Arakan Army Establishes IDP Camp in Buthidaung

The Arakan Army (AA), an armed group based in Arakan State, Myanmar, has reportedly established an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp for Rohingya families in Myaung Nah Dali Hamlet, located in Ali Young village of Buthidaung Township.

Over 280 Rohingya families from Myaung Nah village have been coercively ordered to relocate to this newly established camp by November 25, 2024. According to local sources, those who refuse to comply with the AA’s directive face severe punishment, including detention under fabricated charges and potential killings.

A resident shared their plight, stating “We don’t have any other options left but to comply with the AA’s orders. If we refuse, we risk detention under false accusations or even death. By November 25th, we will become refugees forever.”

The relocation order has raised fears among the affected communities, who are prohibited from returning to their original villages or even to their temporary shelters in Sein Yin Pya, southern Buthidaung. It has also been reported that the AA has begun demolishing houses in Ali Young village to prevent displaced Rohingya from reclaiming their homes in the future.

A local source revealed:
“The Rohingya villagers from Myaung Nah, Ket Jet Pet, and Bagonnah villages are being systematically forced into IDP camps. The AA has made it clear that there is no possibility of returning to our ancestral lands.”

The establishment of IDP camps by the AA and the forced displacement of Rohingya families represent yet another blow to the already vulnerable Rohingya community, who have long suffered from systemic persecution, displacement, and denial of basic rights.

Rohingya Vision News