By: Camp Correspondent
March 12, 2025
Thousands of Rohingya refugees from Maungdaw District, Rakhine State, remain stranded, unable to return home, while other displaced ethnic groups have been permitted to resettle.
Reports indicate that Rohingya are being systematically denied their right to return due to religious discrimination, forcing many into extreme hardship and displacement.
Forced Expulsions and Mass Arrests
On March 18, 2024, the Arakan Army (AA) seized control of Buthidaung town, setting it ablaze and forcibly expelling over 100,000 Rohingya from their homes.
In the aftermath, thousands were arbitrarily arrested and jailed without trial, while their homes and livelihoods were left in ruins.
Some Rohingya families from Ward 5, who had previously lived alongside other ethnic communities, remain trapped in the city with no means of income and severe food shortages.
Unequal Treatment in Resettlement
While other displaced ethnic communities have been allowed to return and rebuild, Rohingya remain banned from resettlement.
Stripped of basic rights, many have been left without food, jobs, or shelter, forcing them to sell their last belongings in an attempt to escape the country.
Those who can afford to pay human traffickers linked to the AA are fleeing through Maungdaw and Yangon, seeking refuge in foreign countries.
However, the poorest remain trapped, struggling to survive without adequate humanitarian assistance.
A Rohingya elder in Buthidaung shared his despair:
“We have no work, no income, and we don’t know how long we have to suffer like this. If we sell everything we own, we might die in groups due to hunger.”
Rohingya Still Banned from Maungdaw
On December 8, 2024, the AA completed its takeover of Maungdaw. By January 1, 2025, non-Rohingya communities were allowed to return, but Rohingya remain barred from re-entering the town.
Currently, in areas such as Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, Maung Ni, Kyain Tan, and 4-Mile, no Rohingya has been granted permission to return.
Most remain in makeshift shelters at the Hla Pho Khaung rescue camp and surrounding villages, suffering from severe food shortages, lack of medical care, and no employment opportunities.
As conditions worsen, Rohingya refugees are calling for urgent humanitarian intervention.
Struggles in Temporary Camps
With the arrival of Ramadan, conditions in Hla Pho Khaung camp have become even more unbearable. A Rohingya refugee described the harsh realities of daily life in the overcrowded camp:
“This month is Ramadan. In this camp, it is very difficult to pray, rest, or even sit peacefully. During the daytime, it is extremely hot, and there is no shade to rest under. Many families share one small house, cooking and sleeping in the same space. We are facing extreme difficulties. We request the authorities to allow us to return home as soon as possible.”
As the crisis deepens, Rohingya refugees face an uncertain future with no clear path to reclaiming their homes or securing their basic rights.
The international community is being urged to intervene and address the ongoing discrimination and humanitarian crisis faced by the Rohingya in Rakhine State.
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