Arakan News Agency
Local sources reported that Arakan militias (separatist Buddhist) have begun clearing Rohingya villages in Maungdaw township in northern Arakan State, and have started constructing new settlements to house Buddhist families from the Rakhine community in those areas.
Residents of Maungdaw said the militias have taken control of Rohingya villages that were previously destroyed and have seized farmlands belonging to Rohingya families. The land has reportedly been divided and distributed to Buddhist families, with each household receiving between one and two acres, depending on family size.
Maungdaw Daily News reported that, during the past week, the Arakan militias collected lists of Buddhist families from different parts of the state, including families who are homeless, facing livelihood difficulties, unable to return to their original villages, or willing to relocate. According to the report, the stated aim is to increase the number of Buddhist Rakhine residents in Maungdaw.
Residents from rural areas of Maungdaw confirmed that the resettlement process has already begun in former Rohingya villages, where houses and farmlands belonging to Rohingya families have been handed over to newly arrived settlers as part of the relocation plan.
Local sources said the operation is continuing as Arakan militias (separatist Buddhist) expand their presence in northern Arakan State, amid growing fears among Rohingya that their land and property may be permanently lost.
Arakan State, particularly northern townships such as Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung, has been facing worsening security and humanitarian conditions since fighting resumed between the Myanmar military / military council in Myanmar and Arakan militias (separatist Buddhist) in late 2023.
The escalation has triggered new waves of displacement among the Rohingya, with thousands forced to flee their villages and abandon their homes and farmland in search of safety.
The number of Rohingya remaining inside Arakan State in Myanmar is estimated at around 500,000 people, living under severe conditions, including movement restrictions, food insecurity and limited access to humanitarian aid.
Under the control of Arakan militias, Rohingya communities have faced wide-ranging violations, including the sealing of homes following malicious complaints, confiscation of valuable property, forced displacement of families, and strict movement restrictions between villages through a network of security checkpoints at the entrances and exits of Rohingya villages.
In November 2023, Arakan militias (separatist Buddhist) launched a military campaign against the Myanmar military to seize control of the state and have since taken control of 14 out of 17 townships. The conflict has severely affected Rohingya communities, who have faced violence, forced displacement and persecution from both sides, after previously suffering a campaign of genocide by the Myanmar military in 2017 that forced nearly one million of them to flee to Bangladesh.
