By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw, May 22, 2025 — Three Rohingya fishermen were arrested by Arakan Army (AA) forces on the night of May 20 while returning home after fishing in their own shrimp pond near Thaychaung village, located in Kyaukhlayka village tract in northern Maungdaw Township.
The incident occurred around 9:20 PM, when an AA patrol group of approximately 15 soldiers intercepted the men during their return. The arrested fishermen have been identified as Saw Yaut Husaung (28), Swetarlawm (31), and a third individual whose name remains unknown.
According to local residents, the men were fishing in their own pond—a common practice among villagers trying to sustain their families through night-time catches. Upon stopping them, AA troops reportedly interrogated the men about their movements, then confiscated their catch before tying them up and taking them away to Area 6, where they remain detained without formal charges.
The arrests have caused distress in the community. “These men fish at night so they can feed their families,” said one villager. “Now their families have no food, no money, and no idea when they will see them again.”
The relatives of the detained fishermen have made urgent appeals to the Arakan Army for their release, citing the severe humanitarian toll their detention is taking on innocent families. Community members say the detained men had no connection to any conflict or political activity and were simply trying to earn a living.
Such arrests have raised growing concerns among Rohingya villagers, many of whom now fear engaging in daily survival activities like fishing, farming, or collecting firewood. “Living under armed control means every move could be your last as a free person,” said one elder from the area.
As of now, no official explanation has been given by AA authorities regarding the arrests, and the families continue to wait — caught between fear and hope.
Source: MDN
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