By Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State – February 23, 2025
Rohingya residents living in areas controlled by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State are enduring harsh travel restrictions that have exacerbated food shortages and economic hardship. Local accounts reveal that movement in both northern and southern Maungdaw has become highly restricted under AA/ULA control.
A Rohingya elder from Maungdaw described the deteriorating conditions:
“In the northern and southern parts of Maungdaw, we cannot move freely. Those in the north are completely banned from traveling to Kyikanpyin headquarters—even with proper documents, travel is denied. Under the previous military government, a recommendation letter from the village administrator at least allowed us some movement. But now, everything is controlled by AA/ULA.”
In some villages—such as Kyaukhlaykhar, Pyinphyu, Maglagyi, Pawngzar, Hlabaungzar, and Ywakyotong—residents are allowed only limited movement. In Pyinphyu township, for example, people can travel only within six designated areas. In the southern part of Maungdaw, movement is restricted to within village boundaries, with residents barred from entering towns or central areas.
Even routine activities are heavily taxed. “If we need to buy groceries, we must pay 2,000 kyats for a travel permit, 10,000 kyats for a round-trip three-wheeler ride, and an extra 3,000 kyats to cross the river between Gonena and Pawngzar villages. A simple trip to buy food can cost over 18,000 kyats,” the elder added.
Food shortages have hit Buthidaung hard as well. A local woman lamented,
“Since AA took control of the town, there are no jobs, food is extremely scarce, and medicines are very expensive. Many families cannot afford even one meal a day. If someone needs to travel between villages, they must pay 5,000 kyats for a permit valid only for seven days.”
Amid these restrictions, human traffickers linked to AA are reportedly exploiting desperate families by promising escape routes from Myanmar for large sums of money. A resident from Sittwe noted that long-term displacement has turned refugee camps into open-air prisons since 2012, a situation worsened by the 2023 conflict.
With these severe restrictions and mounting hardships, human rights groups are urgently calling on international organizations to intervene, secure access to humanitarian aid, and address the exploitation and deprivation facing the Rohingya community.
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