by Hafizur Rahman
Kyauktaw, Arakan State — October 3, 2026
Rohingya residents in Kyauktaw Township say restrictions on their movement have tightened, with people increasingly required to obtain multiple recommendation letters before travelling between villages or entering Kyauktaw town.
Three Rohingya residents told Rohingya Khobor that checkpoints operated by the Arakan Army are turning people back if they do not have the required documents.
According to the residents, travellers may need recommendation letters from the village administration, an area-level office and an office or police post locally referred to as “DELEP.”
Residents said obtaining the documents also involves providing personal information and making payments. They described being asked to pay around 5,000 kyats at the village administration level, 2,000 kyats at the area office and another 5,000 kyats at the office they called DELEP.
Rohingya Khobor could not independently verify whether these amounts are officially prescribed fees or payments being collected locally.
One Rohingya resident said the requirements have made even routine journeys difficult.
“We cannot simply decide to go to town when we need to. Even for a small job or an urgent matter, we have to collect papers from different offices. If we reach a checkpoint without them, we are sent back. For us, travelling has become something we have to ask permission for every time.”
Another resident said the requirements are particularly difficult for families already struggling financially.
“They ask for one paper after another, and each place takes money. Many Rohingya families are already struggling to earn enough for food, so paying for several recommendation letters is another burden. People who do not have the required documents feel they have no way to move freely.”
Residents also described a practical problem: in some cases, people may need to pass checkpoints to reach the offices where the documents required at those checkpoints are issued.
Restrictions affect work and trade
Residents said the travel requirements are affecting their ability to reach markets, workplaces and neighbouring villages.
“Our villages are not far from the town, but it feels far because we cannot travel freely,” a third Rohingya resident told Rohingya Khobor. “If someone needs to buy something, sell goods, visit relatives or deal with an urgent matter in town, they first have to think about the papers and the money.”
Residents said identity documents are also required when applying for some recommendation letters, creating additional difficulties for Rohingya who do not have documents accepted by the authorities.
They said household registration documents previously issued under the ULA administration had later been withdrawn.
Residents also reported that some people had subsequently obtained new household registration documents after paying between 70,000 and 80,000 kyats. Rohingya Khobor could not independently verify the reported payments or determine whether they were part of an official policy.
For families unable to obtain the documents, residents said the problem can extend beyond identification itself because a lack of documentation can make obtaining permission to travel more difficult.
Movement restrictions previously documented
Restrictions on Rohingya movement in Arakan State predate the latest accounts from Kyauktaw.
Previous reports and international documentation have described Rohingya living under movement restrictions, including in areas controlled by the Arakan Army, with permission or payments required for some journeys.
The accounts collected by Rohingya Khobor suggest that in Kyauktaw, documentation requirements, checkpoint controls and associated costs are now affecting routine activities including work, trade, shopping and visits between communities.
For the residents who spoke to Rohingya Khobor, even short journeys can now depend on obtaining permission and having the money and documents required to travel.
