at 7:00 a.m. and continues until 5:00 p.m., with no food or water provided. Families must send their supplies from home. Villagers describe verbal abuse, threats, and total exhaustion.
“If we sit down to rest, they shout at us,” said a laborer. “At night, after working the whole day, we’re forced into night guard duty. We’re treated like slaves in our own villages.”
Children’s education and safety are now at risk, as many young boys are being pulled from school and made to perform dangerous physical tasks in extreme heat.
“They’re making our boys dig ponds, carry stones, and work like laborers. It’s robbing them of their childhood and future,” said a father from Paungza.
In addition to forced labor, the AA is allegedly cutting trees from Rohingya-owned forests in Kyikanpyin, Wabok, and surrounding areas, and selling the timber for profit.
“They take our trees, sell them, and at the same time ban us from moving between villages or even receiving guests without permission,” said a local from Mingalagyi.
Villagers say they are being exploited under constant surveillance, living in fear of punishment, unable to refuse orders or voice complaints.
“We are trapped—silenced, used, and broken,” one resident shared. “This is not protection. This is domination.”
