Arakan News Agency
Human rights abuses by the Arakan militias (Buddhist separatist groups) against Rohingya civilians have sharply increased in northern Maungdaw, in Myanmar’s Arakan State. Local residents report that militia fighters are repeatedly entering Rohingya villages, seizing goods from shops without payment, and physically assaulting civilians on village roads, fueling growing fear across Rohingya communities.
Residents said that fighters stationed in the Post 6 area regularly enter Rohingya-owned shops, taking drinks, betel nut and other food items without offering any payment.
Shopkeepers explained that the fighters often claim they will pay later, but never return. Any attempt to ask for payment is met with violence or threats, with militia members slapping or punching the shopkeepers before leaving with cigarettes and other goods.
According to villagers, the abuses extend beyond the marketplaces. Rohingya civilians walking between villages are frequently stopped, intimidated, and beaten. Children, young men, and elders have all been subjected to sudden physical assaults, with individuals or pairs being the most targeted, while larger groups are usually avoided by the militia.
One resident said the Arakan militias “enter the villages, take whatever they want, and beat anyone who objects,” adding that fear has spread widely across the Rohingya population.
Local activists stated that such actions are escalating tension across northern Maungdaw and contradict earlier public statements by the Arakan militias’ leadership claiming a desire to build stable relations between communities in the region.
The activists urged the militia leadership to immediately intervene, halt the misconduct of ground units, and prevent further deterioration of the security situation for Rohingya civilians.
