Anti-Arakanese Movement Is Not a Sustainable Solution to Humanitarian Crisis

Oo Kyaw Thar, Contributing Author

Global Arakan Network October 8, 2025

Suja Uddin, An ARSA Advisor and Speaker in Recent Conference in Cox Bazzar

In recent months, the Bangladesh government has hosted a series of high-profile conferences and workshops in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka aimed at finding sustainable solutions to the protracted so-called “Rohingya crisis.” These gatherings brought together diplomats, international organizations, and members of the media, reflecting broad international concern.

Officially, these events were designed to promote dialogue on refugee repatriation from Bangladesh to Myanmar. In practice, however, many have taken a troubling turn — transforming into platforms for an emerging Anti-Arakanese movement that risks deepening mistrust and undermining prospects for a peaceful resolution.

The Rise of an Anti-Arakanese Hate Speech

A striking example came during the Stakeholders Dialogue: Takeaway to UN Conference on the Rohingya Situation held in Cox’s Bazar on August 25. At the event, Mr. Sujauddin Karimuddin, a self-proclaimed Rohingya activist (secretly known as an ARSA advisor), described the Arakan Army (AA) as “far more dangerous and toxic for the peace and security of the region.”

This statement reflects a growing rhetoric that unfairly targets the AA — which is fighting for the liberation of all communities in Arakan and has become one of the most influential military actors in western Myanmar. While the AA continues its struggle against the military dictatorship for autonomy and self-determination, it has also established administrative mechanisms that provide governance, local security, and a degree of coexistence among Arakanese, Muslims, and other minorities.

Yet the activist went further, claiming that “Rohingya have lived in Arakan for 2,000 years and are the indigenous people of the land.” Historical evidence, however, suggests that large-scale Muslim migration into Arakan occurred primarily during the British colonial period, driven by labor demands. The Arakanese, by contrast, have inhabited the region for centuries, preserving a distinctive Buddhist culture that defines their identity and heritage.

Suja Uddin in the Forest as an ARSA Member

At that same event, other speakers also directed attacks toward the Arakan Army, using propaganda, hate speech, and misinformation to discredit the AA. These narratives appeared aimed at portraying the AA as a ‘criminal’ organization in the eyes of the international community and at fostering mistrust and tension between the Arakanese and Muslim communities.

This pattern of misinformation continued on September 27 during another event held at Refugee Camp-13 in Cox’s Bazar, organized ahead of the UN Rohingya Conference. Some activists displayed posters labeling the AA as “Nazis” and calling for “Self-Determination,” with slogans such as “Our Arakan, Our Right, Our Land.”

Such inflammatory rhetoric, while presented as advocacy for justice, directly targets the native Arakanese who have lived on the land for generations. A movement built on resentment cannot foster peace — it only entrenches hostility and undermines the very humanitarian cause it claims to represent.

The Hijacking of a Humanitarian Cause

The events that were once focused on humanitarian cooperation and repatriation have increasingly been hijacked for political confrontation. Some so-called Rohingya speakers have labeled the AA as “terrorists” or “neo-Nazis,” while others have expressed support for Muslim armed groups such as ARSA, RSO, and ARA — all accused of violent attacks and civilian killings in northern Arakan.

To be fair, the Bangladesh government did not organize these events to promote division or hatred. Its stated aim remains to address a humanitarian crisis that has burdened the country for nearly a decade. Yet certain activists have exploited these platforms to advance political agendas and vilify the Arakanese people, shifting the focus away from reconciliation and toward extremism.

By demonizing the Arakanese and discrediting the AA — a key stakeholder in any future peace process — these actors risk isolating the very community whose cooperation is essential for repatriation and long-term coexistence. Such an approach risks transforming an already complex humanitarian crisis into another cycle of ethnic tension.

Chief Advisor Yunus in the Conference (photocrd)

The Path to Peace Lies in Coexistence

Hostility and misinformation are not solutions. Turning the refugee issue into an anti-Arakanese campaign will not bring justice, stability, or reconciliation. Instead, it risks reigniting the ethnic and religious conflicts that have long plagued western Myanmar — a scenario neither community can afford.

If Bangladesh and the international community genuinely wish to promote a sustainable resolution, they must encourage balanced and inclusive dialogue that acknowledges the perspectives of both Arakanese and Muslim communities. Supporting or enabling the Anti-Arakanese movement in Bangladesh is not a step toward peace — it is a setback to regional stability.

Despite criticism, the Arakan Army has shown a degree of pragmatism in engaging with Muslim communities. In areas under its administration, many Muslims enjoy basic rights — including freedom of movement, livelihood opportunities, and participation in local governance. These realities deserve recognition and constructive engagement, not condemnation.

Lasting peace in Arakan will not emerge from propaganda, one-sided narratives, or hate campaigns. It must be built on coexistence, mutual respect, and acknowledgment of historical truths. Any effort that glorifies one group while vilifying another will only deepen divisions.

The world should remember this simple truth: hatred solves no problem.