How Arakan Army Treat A Rohingya Abductee

Arakan Now, 28 April 2025

“LISTEN TO ROHINGYA” - 1

Arakan Now interviewed one of the abductees who was abducted by Arakan Army accusing that he supported Myanmar military. He shared his experience, starting, “I don’t know where most of the other people were kept. We were around 50 people held in one place, like a prison.”

“No one was allowed to pray, even on Friday. We were given rice only once a day. We had to do whatever they told us to do. They tortured us in many ways — they kept us hungry, beat us for no reason, asked us anything they wanted, and didn’t allow us to follow our religion,” he said.

“There were many days when we were not given even a single plate of rice or any water. When someone got sick, there was no medicine or treatment. Some died because of serious illness and some recovered on their own without food or medicine. The ones who were released were almost dead — only skin was left on their bodies,” he added, crying.

Since 2019, Arakan Army started ruling parts of Arakan more or less. Since then, Arakan Army abducted many Rohingya educated persons, students, rich businessmen and even some religious scholars. Some of them were abducted accusing that they were linked to armed groups like ARSA, and some were working for Myanmar military. Rich businessmen were abducted for not giving them taxes.

Again in mid-2024, Arakan Army abducted many Rohingya youths when Myanmar military used Rohingya villagers to burn houses belonging to Rakhine residents in Buthidaung Township and the military forcibly conscripted many Rohingya youths and sent them to the frontline to fight against the Arakan Army.

The innocent Rohingya villagers had no choice but to follow the orders given by both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. When the Myanmar military lost control of Buthidaung Township, the Arakan Army detained at least 300 Rohingya youths. These youths were taken from different villages across the township, accused of being linked with the military, ARSA or fighting against AA.