Arakan Army accused of subjecting Rohingya to forced labor

LONDON (MNTV) — A leading rights organization has accused Myanmar’s powerful Arakan Army of forcing Rohingya civilians to build new settlements on land confiscated from their own community, describing the practice as part of a broader effort to permanently reshape the ethnic makeup of northern Rakhine State.

The allegations were made by the Burma Human Rights Network, which said it documented cases of forced labor and land seizures in Maungdaw Township, a region near the Bangladesh border that was once home to large Rohingya populations before waves of displacement, persecution and mass violence forced hundreds of thousands to flee.

According to the rights group, more than 300 Rohingya villagers were compelled in recent weeks to work on infrastructure projects linked to new ethnic Rakhine settlements being established at former Rohingya village sites. 

The organization said residents from at least six villages were ordered to provide laborers, while families unable to comply were forced to pay for replacement workers.

The Arakan Army, the armed wing of the United League of Arakan, has emerged as one of the most powerful forces in western Myanmar after seizing control of large areas of Rakhine State during the country’s civil war. 

While the group portrays itself as a movement fighting for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population, Rohingya organizations and international rights groups have increasingly accused it of abuses against the Muslim minority.

The Rohingya are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group who have faced decades of discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. The community drew international attention in 2017 when a military crackdown forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, an operation that United Nations investigators later said showed genocidal intent.

BHRN said the latest cases involve the construction of settlements at Sapay Kone and Maung Hna Ma, locations that were previously inhabited by Rohingya families. According to testimony collected by the organization, incoming Rakhine settlers are being allocated residential plots and farmland taken from Rohingya owners without their consent.

Several Rohingya residents told researchers that they were being forced to help construct homes and infrastructure for new settlers on land that once belonged to their own communities. Others described the process as an attempt to permanently transfer ownership of Rohingya property while preventing displaced families from ever reclaiming their homes.

The rights group also alleged that forced labor demands have become increasingly routine in northern Maungdaw. Since February, Rohingya youths from multiple villages have reportedly been required to participate in road construction and repair projects on a rotating basis. 

Those who refuse, according to witness accounts, face threats of expulsion or other punishment.

The allegations mirror concerns raised by international organizations over the past year. 

The United Nations human rights office reported earlier that Rohingya land and property were being confiscated in areas controlled by the Arakan Army and that non-Rohingya settlements were being established on former Rohingya land. Independent media outlets and Rohingya news organizations have also documented cases involving the redistribution of farmland and fishing areas.

Human rights advocates warn that such policies could further undermine prospects for the safe and voluntary return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees currently living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh. Many refugees have repeatedly said that any future return would require guarantees of citizenship, security and restoration of land rights.

The latest allegations come as Rohingya communities across Rakhine State continue to face severe food shortages, restrictions on movement and growing economic hardship, leaving many families increasingly vulnerable amid Myanmar’s ongoing conflict.