Arakan Army Extorts Rohingya Villages: Demands Money and Forces Villagers to Flee

February 11, RVision

The Arakan Army (AA) forcefully held a convention with the Rohingya in the villages of Myebon Town on February 10, 2024. A source stated, “The Arakan Army forcefully gathered most of the Rohingya men and held a meeting. In the meeting, 15 people from each village of Myebon were gathered, and the meeting lasted about half an hour.”

A participant in the Arakan Army meeting said, “I attended the meeting conducted by the Arakan Army, and two topics were discussed: evacuating to surrounding villages for seven days and giving 20 lakhs kyats from each Rohingya village to the Arakan Army per month.”

A resident reported, “We were threatened to leave our villages by the Arakan Army, who also added that if we do not leave the villages within two days (10th and 11th), they will ignite our villages. Therefore, we advise you to leave the villages beforehand; otherwise, you will not blame or accuse us if anything happens to you.”

A Rohingya leader from Myebon stated, “The Arakan Army ordered us to accumulate 20 lakhs kyats within the 10th and 11th from the villagers, and it is very difficult for us to accumulate as the villagers cannot access work since the clashes resumed between the Arakan Army and the Burmese Genocidal Military (BGM). Now, the villagers are in depression and worrying.”

The Rohingya communities in Arakan State are being threatened by the Arakan Army and the Burmese Genocidal Military with baseless accusations. Their original villages are abandoned due to the dramatic clashes between the Arakan Army and the Burmese Genocidal Military, and they are facing numerous challenges as they cannot access essential goods after leaving their villages. Therefore, it is imperative for the international community to keep an eye on the remaining Rohingyas in Arakan State.

Rohingya Vision News