Rohingya IDPs in Sittwe Report Harassment and Extortion in Camps

Rohingya displaced persons sheltering in camps near Sittwe say they continue to face harassment, intimidation, and alleged extortion, while humanitarian conditions remain deeply concerning.

Photo Source: Collected

SITTWE, Rakhine State; Rohingya internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled recent fighting in northern Rakhine State say they are facing ongoing harassment, intimidation, and alleged extortion in makeshift camps near Sittwe, according to witness accounts shared with local sources.

The displaced families are reported to have fled from Buthidaung and Maungdaw amid escalating clashes between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army (AA). Many are now sheltering in overcrowded camps with limited access to basic services, security, and humanitarian support.

A Rohingya man, speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, alleged that police and members of a local militia known as Sinaung regularly enter the camps at night, questioning residents, photographing them, and demanding money.

“Every night, they come to our shelters, question us, take photos, and demand money. The police took 5,000,000 kyat (50 lakh kyat) from us without reason and threatened us in various ways,” he alleged.

Another resident in Sittwe separately claimed that some displaced persons have been detained without clear reason and remain missing or unaccounted for. These allegations could not be independently verified.

Witnesses also accused certain camp figures of intimidation and financial exploitation inside the displacement sites, further increasing fear among residents already living under difficult conditions.

Camp residents say the reported abuses have deepened uncertainty and insecurity, while access to food, clean water, and healthcare remains severely limited.