By: Camp Correspondent
January 27, 2025
MYANMAR – Approximately 700 Rohingya detainees remain trapped in the prisons of Pathein, Myaungmya, and Maubin in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Region, even after completing their sentences.
Many have been held for years beyond their terms, raising serious human rights concerns. A recently released inmate, Ko Kyaw Zaw Lin, who was granted amnesty on January 4, revealed: “I saw around 150 Rohingyas in prison. Some have been there for more than a year after finishing their sentences.”
This issue is not isolated to Ayeyarwady Region. Similar cases have been reported in Insein, Pyay, and Bago prisons, according to the Myanmar Political Prisoners Network (PPNM).
Since the military coup in 2021, Myanmar’s regime has imposed maximum sentences under the 1947 Immigration Act, penalizing Rohingyas for moving or entering Myanmar illegally. These sentences, ranging from six months to five years, are now routinely extended through arbitrary detention, leaving many trapped indefinitely.
Hidden Agendas Behind Detentions
Rights advocates suspect the junta of using Rohingyas for ulterior motives. “The military always has a hidden agenda. This isn’t just about immigration,” said Tun Kyi, a member of the Former Political Prisoners Committee.
Reports suggest that as many as 1,500 Rohingyas who have completed their terms remain incarcerated nationwide. Some fear the military is holding them as potential recruits for forced labor or to be used as human shields in conflicts with the Arakan Army (AA) and other groups.
“They treat these people as pawns in their game of control and power. This is exploitation at its worst,” remarked a former prison staff member turned analyst.
Entire families, including children, are often detained together during attempts to flee persecution. Tragically, even children remain behind bars long after their parents’ sentences expire.
Excuses and Exploitation
The military claims it cannot release Rohingyas due to instability in Rakhine State. However, activists and humanitarian organizations challenge this narrative, accusing the junta of using these individuals as leverage in its broader campaign of ethnic cleansing.
A lawyer assisting political prisoners warned, “The detained Rohingyas fear being forced into military service or sent to the frontlines as shields. These are not baseless fears; we’ve seen it happen before.”
Calls for Action
Suggestions to transfer detainees to refugee-style camps have surfaced, but critics argue this would only institutionalize their imprisonment. “These so-called camps would merely replace one form of detention with another,” said a volunteer working with displaced Rohingyas.
The ongoing detention of Rohingyas highlights the systematic oppression and exploitation they face under Myanmar’s regime. “The military has options to handle this humanely, but their actions only underline their intent to marginalize and exploit a vulnerable population,” Tun Kyi concluded.
As the plight of Rohingyas continues, international pressure is vital to ensure their safety, dignity, and freedom.
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