The human rights organization Fortify Rights has confirmed that the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group operating in Rakhine State, has been forcing Rohingya, Hindus, and other ethnic minorities to perform dangerous labor and participate in operations that amount to war crimes. The group released a statement on October 22 verifying these abuses.
According to credible witnesses cited by Fortify Rights, the AA has been coercing civilians at gunpoint to work without pay — including building defensive fortifications, transporting weapons, and carrying food supplies. Those who refuse are beaten or detained.
Between November 2024 and October 2025, Fortify Rights interviewed 21 witnesses who said the AA has been using detainees for forced labor and compelling ethnic minorities to undergo military training or serve as conscripts.
In Maungdaw and Buthidaung areas, the AA reportedly threatened village administrators to send male laborers, and those who failed to comply were assaulted or punished, according to testimonies included in the report.
The statement further notes that ethnic minorities were also forced to perform non-military labor such as building schools and roads, farming, and tending to livestock. Some fishermen were made to transport food supplies for AA soldiers for several months.
Fortify Rights emphasized that the AA has been extorting money, restricting freedom of movement, and blocking economic activities for those who disobey, and that the group bears responsibility to compensate the victims for their forced labor.
According to Fortify Rights, the AA’s use of forced labor constitutes a serious violation of human rights and amounts to war crimes. The organization urged prompt action to hold the perpetrators accountable.
