Junta extorts money from Muslims fleeing Buthidaung, Maungdaw

By Admin 27 May 2024

DMG Newsroom
27 May 2024, Buthidaung

The Muslim community said that more than 2,000 Muslims from Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in Arakan State are being extorted K2 million each by the regime and sent to Sittwe by Myanmar navy warships.

In recent days, the regime has asked K10 million for a boat from and K2 million from each Muslim to send them to Sittwe.

“The regime wants to claim that the Muslims were rescued from the fighting. The regime did not send Muslims to Sittwe for free. The regime extorts at least K1.5 million to K2 million per Muslim. The regime told Muslims that Muslims will be killed by the Arakkha Army (AA) and this is the reason why the regime helps Muslims,” said a Muslim man in Buthidaung.

Buthidaung has fallen into the hands of AA, and future control of Maungdaw looks uncertain at best, so Muslims say the regime is using Muslims to earn illegal income while it still can.

The regime sent reinforcements and weapons from Sittwe to Maungdaw by boat via the Kanyin Chaung economic zone on May 21 and 23, and transported Muslims to Sittwe from Maungdaw on the way back.

“The Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) and Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) compiled the list of rich Muslims and the groups sent the list to the regime. The military-trained Muslim militiamen escorted the ships,” said a Muslim man in Maungdaw.

He continued that Muslims are being used as human shields to prevent the AA from attacking Myanmar navy vessels.

Local sources also said the regime secretly sent about 500 wealthy Muslims to Yangon via Sittwe in a special programme.

The spokesman for the junta-appointed Arakan State military council, U Hla Thein, could not be reached for comment regarding the matter.

Junta soldiers, military-trained Muslims and armed Muslims who are fleeing following the AA’s seizure of Buthidaung are also hiding in Buthidaung, Maungdaw and surrounding areas, and are doing such extortion work.

Arakan affairs analysts say the regime is trying to use Muslims as frontline defenders on the battlefield, as well as Muslims who are fleeing the battlefield, in various ways.