AA Conducts Forced Population Checks on Rohingya

The Arakan Army (AA) has reportedly launched a forced census-style population check targeting Rohingya communities in Buthidaung Township, according to local sources and humanitarian observers. The move has triggered deep concern and fear among residents, who say the method resembles the Myanmar military junta’s oppressive surveillance strategies used to monitor, control, and marginalize Rohingya populations in previous decades.

Eyewitnesses in several villages described AA forces entering Rohingya areas, compiling personal data, family records, and household numbers—often under threat and without prior consent. Residents were forced to report the names and identities of all family members, including those absent or deceased. In some instances, individuals were interrogated and warned against providing false information, further intensifying the community’s sense of vulnerability.

“This is not just data collection. It feels like preparation for something worse,” said one Rohingya elder from a village near downtown Buthidaung. “We lived under the junta for years, and we know what forced documentation leads to—surveillance, restrictions, and ultimately, violence or expulsion.”

Human rights monitors warn that the AA’s actions could be part of a broader campaign to establish authority over Rohingya populations through intimidation and administrative control. Unlike a voluntary census or humanitarian registration, these operations are being conducted by armed personnel without any legal safeguards or transparency.

The AA has not publicly commented on the population check, nor has it clarified the purpose behind the data collection. However, Rohingya rights groups argue that such actions not only infringe upon privacy and safety but also echo previous state-led tactics of persecution—including the infamous “Household Registration Lists” used by the junta to deny citizenship and justify forced relocations.

Advocacy organizations are urging international humanitarian agencies and UN observers to investigate the AA’s ongoing activities in Buthidaung and demand an immediate halt to forced population checks. They also call for protections to ensure the Rohingya are not subjected to further intimidation, surveillance, or violence under the guise of civil administration.

As Buthidaung continues to witness intensified conflict, forced displacement, and rising human rights violations, the Rohingya population remains trapped between hostile forces, with little recourse to protection or justice.

Rohingya Vision News