Charting the Future of a New Generation of Arakanese Youth Against a Backdrop of Military, Political, and Socioeconomic Crises

English | Myanmar

Introduction

(a) Main Focus

Opportunities, challenges, and crisis conditions faced by the youth in Arakan/Rakhine State amidst armed conflict

(b) Geographic Scope

Across Arakan

(c) Study Period

From January 2024 to August 2026

Background and Context

Since the resumption of armed conflicts between the Arakan Army (AA) and the junta forces in Rakhine State, youth have borne the brunt of severe challenges and hardships. In particular, as the military junta suffered increasing losses of military personnel during the ongoing conflict, it enforced the Military Service Law and launched a campaign specifically targeting young people through utilising arbitrary arrests, forced abductions, and detentions carried out under the pretext of guest registration inspections.

Simultaneously, the junta has exploited widespread youth unemployment by offering incentives to encourage military enlistment, while aggressively restricting young people from leaving the country. Rakhine youths fleeing to Yangon and other regions face multifaceted hardships. Fearing arbitrary arrest and detention many hesitate to visit government offices even for essential needs, such as renewing their National Registration Cards (NRCs).

Women face particularly severe circumstances, suffering devastating impacts on their employment, education, and general livelihoods. The fate of women, who travel abroad in search of employment, is also concerning. Some women have become the victims of human trafficking, while others have faced more severe forms of exploitation, including being sold. Due to these compounding hardships and challenges, the majority of youths have relocated to ULA-controlled areas. However, their struggles persist under new constraints—primarily due to the persistent lack of employment and the strict enforcement of the Arakan Army’s National Defence Emergency Provision (NDEP), which prohibits youth from travelling outside ULA-controlled territory.

As the Center for Arakan Studies (CAS) has previously published dedicated research papers addressing youth education and the restrictions and challenges faced by young women, this study will focus primarily on other critical sectors rather than emphasising those two areas. This study is primarily based on reports from local media outlets, statements issued by international organisations, including the United Nations, and relevant administrative bodies, as well as interviews conducted by our Center for Arakan Studies (CAS), highlighting the challenges and hardships faced by youth in Rakhine State.

Summary of Findings

February 2024

Muslim Youth from Kyaukphyu IDP Camp Forced into People Militia Training (Myanmar Now)

In February 2024, approximately 120 men from the Kyauk Ta Lone Muslim IDP camp, which houses over 1,000 displaced people located about 3 miles south of Kyaukphyu downtown, were forced into a two-week “People's Militia Training” program of the Myanmar Military at the Kyaukphyu-based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 542.

May 2024

Recruitment and Conscription Conducted for People’s Militia Training in Sittwe IDP Camps (Myanmar Now)

On May 25, the military junta initiated a lottery system to select youth from Rohingya IDP camps in Sittwe Township for mandatory military training. According to local residents, this marks a continuation of forcible conscription efforts previously carried out across Rohingya IDP camps and villages throughout January, February, and March, as the junta prepares to launch another wave of recruitment.

August 2024

What Rakhine Youths Say on International Youth Day (Narinjara)

August 12 marks International Youth Day. The United Nations designated August 12 as International Youth Day in the year 2000, and it has been annually celebrated since then. Ma Hla Hla Thein, a third-year mathematics student, shared her experience: "When fighting erupted, attending classes became unsafe. Authorities inspected everyone regardless of gender, leaving no one feeling safe enough to travel alone. Even when trying to attend accounting or computer classes, we faced continuous interrogation: 'Where are you going? What for? Will you return or not, etc?' They check everything, even our identity cards, making in-person study nearly impossible. I attempted to switch to online learning from home, but they subsequently ... Read More

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