Maungdaw’s Muslim youths flee due to junta's arrest for conscription

As the military junta continues arresting Muslim youths in Maungdaw township of Rakhine State for the purpose of conscription, many youths have fled to escape the soldiers. Most of them now avoid sleeping in their residences during the night hours, said the Muslim residents.

"On the night of 12 April, three military vehicles arrived at Ka Nyin Tan village and arrested some Muslim youths in presence of administrative officials. While many youths managed to escape, 12 were arrested. Later they were however released. The soldiers want more youths to engage in military services,” said a Muslim resident.

Since early days of April, the military and border guard personnel have been conducting night raids in the Muslim wards and villages under Maungdaw locality including Myoma Ka Nyin Tan ward, Maung Ni village and Shwe Zar village-tract. However, the local Muslims revealed that the raids remained unsuccessful as the young people had managed to flee.

"Muslim youths in Maungdaw are not interested  in joining the military services and currently they avoid staying at their residences,” added the resident.

On many occasions, the junta has issued summons to the Muslims through the administrative officers. Now the youths are hiding in tents, fields, shrimp ponds etc to escape the arrest.

Many Muslim youths in Buthidaung township of Maungdaw district were  arrested by the junta forces for conscription. They are now motivated to stand against the Arakha Army fighters and even to set Rakhine families’ residences on fire with an aim to create ethnic and religious conflicts.