AA Controls Rohingya Phone Calls in Buthidaung

Rohingya residents in northern Arakan State, particularly in Maungdaw Township, have reported that the Arakan Army (AA) has imposed a ban on the use of Bangladeshi mobile SIM cards, which many locals in border areas rely on due to the lack of accessible local telecommunication services.

The ban appears to specifically target the Rohingya community, while other ethnic groups, including the Rakhine, are not subject to the same restrictions. According to Rohingya war refugees, this discriminatory policy has further isolated the Rohingya from communication channels that are otherwise available to other ethnic groups, including the AA members themselves.

In areas across Arakan State, local telecommunication services such as MPT are either limited or completely unavailable, forcing residents, including the Rohingya, to depend on Bangladeshi SIM cards. Despite this reliance, only the Rohingya are being restricted from using these SIM cards.

Additionally, in AA-controlled areas of Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, designated representatives have been reportedly charging residents between 300 to 500 Kyats per minute for public phone calls. These representatives, many affiliated with the AA, are also collecting substantial fees, up to 500 Kyats per minute, for using Bangladeshi SIM cards.

It has been further reported that AA representatives overseeing the use of these phone services must submit daily reports detailing who was called and the nature of the conversations, heightening the Rohingya community’s vulnerability.

In the midst of ongoing conflict in Maungdaw city, the AA also confiscated hundreds of mobile phones from Rohingya, including those who fled the violence, compounding the communication challenges for this already marginalized group.

Rohingya Vision News