by Hafizur Rahman
Local residents in Buthidaung Township of northern Rakhine State say at least six mosques were destroyed in recent days as Rohingya villages in the area continue to be cleared.
According to residents, the demolitions took place on 26 January in the Myeik Chaung Khaung Swe village area. Witnesses said two large, historic mosques and four smaller mosques were torn down. People involved in the demolition reportedly dismantled the structures and removed building materials, including wood, metal sheets, doors, and windows.
Residents said the destroyed mosques were located across several nearby villages, including three in Myeik Swe village, two in Maung Hla village, and one in Kumikhali village. The demolitions reportedly continued openly for several hours.
Loss of religious and cultural sites
A Rohingya man from the area said the destruction went beyond physical damage. “These mosques were not just buildings. They were part of our life and our history. Seeing them torn down feels like losing our identity again,” he said.
Community members said the mosques had served generations of Rohingya families and were central to religious, educational, and social life in the villages.
Villages cleared after displacement
Residents said the mosque demolitions followed earlier destruction of Rohingya villages near Buthidaung town earlier this month. According to local accounts, bulldozers were used to clear homes, religious buildings, Arabic learning centers, roads, trees, and even long standing wells and ponds.
People said these actions took place after Rohingya residents were forced to leave the area and were prevented from returning.
A displaced Rohingya woman said the destruction feels like an attempt to erase their presence. “They pushed us out, and now they are erasing every sign that we ever lived there. Even the wells and places of our grandparents are gone,” she said.
Fears of permanent erasure
Local sources said that after Rohingya residents were forced out, new settlements are being built in the same areas. Farmland that previously belonged to Rohingya families is reportedly being taken and redistributed to others.
A Rohingya elder described the situation in quiet terms. “We are still alive, but our villages are being wiped from the earth. It feels like they want the land without the people, and the history without the truth,” he said.
Rohingya communities fear that the continued destruction of villages and religious sites will make any future return impossible, and that their long standing presence in the region will be permanently erased.
As of the latest update, authorities in Myanmar have not issued any public statement addressing the reported demolitions.
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