By: Camp Correspondent
February 1, 2025
Hundreds of Rohingya families in Gon Nar Village, Maungdaw Township, were forced to flee on February 1 after the Arakan Army (AA) issued a deadly ultimatum. AA reportedly warned the villagers to evacuate by 6 PM on the same day or face being shot.
AA’s Warning and Villagers’ Response
According to a local villager, “Last week, some AA soldiers came to our village and told us to leave within a week. Many people left and built small huts in the fields, but some stayed and attempted to negotiate with AA. Yesterday, AA soldiers returned and said that anyone still in the village after 6 PM would be shot. We had no choice but to run away.”
Gon Nar Village, which comprised 73 houses and approximately 500 residents, now finds itself largely deserted. The displaced families have taken shelter in makeshift camps on nearby farmland, with some considering a dangerous journey into Bangladesh in search of safety.
Context: The Rohingya Crisis in Rakhine
The Rohingya have long endured systematic persecution. In 2017, over 700,000 Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh following a brutal military crackdown by the Myanmar military. Despite international attention and humanitarian efforts, the situation remains dire. Recent months have seen renewed clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army—a group seeking control over Rakhine State—with Rohingya communities bearing the brunt of escalating violence and forced displacement.
A villager from Gon Nar, speaking on condition of anonymity, lamented, “We have lived in this village for generations. Now, we are being pushed out again. The Arakan Army does not want the Rohingya in Rakhine. They are trying to erase us from this land.”
Growing Concerns and Reactions
Human rights activists have expressed deep concern over the renewed displacement of Rohingya families. Ro Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Rohingya Liberation Coalition, commented, “The Arakan Army is forcing Rohingya to leave without any clear justification. This appears to be part of a broader strategy to remove the Rohingya from Rakhine State.”
In response to these allegations, AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha denied the accusations during a statement to MPA. However, several observers and human rights advocates remain skeptical, arguing that the denial does little to address the immediate threat and suffering faced by the Rohingya community.
As violence and instability persist in Rakhine, the fate of the displaced Rohingya remains uncertain, with many fearing that the cycle of forced displacement may continue.
