The Arakan Army (AA) has intensified its grip over northern Rakhine State, systematically seizing Rohingya-owned land in Buthidaung and forcing thousands into displacement. Reports indicate that AA is redistributing the confiscated land to the Daingnet ethnic group, fueling concerns of an orchestrated effort to erase the Rohingya presence from their ancestral lands.
Escalating Land Seizures and Forced Relocation
Rohingya families across multiple villages—Maung Gyi Taung (Shah Bazar), Aung Lan Pyin (Maurisabil), Tharay Kuntan (Shaikhri Khuna), and others—have been evicted, with AA forcing them into confined settlements east of the Mayu River. Affected residents report severe restrictions on movement and loss of livelihood, as agricultural lands that sustained them for generations are now occupied by new settlers.
“I am not even allowed to check my farm. They told us to stay where we are now,” a Rohingya farmer from Buthidaung lamented. “My family has lost all the homes and farms that we have owned for generations.”
AA’s Growing Autocratic Control Over the Rohingya
Despite portraying itself as an alternative to Myanmar’s military junta, the Arakan Army has increasingly mirrored past oppressive tactics. While the AA claims to fight for the Rakhine people’s self-determination, its policies toward the Rohingya reflect the systematic discrimination they have long faced under state-sponsored persecution.
For years, the Rohingya have been subjected to land confiscations, forced displacements, and restrictions on their freedom of movement. Now, under AA’s administration, these patterns have intensified. Unlike the Myanmar military, which sought to drive out the Rohingya through violent crackdowns, the AA is using strategic land grabs and settlement policies to marginalize them further.
“This is not just a territorial issue—it’s an existential crisis for the Rohingya,” said a human rights researcher tracking the crisis. “AA is cementing policies that exclude the Rohingya from their own homeland, ensuring they remain stateless and displaced.”
A Continuation of Past Persecution?
The ongoing land grabs bear striking resemblance to previous state-led efforts to erase the Rohingya from Rakhine State. Before the 2017 mass exodus, nearly 40% of Rohingya land had already been seized by the military and redistributed to Rakhine Buddhist settlers. Now, a similar trend is unfolding under AA control, but with even fewer prospects of international scrutiny or intervention.
Many displaced Rohingya from Kuntan village have reported that their land has already been given to Daingnet settlers. “Our ancestors’ land, filled with our history and memories, is being taken away,” one resident said. “How can we just leave Erasure nd?”
Calls for Urgent International Intervention
Human rights organizations are calling for urgent international pressure on the AA to halt further land confiscations and forced relocations. Experts warn that without immediate action, the Rohingya risk losing their last foothold in Rakhine State, making their displacement permanent.
“The world cannot ignore this crisis,” said a researcher monitoring the situation. “If there is no pressure on the Arakan Army to respect Rohingya rights, we may be witnessing the final erasure of their presence in Rakhine.”
With thousands now displaced once again and no clear path for their return, the future of the Rohingya in Myanmar remains as uncertain as ever.
BOB Post
