Over 1,500 Mro Villagers Displaced in Northern Maungdaw as ARSA Threats Intensify

Ethnic Mro women are seen along the Kyeinchaung-Taungpyo road in northern Maungdaw Township i
n November 2024.

More than 1,500 ethnic Mro villagers from northern Maungdaw Township have been forced to flee their homes amid growing insecurity, according to a report by DMG. The displaced families, originating from nine isolated villages, left their communities after escalating threats and movements by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) created unbearable living conditions and heightened fears for their safety.

According to DMG, the displaced Mro villagers are now sheltering in nearby locations such as Kyeinchaung, Khwasone, and Gyutchaung, where they face dire shortages of food, clean water, medicine, and adequate shelter. Local residents report that the root causes of their displacement include ARSA-linked intimidation, landmine risks, and the inability to carry out their traditional livelihoods such as bamboo cutting, fishing, and small-scale farming.

One displaced villager told DMG that the situation deteriorated rapidly as armed groups began operating near their settlements. “We can’t enter the forest anymore. It’s too dangerous to work, and we fear for our lives,” he said. “That’s why we had no choice but to flee.”

Elderly individuals, children, and pregnant women are among the most vulnerable in the makeshift camps. Without humanitarian access, many families are struggling to obtain even the most basic necessities such as rice, cooking oil, blankets, and essential medicine. Local community leaders have appealed for urgent assistance, warning that the situation could worsen if aid does not arrive soon.

The mass displacement of Mro communities underscores the increasing instability in northern Maungdaw, where clashes, armed group activities, and landmine threats have intensified in recent months. Minority groups like the Mro — already living in remote and underserved regions — are at heightened risk of prolonged displacement and economic hardship.

Humanitarian observers stress that without immediate support and security measures, thousands of displaced Mro villagers will continue to face deteriorating living conditions, with no clear timeline for returning to their homes.

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