Maungdaw: Authorities in Arakan State have been collecting family lists in Maungdaw Township but no one yet knows the reason, said one resident.

"The authority has been collecting the family list in Maungdaw Township since 17 August, but has not disclosed why the family lists are being collected," he said.

The family lists are being collected from Muslim and Hindu communities, but not from Buddhists.

A government clerk from the local administration said the authority will collect the family lists from the Buddhist community soon after the Muslim and Hindu communities.

Some officials from the immigration department along with members from the ward council are visiting homes in Maungdaw to collect the list of names.

The resident said, "Despite that the authority has not disclosed the reason, I heard they are collecting the family lists for the 2010 election. Government will hold the election four months after the scheduled election date is declared."

He added that this is intended to prevent opposition parties from preparing for the election.

According to a local source, the Burmese military authority has been preparing many necessities related to the 2010 election in Arakan State. The authorities in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, has also been collecting family lists, but is doing so via the ward council office.

A clerk from Sittwe said that all ward council offices in Sittwe have to send the family lists to the township administration and immigration departments by September, as ordered by the high authority.

The authority in Arakan State will be collecting the family lists throughout Arakan during the month of August.