Jani Alom, another community man, outlines that the agenda behind the destruction of property by the Myanmar military and AA is primarily to displace and terrorize the Rohingya community. The destruction serves several purposes. The destruction is intended to create fear, forcing people to flee and preventing them from resisting or organizing against the oppression they face. The AA and Myanmar Junta have specific agendas behind the destruction or possession of Rohingya assets and lands, which align with their broader goals of ‘territorial control, ethnic domination, and strategic advantage.’ Both the AA and the Myanmar junta military aim to expand their control over areas with Rohingya populations, particularly in Rakhine State. By seizing Rohingya lands, they can settle ethnic Rakhine people or other supporters in those areas, consolidating their influence and undermining the presence of the Rohingya. Rohingya lands are often fertile and used for farming, providing an economic base. The military and AA exploit these resources for agricultural production, taking over fields, crops, and livestock. This helps them financially sustain their operations and strengthens their economic control in the region. The military may use Rohingya land for establishing military bases, camps, or outposts. These locations are strategically significant for controlling the region and suppressing resistance from other ethnic groups or insurgents. It also provides them with logistical advantages in the conflict. The seizure of Rohingya lands and properties also serves the agenda of erasing the Rohingya’s cultural and social identity. ➔ Replacing Rohingyas and their Properties The AA’s takeover of the township has unleashed brutal attacks on marginalized Rohingya communities that has caused widespread destruction and mass displacement. This Md Zubair, chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights stated the community is, “witnessing systematic atrocities in which the AA is forcibly evicting Rohingya families and replacing them with Rakhine settlers (Mogh) brought from neighboring countries.” Survivors in their testimonies revealed that lands once occupied by Rohingya communities were quickly put into military use or resettled with Buddhist Rakhine civilians. For instance, Zomila and Enamul testified that homes were first looted, then razed, and those remained are later occupied or given 79

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