In Maungdaw town, the Arakan Army (ULA/AA) continues to seize shops owned by Rohingya people, located in prominent and busy commercial areas, according to local residents who spoke to AEN.
These properties were originally developed on departmental lands under successive previous governments. Shop owners, including many Rohingya, had legally leased the land for long-term use and constructed buildings at their own expense.
However, sources say that AA is now selectively seizing only Rohingya-owned shops, while allowing businesses owned by Rakhine and other ethnic groups to continue operating under the same agreements made with previous administrations.
In Kanyin Tan ward, for instance, the shops in front of the model school — which had been legally leased from the education department and developed by Rohingya business owners using their own funds — have now been taken over by AA.
Similarly, shop rows near the Mahabandoola Park area were leased from the General Administration Department and constructed by Rohingya, but are also now reportedly being seized.
Other affected areas include the shops near the electricity office junction, those close to the town clock tower, and shops around the large reservoir near the BWA yard. All of these, according to sources close to the shop owners, have also been taken over by the AA, with Rohingya owners no longer allowed to operate.
In addition, Rohingya-owned shops inside the main Maungdaw municipal market — passed down through generations — have also been confiscated. Locals report that the ULA/AA has stated these spaces will be reopened later and rented out again, implying they may be redistributed or leased to others in the future.
Source: The Arakan Express News
