Hnin Nwe Ni, Narinjara News, 27 January 2025 

Because of the ongoing conflict in Arakan State, young individuals, including Arakanese women who have sought refuge in Yangon, are fearful of remaining in the city. A growing number of individuals are looking for employment in neighboring nations because of overnight guest list checks and the risk of mandatory conscription. 

A 24-year-old woman from Arakan employed at a clothing factory in China informed Narinjara News, “When conflict erupted in my village, I was forced to escape. I was unable to secure employment, and life was quite challenging. I traveled to Yangon for work, but they often reviewed the overnight guest lists. Upon learning about conscription, I made the choice to depart and began employment at a clothing factory in China." 

Individuals are escaping the current conflict in Arakan State, while some have relocated to Yangon seeking employment, as enterprises in the townships have shut down and making a living has gotten more difficult. Nonetheless, she stated that worries about security for Arakanese youth in Yangon have prompted many to persist in searching for opportunities overseas. 

She remarked that while working overseas is more difficult than she anticipated and presents psychological challenges, she is resolute due to the limited job opportunities in her region and her wish to assist her parents, who reside in an IDP camp, with their financial hardships.

Ma Thwe Thwe (name altered), who illegally crossed the border for employment in Thailand last December, shared with Narinjara News that the junta's airstrikes, disruptions to phones and the internet in Arakan State, and scarcity of job prospects disheartened her, leading her to look for work overseas. 

"The phone lines were disconnected, preventing me from getting any updates. The military was conducting air raids, and I felt frightened. I had no job prospects, so I took out loans from friends and traveled to Thailand,” she stated.

Likewise, numerous young and middle-aged men from Arakan State are traveling to Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, and China for employment, as the continuous conflict has led to a lack of job opportunities and made living conditions more challenging. 

A Hindu young man from Sittwe, escaping the turmoil in Yangon, stated, “We lack employment, and our means of survival are at risk. We are getting ready to depart for Thailand. Everyone is attempting to travel overseas.” 

Young men and women from Sittwe, alongside those from Kyaukphyu and Manaung townships that are still under junta control, have also departed to seek employment overseas to avoid random detentions by the junta and to tackle economic hardships. 

Conversely, the junta is exploiting the military service law to force individuals, such as Arakanese youth, who travel abroad for employment, detaining them at Yangon airport and demanding bribes.