Nearly two years after a joint opposition offensive wrested large amounts of territory from Myanmar’s ruling military junta, the Arakan Army remains the largest and most successful of the country’s armed groups. However, as it continues to gain ground across Rakhine State, it has faced increasing accusations that it is abusing, targeting, and disenfranchising the nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority.
One of the most recent reports came from Human Rights Watch, which said in late July that the Arakan Army has “committed grave abuses against the ethnic Rohingya population” that are "similar to those long imposed by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State”.
The Arakan Army, which was founded in 2009, is seeking greater autonomy and sovereignty for the Arakan (Rakhine) ethnic majority in Rakhine State.
Last week, The New Humanitarian published an article based on eyewitness accounts – supported by HRW’s report and other independent investigations – accusing the Arakan Army of using Rohingya men, women, and children as a source of forced labour.
We reached out to the United League of Arakan (ULA), the AA’s political wing, for comment, but its response – which was signed ULA/AA-HQ – did not arrive until after publication.
In their response, the ULA said it acknowledges that it is “currently facing some unverified human rights allegations driven by various factors. We firmly believe that the human rights of all communities in Arakan should be equally upheld and protected, without discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, or any other backgrounds.”
In the interest of transparency and fairness, we are publishing the ULA/AA’s responses below, in full, as they were sent to our Asia editor, Ali M. Latifi:
The New Humanitarian: Human Rights Watch recently also put out a report on claims that Rohingya in Rakhine were made to do hard labour for AA forces after being detained for unclear charges. What is the AA’s response to these claims, which also appear in eyewitness accounts to TNH?
ULA/AA: We strongly reject the allegations presented in the recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report. These claims appear to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the positive image of the United League of Arakan (ULA)/Arakan Army (AA) by using covert and fabricated accounts from alleged victims. We recognise that there has been a coordinated disinformation campaign in recent months, led by diaspora Muslim activists and human rights organisations, to portray the AA as a new "villain." This
campaign has coincided with international conferences in Cox’s Bazar (August), New York (September), and Doha (December). Additionally, some media outlets have turned their attention to this issue, seemingly to attract new funding.
Unfortunately, we believe these efforts will persist regardless of our statements. Therefore, we emphasise that credible, concrete evidence is required to substantiate these allegations. Only with such evidence can we verify and investigate the claims thoroughly.
Anonymous hearsay merely creates noise and does not uncover the truth.
The New Humanitarian: Does the AA have any record of 78 people, including women and children, being detained and then made to do hard labour in and around Maungdaw between April and August 2025?
ULA/AA: We have no record of engaging in such practices. More importantly, we have never detained individuals, including women and children, without substantial evidence of their involvement in serious crimes. It is true that we have arrested some individuals who collaborated with the Myanmar junta or Islamic terrorist groups, such as ARSA (the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) and RSO (Rohingya Solidarity Organisation), during armed clashes to uphold the rule of law and ensure regional security.
However, our judicial system thoroughly investigates these cases based solely on evidence and takes action in accordance with the law. We have never required prisoners to perform hard labour, aside from routine physical exercise during their imprisonment. Our government has established clear rules and procedures governing these matters.
The New Humanitarian: Does the AA detain women and children?
ULA/AA: These questions are vague and lack focus. We have consistently treated individuals in strict accordance with the law.
The New Humanitarian: What charges usually lead to Rohingya being detained in areas under the AA's control?
ULA/AA: The nature of the crime committed by an individual determines their treatment, not their cultural or religious background. Our authorities arrest all criminals, including Arakanese, if they violate the law.
The New Humanitarian: Several eyewitnesses claim they were beaten, unable to properly wash and denied access to medical services, beyond basic prescriptions like paracetamol, how do you respond to these claims?
ULA/AA: The identity of the eyewitnesses is unclear. Some individuals in refugee camps in Bangladesh may fabricate narratives to secure refugee status or advance their personal interests, and there are numerous instances of such behaviour. All suspects and prisoners in our legal and prison systems are granted full rights in accordance with the law, including access to medical care, meals, and clothing, given the current circumstances.
The New Humanitarian: The witnesses also claimed the AA had used drone strikes and mass shootings against civilians in villages of Rakhine State between 2024 and 2025, resulting in at least 100 civilian deaths. Does the AA have access to drone technology and have they ever employed them against civilians? How do you respond to the charge that AA forces shot into civilian-populated villages?
ULA/AA: We possess appropriate drone technology, which is used exclusively to target military objectives during combat operations. We have never employed military actions against civilians. Our government has consistently addressed these baseless allegations with robust evidence and reasoned arguments. In both towns and villages, we distinguish between combatants and non-combatants based on the principles of early warning, distinction, and proportionality. These baseless and irrational allegations seek to sow distrust and hatred among the diverse communities living in peaceful coexistence in Arakan. The international community, committed to fostering communal reconciliation in Arakan, should strongly condemn such actions.
Edited by Andrew Gully.
