Arakan News Agency
Buddhist Arakan militias (the Arakan Army) have ordered all Rohingya families residing in the second ward of the city of Maungdaw to submit their household lists to the ward administration office, setting Saturday as the final deadline for submission.
According to what was announced by the website “Maungdaw Daily News,” the order was issued on Friday and required each head of household to bring their family list to the ward office, without clarifying any reasons behind collecting this data.
The website quoted local sources as saying that the state of ambiguity and the lack of clear information have led to growing fear and uncertainty within the Rohingya community.
It added that inspection teams are expected to visit the city to review the submitted lists, while residents confirmed that the purpose of these inspections remains unknown, which has further increased the state of ambiguity and concern.
Violations by the Arakan militias (Buddhist separatists) continue, as they recently forced dozens of Rohingya residents to flee toward Bangladesh after threatening them and issuing evacuation orders against them in a number of villages in Maungdaw. They have also exerted pressure on the Rohingya to force them into military conscription, while threatening to deport those who refuse to Bangladesh.
They have also escalated their violations against the Rohingya in the northern part of the city, with militia elements continuing to raid villages repeatedly, seize goods from shops without paying for them, and physically assault residents in the streets.
The Arakan militias launched a military campaign in November 2023 against the Myanmar army to seize control of the state, and managed to take control of 14 out of 17 cities. This conflict has engulfed the Rohingya, who have been subjected to violence, forced displacement, and persecution by both sides, after they had also been exposed to a campaign of “genocide” by the Myanmar army in 2017 that forced nearly one million of them to flee to Bangladesh.
