In Myanmar's conflict-stricken northern Rakhine State, the country’s Rohingya community is facing yet another harrowing chapter.
Targeted by a military junta accused of genocide, they are now enduring the forced recruitment of their young men to fight against the Arakan Army, a large ethnic armed group that has been fighting the Myanmar government for control of the region since long before the current crisis.
The forced recruitment pits the Rohingya against their ethnic Rakhine neighbors, leading to further tension between the two groups.
The Arakan Army declared last week that it had "fully captured Maungdaw Township," a region primarily inhabited by Rohingya people on Myanmar's western border with Bangladesh.
In its statement, the ethnic armed group noted that it is "pursuing members of the military junta and their allied Islamist extremist armed forces, who fled the camp without surrendering," presumably referring to Rohingya soldiers forced to join the fight against the insurgency.
According to a September report from Human Rights Watch, the Myanmar military has abducted and forcibly recruited more than 1,000 Rohingya Muslim men and boys from across Rakhine State since February 2024.
Amid this escalating crisis, Zar Ni Soe, a prominent young Rohingya human rights activist, has traveled to Washington to meet with members of the U.S. government, including State Department and congressional representatives.
During his trip, he spoke to VOA about his experiences and unwavering hope for peace amid the conflict.
“The Rohingya are under siege,” he said in an interview in a VOA studio. “We are not allowed to move freely. The junta visits the IDP [internally displaced persons] camps once a month, not to provide aid but to intimidate civilians. Our lives are constantly overshadowed by fear.”
The military’s use of conscription laws to arm the Rohingya against the Arakan Army has exacerbated an already dire situation.
“Young Rohingya are being forcibly recruited,” Zar Ni Soe said. “The military threatens our people, giving them no right to refuse. This systematic oppression leaves us feeling hopeless and deeply anguished.”
Myanmar’s junta has consistently denied accusations of forced conscription, framing its recruitment efforts as voluntary and aimed at maintaining national security. Rebel groups such as the Arakan Army also have been accused of using forced recruits. The Arakan Army denies that it does.
Zar Ni Soe believes the root of the problem lies with Myanmar’s military dictatorship.
“The solution begins with ending the junta’s rule,” he asserted. “As long as the military holds power, they will continue to exploit and oppress ethnic groups like the Rohingya.”
ICC arrest warrant
The young Rohingya activist expressed optimism about the International Criminal Court's move to seek an arrest warrant against Myanmar's military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Myanmar’s military rulers have rejected the arrest warrant, noting that the country is not a member of the ICC and calling the move interference in the country’s sovereignty.
Zar Ni Soe has a different view.
“We, the Rohingya community, welcome this,” he said. “This is a victory not only for us but for all of Myanmar, where the dictatorship continues to commit widespread human rights violations.”
Since 2017, the United Nations has documented widespread abuses against the ethnic Rohingya under the pretext of “territorial cleansing.” The International Court of Justice began addressing these alleged crimes in 2019 when Gambia filed a genocide case against Myanmar.
“The Rohingya’s plight gained global attention in 2017, and now the ICC’s action brings it to the forefront of international justice,” he said.
While Myanmar is not an ICC member, Bangladesh is, allowing the ICC to investigate crimes partly committed on Bangladeshi soil. In October, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested the arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing on charges of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya.
Arakan Army
Established in 2009 by Rakhine youth leaders, the Arakan Army represents the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group and seeks autonomy in Rakhine State, aiming to “restore the sovereignty of the Arakan people.”
As part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance – alongside the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta’Ang National Liberation Army – the AA has grown into a formidable force with an estimated 45,000 troops.
In October 2023, the AA achieved significant gains against the military junta during the "1027" operation. This included the capture of the large military compound BGP5, built on the site of Myo Thu Gyi, a Rohingya village destroyed in 2017. The victory gave the AA control over the entire border between Rakhine State and Bangladesh for the first time since the 2021 coup. Junta attacks on AA positions have led to civilian casualties, particularly in Rohingya villages, further escalating violence.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has condemned abuses by both the military and the AA, citing forced recruitment, extrajudicial killings and indiscriminate attacks that violate international law. Over four months, AA offensives displaced tens of thousands, including many Rohingya. On August 5, dozens of Rohingya were killed near the Naf River, underscoring their plight as they remain trapped between escalating violence and closed borders, with no safe refuge.
Safe zone advocacy
Zar Ni Soe recently met with State Department officials and congressional representatives to highlight urgent Rohingya issues.
“First, we called for immediate sanctions on the military council to stop airstrikes against the Rohingya and other ethnic groups,” he told VOA. “Second, we proposed a humanitarian corridor along the Rakhine-Bangladesh border to deliver lifesaving aid.”
He also urged the creation of a safe zone for the Rohingya.
"The Rohingya are among the world’s most oppressed. Without action, their situation will worsen. We asked the U.S. and Bangladesh to consider a safe zone, especially as China supports the Myanmar military in U.N. resolutions. If the U.N. fails to act, international cooperation is essential.”
Spring Revolution
Zar Ni Soe says he sees the nationwide resistance to the military junta – Myanmar's Spring Revolution – that followed the February 2021 coup as a globally transformative movement.
"It’s an example for the world," he said, comparing it to East Timor’s successful struggle, where people’s determination and strong leadership prevailed.
“For the first time, the military junta, initially 500,000 strong, faces equal opposition,” Zar Ni Soe said, adding he remains confident in the revolution’s ultimate victory.
Regarding the Rohingya’s hope to return to northern Rakhine State, he acknowledged difficulties, including reports of some Rohingya collaborating with the junta against the Arakan Army. He emphasized the broader goal of peaceful coexistence: “Our main desire is harmony among all ethnic groups.”
Many Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh in 2017 wish to return peacefully but face barriers because of a lack of mutual willingness to resolve conflicts.
Zar Ni Soe stressed that peace requires willingness from all sides.
“If the Rohingya want to return but the other side resists, the conflict will remain unresolved. With mutual cooperation, Rakhine can be rebuilt, and lasting peace achieved,” he said.
