community. Their ultimate goal appears to be the complete removal of the Rohingya people from Rakhine State to establish an independent nation exclusively for the Rakhine ethnic group,” narrates Amin. For Mg Mg, the AA’s ultimate goal in the region appears to be the creation of a Rakhine-dominated state, often referred to as the Rakhine Empire. This vision includes the systematic exclusion and persecution of the Rohingya population, whom the AA perceives as outsiders. The use of derogatory terms such as Kalar and Bengali further highlights the deeply ingrained ethnic prejudices that exclude them from being part of Rakhine. The AA’s actions suggest an organized attempt to alter the demographic composition of Arakan through forced displacement, mass killings, and village destruction. This aligns with historical patterns of Rohingya persecution in Myanmar, where state and non-state actors have repeatedly sought to marginalize or eliminate the community. ➔ Systematic Persecution, Dehumanization, and Ethnic Cleansing At the core of the violence is a campaign of ethnic cleansing. The AA, echoing the policies of the Myanmar junta, as reported by the Fortify Rights, has committed serious and grave violations including mass atrocities and denial of rights or identity. This is something which survivors continue to reveal in their testimonies. They recount being forcibly evicted from their homes under threat of violence. The AA's strategy includes pushing Rohingya civilians into more dire situations, with allegations that they offer support for food and shelter selectively, while discriminating against Rohingya community members. These patterns, as survivor testimonies reveal, echo traditional ethnic cleansing tactics. While the Myanmar military has historically persecuted the Rohingya, the AA has also engaged in ethnic cleansing. For instance, Ridwan testifies that the AA actively targeted Rohingya villages, forcibly evicting residents and confiscating farmland. Ridwan takes our attention towards a life of institutionalized discrimination in Myanmar, where Rohingya were systematically denied basic human rights. Restrictions on movement, employment, access to healthcare, and education reveal a pattern of state-sponsored persecution. The refusal to recognize the Rohingya as citizens further marginalized them, rendering them stateless and vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Survivor 33