Maungdaw, Arakan State: Last month, two Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairmen of Maungdaw Township fled from their village to evade arrest by Nasaka. They had assembled local villagers and were giving religious sermons after inviting religious leaders to Maungdaw Township, said a local elder requesting anonymity.

The two VPDC Chairmen are Md Shoffee and his son Idris. Shoffe is a former village Chairmen and Idris is the current Chairman of Pawet Chaung Village Tract in Maungdaw Township. They are pro-government Chairmen so they held a gathering in the village to tell villagers not to be a part of any anti-government activities and avoid vices like alcohol, gambling, not to steal goods from other people, and to abide by the law and to obey their parents and elders etc. They were also giving religious sermons, the elder added.

The two chairmen invited Maulana Sayedul Amin, the principal of Maung Nama Madrasa (Arabic school) and other well-known Maulanas from other places. They received permission to hold the gathering from the authorities.

Taking advantage of the meeting, anti-Chairmen persons like--- U Shwe Hla Maung, the village Chairman of Pawet Chaung Natala village, Kamal Hussain, son of Sher Moluk, Khobir Ahmed, son of Sidique and Lay Gu, son of Ahmed, jointly complained to the Deputy Home Minister Phone Swe when the minister accompanied by 18 Rohingya businessmen paid a visit to north Arakan for the second time on May 20, said a trader from the locality.  

In the application, they (anti-chairmen group) alleged that the preachers asked the villagers to set fire to the Rakhine Natala village near Powet Chaung village. Villagers were also asked not to communicate with Rakhine people.  This compliant was shown to Abdul Hafez, a Rohingya leader who came to north Arakan accompanied by the minister, said a business man from the locality.

Abdul Hafez called Maulana Sayedul Amin, who was one of the preachers in the gathering, and asked what they had preached.  The Maulana told the minister through Abdul Hafez that the gathering was only for the good of the government and they asked the villagers not to be part of anti-government activities and avoid vices. The minister was satisfied.

The Natala village Chairman U Shwe Hla Maung and the Nasaka collaborators Kamal Hussain and Khobir Ahmed  have a personal feud with the two village Chairmen, and try to take revenge whenever they can, said a relative of the Chairmen.

However, later, the two VPDC Chairmen accompanied by the present Chairman’s younger brother Faroque were chased by Nasaka over accusations that they had committed anti-government activities. They fled from their village to evade arrest. They are still absconding.