{
  "name": "Rohingya Famous People",
  "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/",
  "description": "An open archive of famous Rohingya people: leaders, writers, poets, scholars, doctors and public servants. Read what each of them did, with dates, places and sources.",
  "updated": "2026-11-04",
  "count": 56,
  "people": [
    {
      "slug": "a-f-k-jilani",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/a-f-k-jilani/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/a-f-k-jilani/index.md",
      "name": "A. F. K. Jilani",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1940",
      "died": "2017",
      "years": "1940 – 2017",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Educator, historian, activist and writer",
      "categories": [
        "History",
        "Education",
        "Literature",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "Documenting the Rohingya's own history",
      "summary": "A Rohingya educator, historian, political activist and writer from Maungdaw, and a founding member of the Rohingya Students Organization at Rangoon University in 1962. He devoted much of his life to documenting Rohingya history, identity, political rights and persecution, notably in The Rohingyas of Arakan: Their Quest for Justice. He was associated with the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation and took part in international advocacy for Rohingya rights.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1940",
          "text": "Born. He was educated in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Akyab and Kyaukpyu, and then at Rangoon University.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1962",
          "text": "At Rangoon University, where he was involved in Muslim student activities, he became a founding member of the Rohingya Students Organization.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Career",
          "text": "Worked as a teacher and obtained a law degree."
        },
        {
          "year": "Writing",
          "text": "Wrote and translated historical materials on the Rohingya and Arakan, including The Rohingyas of Arakan: Their Quest for Justice. He worked with Rohingya political organisations, was associated with the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, and took part in international advocacy for Rohingya rights.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2017",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "A. F. K. Jilani was a Rohingya educator, historian, political activist, and writer from Maungdaw, Arakan. He was born in 1940 and was educated in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Akyab, Kyaukpyu, and Rangoon University. At Rangoon University, he became involved in Muslim student activities and was a founding member of the Rohingya Students Organization in 1962. He later worked as a teacher and obtained a law degree. He also wrote extensively about Rohingya history and identity, including The Rohingyas of Arakan: Their Quest for Justice.\n\nJilani devoted much of his life to documenting Rohingya history, identity, political rights, and persecution. He wrote and translated historical materials concerning the Rohingya and Arakan and worked with Rohingya political organizations. He was associated with the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation and participated in international advocacy concerning Rohingya rights. His historical writings remain an important part of the Rohingya community's own documentation of its history.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/a-f-k-jilani.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/a-f-k-jilani-2.webp",
          "width": 592,
          "height": 800,
          "credit": "BNI Online (bnionline.net)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abdul-hadi",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-hadi/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-hadi/index.md",
      "name": "Abdul Hadi",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "U Hadi",
        "Police Inspector U Hadi"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1918",
      "died": "2004-05-19",
      "years": "1918 – 2004",
      "birthplace": "Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township, Arakan",
      "deathplace": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "place": "Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Police inspector",
      "categories": [
        "Public service",
        "Law enforcement"
      ],
      "epithet": "The inspector feared and respected by all communities",
      "summary": "A police officer born in Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township, respected — and feared — by Rohingya and Rakhine communities alike, and known for enforcing the law regardless of ethnicity or religion. For some thirty years he served at police stations across Arakan, from Mrauk-U and Sittwe to Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun, confronting bandits and communist insurgents, often at the risk of his own life.",
      "quote": "If I cannot recapture the bandit leader Phoe Nyunt Sein within seven days, I will resign from my position.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1918",
          "text": "Born in Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township, after his father, the Mrauk-U landowner U Zaw Baw Muluk, was killed by bandits. He grew up in the family's ancestral hometown of Myo Haung (Mrauk-U).",
          "note": "Learning how his father had died, he resolved to fight lawbreakers.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "After independence",
          "text": "After Burma gained independence he joined the People's Police Force, qualified as a Criminal Police Officer with CID training at Insein, and became known as U Hadi, Sub-Inspector of Myo Haung Police Station."
        },
        {
          "year": "1955",
          "text": "Transferred to Sittwe No. 1 Police Station, the Clock Tower station, where he married Daw Aye Sein, also known as Aziza Begum."
        },
        {
          "year": "Maungdaw · Buthidaung",
          "text": "Led efforts to keep peace and stability in Maungdaw, then served about seven years in Buthidaung, where his son U Shwe Maung, later a Member of Parliament, was born."
        },
        {
          "year": "Kyauktaw",
          "text": "Posted to Kyauktaw, then a \"black area\", he fought the communist insurgents who repeatedly attacked the station, and led the security for General Saw Phyu at the opening of Saw Phyu Village.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Ponnagyun",
          "text": "Transferred to Ponnagyun in 1976, he captured the feared bandit leader Phoe Nyunt Sein. When the bandit escaped with a guard's rifle, U Hadi promised to resign unless he caught him again within seven days — and did, after surviving the bandit's attempt to shoot him at the U Raz Taung Pagoda festival.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Ponnagyun",
          "text": "With officers of the National Intelligence Bureau he arrested a township party chairman and recovered weapons hidden beneath his house, and brought many notorious criminals and insurgents of the period under the law."
        },
        {
          "year": "1978",
          "text": "Retired from the police and settled at House No. 69, Mayu Road, Buthidaung."
        },
        {
          "year": "2004",
          "text": "Died at his home in Buthidaung on 19 May, aged 86.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Police Inspector U Hadi was a prominent Rohingya figure who was loved, respected, and highly regarded by both Rohingya and Rakhine communities. He was also the father of U Shwe Maung, a Member of Parliament, and U Khin Maung, a high school teacher. Throughout his life, he devoted himself to serving his country and his people, even at the risk of his own life.\n\nU Hadi was born in 1918 in Bawli Bazaar (Kyein Chaung), Maungdaw Township. His full name was Abdul Hadi. He was the son of U Zaw Baw Muluk, a wealthy landowner from Mrauk-U (formerly known as Myo Haung) and a former trustee of the Sandi Khan Mosque. His father, U Zaw Baw Muluk, was a native of Myo Haung. During the First World War, he was attacked by a group of extremist Rakhine bandits and died from seven sword wounds. Following his death, U Hadi’s mother, together with other family members, temporarily relocated to Bawli Bazaar in Maungdaw. It was there that U Hadi was born. When conditions in the region improved, Abdul Hadi returned with his mother and grandmother to Myo Haung, his family’s ancestral hometown, where they settled again.\n\nAbdul Hadi received his education and grew up in Myo Haung Township. After learning from his grandmother that his father had been killed by Rakhine criminals, he developed a strong determination to combat criminals, lawbreakers, and those engaged in unlawful activities. After Burma gained independence, he joined the People’s Police Force and later became a Criminal Police Officer (CPO), having obtained his CID qualification from Insein. He began his police service at Mrauk-U Police Station and became widely known as U Hadi, the Deputy Security Officer (Sub-Inspector) of Myo Haung Police Station. He was respected and feared by people of all communities, including Rakhine and Rohingya. In 1955, he was transferred from Mrauk-U Police Station to Sittwe No. 1 Police Station, also known as the Clock Tower Police Station. While serving in Sittwe, he met and married Daw Aye Sein, also known as Aziza Begum, the granddaughter of U Hassan Thiri, a wealthy landowner from Khwa Sone in Mrauk-U.\n\nHe was subsequently transferred from Sittwe No. 1 Police Station to Maungdaw Myoma Police Station. While serving there, he played a leading role in efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region. He was later transferred to Buthidaung Myoma Police Station. While the family was living in the police quarters in Buthidaung, his son U Shwe Maung, who would later become a Member of Parliament, was born. After serving in Buthidaung for approximately seven years, U Hadi was transferred once again, this time to Kyauktaw Police Station. At that time, Kyauktaw was designated a “black area,” and communist insurgents were actively operating in the region. U Hadi fought resolutely against the communist insurgents. As they frequently attacked the police station, he also had to take on security duties with considerable courage and determination. When General Saw Phyu came to Kyauktaw for the opening ceremony of Saw Phyu Village, U Hadi took the lead in providing security for the General during the event.\n\nIn 1976, U Hadi was transferred from Kyauktaw to Ponnagyun Police Station. There were many incidents that demonstrated his courage as a police officer. One such incident occurred one night when a cooperative warehouse near Ponnagyun Market was broken into by a group of bandits led by a notorious bandit leader named Phoe Nyunt Sein. Even police officers were said to fear Phoe Nyunt Sein. He was a tall, heavily built, dark-complexioned man. Police Inspector U Hadi managed to capture him and detained him at the police station. About two days later, however, Phoe Nyunt Sein seized a rifle from a police officer who was on guard duty and escaped. The escape caused U Hadi considerable concern, and the matter became so serious that he faced the possibility of losing his position. U Hadi made a promise to the township police chief: “If I cannot recapture the bandit leader Phoe Nyunt Sein within seven days, I will resign from my position.” Police Inspector U Hadi then set out with three police officers to recapture Phoe Nyunt Sein. The following day, Pho Nyunt Sein learned that U Hadi was attending the festival at U Raz Taung Pagoda. He followed U Hadi to the festival and attempted to shoot him from behind. Fortunately, the firearm failed to discharge, and U Hadi narrowly escaped death. U Hadi immediately turned around and fired three shots from his revolver at Phoe Nyunt Sein, after which he succeeded in apprehending him.\n\nIn Ponnagyun, U Hadi also courageously served on the front lines in operations against criminals and communist insurgents. While tracking and pursuing communist insurgents, information was received that weapons had been concealed beneath the house of the township party chairman. Acting on this intelligence, a joint team comprising police officers led by U Hadi and personnel from the NIB (National Intelligence Bureau) arrested the party chairman and successfully recovered the hidden weapons. This operation earned U Hadi considerable recognition and a strong reputation. U Hadi also succeeded in bringing many of the notorious criminals and armed insurgents of that period under the authority of the law, effectively putting an end to their criminal and insurgent activities.\n\nFor U Hadi, nothing was more important than upholding the rule of law. He was a courageous officer who stood at the forefront of enforcing the law against those who violated it, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, even when doing so meant risking his own life. Police Inspector U Hadi retired from service in 1978 and moved to House No. 69, Mayu Road, Ward No. 2, Buthidaung. Having devoted his life with courage and dedication to serving his country and his people, U Hadi passed away at the age of 86 on May 19, 2004, at his home in Buthidaung, returning to Allah in accordance with His divine will.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "U Shwe Maung, Facebook page.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/abdul-hadi.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abdul-hadi.webp",
          "width": 320,
          "height": 316,
          "caption": "Police Inspector U Hadi (1918–2004): the caption printed in Burmese on the image, beside the badge of the Myanmar Police Force",
          "credit": "Marked “RohangKing” on the image"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abdul-hadi-2.webp",
          "width": 273,
          "height": 400
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abdul-hai",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-hai/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-hai/index.md",
      "name": "Abdul Hai",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "U Tun Aung Kyaw"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Rohingya politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Rohingya voice in the BSPP legislature",
      "summary": "A Rohingya political representative from northern Arakan, also known as U Tun Aung Kyaw, who was elected from Maungdaw to Burma's national legislature in 1978, during the BSPP period. Historical records identify him as the only Rohingya representative elected that year, at a time when Rohingya political participation was becoming increasingly restricted.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1978",
          "text": "Elected from Maungdaw to Burma's legislature, the only Rohingya representative elected that year.",
          "note": "Rohingya representation was later severely restricted, particularly after the 1982 Citizenship Law and the exclusion of Rohingya from later elections.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Abdul Hai, also known as U Tun Aung Kyaw, was a Rohingya political representative from northern Arakan. Historical records identify him as a member of Burma's legislature during the BSPP period. He was elected in 1978 from Maungdaw.\n\nAbdul Hai's importance comes from his representation of the Rohingya population in Burma's national legislature at a time when political participation by Rohingya communities was becoming increasingly restricted. Historical records identify him as the only Rohingya representative elected in the 1978 election, from Maungdaw. Rohingya representation was subsequently severely restricted, particularly after the 1982 Citizenship Law and the exclusion of Rohingya from later elections.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abul-khair",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abul-khair/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abul-khair/index.md",
      "name": "Abul Khair",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1919",
      "died": "2010",
      "years": "1919 – 2010",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Rohingya politician and member of Parliament for Maungdaw",
      "categories": [
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Maungdaw voice in Burma's Union Parliament",
      "summary": "A Rohingya politician from Maungdaw, born in 1919, who was elected to Burma's Union Parliament for Maungdaw during the democratic parliamentary era before the 1962 military coup. He is remembered among the Rohingya leaders who sought political representation and development for their communities, and remained a respected political figure after parliamentary politics were abolished.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1919",
          "text": "Born. He came from Maungdaw, Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Before 1962",
          "text": "Elected to Burma's Union Parliament representing Maungdaw, during the parliamentary era after independence.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "After 1962",
          "text": "Remained a respected political figure after the military takeover ended parliamentary politics."
        },
        {
          "year": "2010",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Abul Khair was a Rohingya politician from Maungdaw, Arakan, born in 1919. He became involved in public affairs and national politics during Burma's parliamentary period after independence. He was elected to Burma's Union Parliament representing Maungdaw during the democratic parliamentary era before the 1962 military coup.\n\nAs a parliamentarian, Abul Khair represented the population of northern Arakan during a period when Rohingya representatives participated in Burma's national political system. Historical accounts identify him among the Rohingya political leaders who sought political representation and development for their communities before the military takeover in 1962. He remained a respected political figure after parliamentary politics were abolished.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/abul-khair.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abul-khair-2.webp",
          "width": 508,
          "height": 600,
          "credit": "Wikimedia Commons, File:Abul_Khair_Rohingya_MP.png"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "aung-aung-sittwe",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aung-aung-sittwe/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aung-aung-sittwe/index.md",
      "name": "Aung Aung (Sittwe)",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Qasim",
        "Maung Kyaw Thein"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1967",
      "died": "2021-07-18",
      "years": "1967 – 2021",
      "birthplace": "Chin Pyan Street, Kontan Ward, Sittwe, Arakan",
      "deathplace": "Tamwe Township, Yangon",
      "place": "Sittwe, Arakan",
      "role": "Writer and human-rights activist",
      "categories": [
        "Literature",
        "Human rights",
        "Religion",
        "Translation"
      ],
      "epithet": "The writer who sacrificed his life for justice",
      "summary": "Writer, human-rights activist and Islamic scholar (Alim) from Sittwe. Under the pen name Aung Aung (Sittwe) he wrote books and essays exposing the persecution of the Rohingya, became the first Rohingya to translate the Holy Quran into Burmese, and was one of the most-followed Rohingya voices online. He died of COVID-19 in Yangon in 2021.",
      "quote": "Only those who live for the benefit of others, rather than for their own beliefs, convictions, and desires, are truly human. Being a humane person is more important than prioritizing one's race, religion, or faith.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1967",
          "text": "Born Qasim, also known as Maung Kyaw Thein, at his family home on Chin Pyan Street, Kontan Ward, Sittwe. His father, Maulana Jalaluddin, taught at Noemania School.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Student years",
          "text": "Took an MA in History at the University of Yangon and the Alim Fazil degree in Islamic studies, and joined national movements while still a student."
        },
        {
          "year": "Writings",
          "text": "Under the pen name Aung Aung (Sittwe) he wrote books, articles and critical essays on the liberation and rights of the Rohingya, among them the book \"We Need Your Help to End the Rohingya Genocide\", which he wrote and compiled before his death, and \"Irrefutable Rohingya Denial: It Is a Way to Genocide\", \"Myanmar's Most Senior Indigenous Race, Rohingya, Is Also the World's Most Persecuted\" and \"Myanmar's Crimes Against Humanity\".",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "The Quran",
          "text": "Became the first Rohingya to translate the Holy Quran into Burmese, in clear modern prose, and made it free for anyone to read as a mobile app on the Google Play Store.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Since 2012",
          "text": "Spoke up through every means he had for the Karen, Kachin, Shan and other communities facing discrimination in Myanmar, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion."
        },
        {
          "year": "Online",
          "text": "Ran his own website and blog, wrote for international websites, and was regarded as the Rohingya with the most followers on Twitter. Scholars, journalists and researchers from abroad relied on his help, and many books on the Rohingya cite his work."
        },
        {
          "year": "The pandemic",
          "text": "During the COVID-19 pandemic he criticised the government on social media for failing to protect the public and to provide enough oxygen."
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "He and his family contracted COVID-19 in early July. He died at home in Tamwe Township, Yangon, on 18 July, aged 54.",
          "note": "His last wish was that his books be sold to support orphaned children in his hometown of Sittwe.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "In accordance with his belief that the interests of his people are his own interests, and the interests of his country are his own, Aung Aung (Sittwe) devoted his entire life to opposing injustice and making sacrifices in the pursuit of justice. Most people know him primarily as a writer and a human rights activist.\n\nHis achievements and contributions go far beyond these titles. These are merely the aspects of his life that he has allowed the public to know. There are many other remarkable qualities and accomplishments hidden behind the scenes. One of the most distinctive is that he is also a highly knowledgeable Islamic scholar (Alim). He consistently devoted himself to humanitarian work, considering his efforts to serve humanity not merely as acts of goodwill, but as his personal duty and responsibility.\n\nAung Aung (Sittwe) was born in 1967 at his family home on Chin Pyan Street, Kontan Ward, Sittwe, Arakan State. His father was Maulana Jalaluddin, a teacher at Noemania School. His birth name was Qasim, also known as Maung Kyaw Thein.\n\nMaung Kyaw Thein received his basic education in Sittwe. From an early age, he was known for his intelligence and deep love for religion. Therefore, while pursuing his secular education, he also studied and acquired religious knowledge simultaneously. He pursued his higher education at the University of Yangon, where he majored in History and obtained a Master of Arts degree (MA in History). He also earned the Alim Fazil degree in Islamic studies.\n\nDriven by his strong sense of nationalism and love for his country, Maung Kyaw Thein became involved in national movements from his student days. He wrote numerous books, articles, and critical essays under the pen name Aung Aung (Sittwe), focusing on the liberation and rights of the Rohingya people. The book We Need Your Help to End the Rohingya Genocide was among the works he wrote and compiled before his death.\n- Irrefutable Rohingya Denial: It Is a Way to Genocide\n- Myanmar's Most Senior Indigenous Race, Rohingya, Is Also the World's Most Persecuted\n- Myanmar's Crimes Against Humanity\n\nThrough these publications, he exposed the persecution and suffering endured by the Rohingya people to the international community and sought justice for them.\n\nHe did not stand up for the Rohingya people alone. Since 2012, he had also been firmly advocating for justice through every possible means for ethnic communities such as the Karen, Kachin, and Shan, who have faced discrimination, oppression, and the denial of their rights within Myanmar, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or religion.\n\nFurthermore, he also devoted himself to the promotion and development of Islam. One of his most invaluable contributions was translating the Holy Quran into clear, simple, and easily understandable modern Burmese prose. He was also the first Rohingya to translate the Holy Quran into the Burmese language. His dedication and generosity seemed to know no bounds. He made his Burmese translation of the Holy Quran available as a mobile application on the Google Play Store, allowing anyone to download, read, and study it free of charge. He also compiled and published other religious books and literature, striving to guide those who had lost their way towards the right path.\n\nHe was also highly active in advocating for the Rohingya cause through popular internet and social media platforms. He could be considered one of the most active Rohingya activists in the online world. He established his own website and blog under the name Aung Aung Sittwe, where he published numerous articles on national issues, the struggle for rights, and standing in solidarity with oppressed communities. He also contributed extensively to international websites. On social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, he regularly published articles and shared reliable news and information from inside Myanmar, earning the trust and confidence of his followers. He was even regarded as the Rohingya with the largest number of followers on Twitter.\n\nHe also regularly assisted international scholars, media organizations, and researchers with their projects related to the Rohingya issue. Through these contributions, he earned the trust and respect of many international academics and researchers. Numerous books and publications on the Rohingya written by foreign authors also contain references to the work and research of Aung Aung (Sittwe).\n\nDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, he strongly criticized the Myanmar government on social media, accusing it of neglecting its responsibility to protect and care for the public and failing to provide sufficient oxygen cylinders. He highlighted how people were dying in large numbers along roadsides and in public places due to the lack of essential medical assistance. He also accused the government of using the pandemic as a weapon against its own people.\n\nThe pandemic also affected Aung Aung (Sittwe) and his family. On July 5–6, he and all members of his family contracted COVID-19.\n\nAung Aung's condition became critical on the evening of July 13, when he had to rely on an oxygen supply to breathe. Without access to adequate medical treatment, his health continued to deteriorate day by day, and he never recovered. On July 18, 2021, at 4:40 a.m., the writer passed away at his home on 144th Street, Tamwe Township, Yangon Region, at the age of 54, answering the call of Allah. He left this world without being able to completely free the oppressed Rohingya people from the cycle of persecution and suffering. With his passing, the Rohingya community lost a courageous and dedicated warrior for justice and truth. His final wish was to have his books sold and to use whatever money was raised from their sales to support orphaned children in his hometown of Sittwe. Before his death, he entrusted this final wish to one of his closest friends.\n\n\n*— Luthu Wunna, 3 April 2023*",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Luthu Wunna, biography of Aung Aung (Sittwe), 3 April 2023 (compiled from internet sources).",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/aung-aung-sittwe.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/aung-aung-sittwe.webp",
          "width": 640,
          "height": 724
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "aung-kyaw-moe",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aung-kyaw-moe/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aung-kyaw-moe/index.md",
      "name": "Aung Kyaw Moe",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1983",
      "years": "Born 1983",
      "birthplace": "Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Rakhine State",
      "role": "Deputy Minister for Human Rights, National Unity Government",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Rohingya voice in the National Unity Government",
      "summary": "Aung Kyaw Moe is a Rohingya politician and human rights advocate from Maungdaw who serves as Deputy Minister for Human Rights in Myanmar's National Unity Government (NUG), the parallel civilian government formed in opposition to the military junta. Appointed on 30 June 2023, he was the first Rohingya person to serve in a ministerial position in the NUG. In 2017 he founded the Center for Social Integrity, a Myanmar-based humanitarian organization that defends the rights of marginalized communities, especially the Rohingya.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1983",
          "text": "Born in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, where he experienced structural discrimination against Rohingya communities from an early age.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Education",
          "text": "Completed a Bachelor's degree in Yangon and later a Master's degree at Deakin University in Australia; he also took part in leadership programs with the United States Institute of Peace and the Dalai Lama Fellowship."
        },
        {
          "year": "Career",
          "text": "Worked for over 15 years with international NGOs and agencies in countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan and Liberia, on human rights, conflict resolution and humanitarian assistance."
        },
        {
          "year": "2017",
          "text": "Founded the Center for Social Integrity, a humanitarian organization dedicated to building peace, promoting pluralism and defending the rights of marginalized communities, especially the Rohingya.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "Shortly after the military coup, he was appointed human rights adviser to the NUG, where he helped shape inclusive policies and advocated for Rohingya inclusion in national political processes."
        },
        {
          "year": "2023",
          "text": "On 30 June he was appointed Deputy Minister for Human Rights, the first Rohingya person to serve in a ministerial position in the NUG.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Advocacy",
          "text": "Has spoken internationally, including at the University of Toronto, about inclusive democracy, Rohingya rights and a federal, pluralistic Myanmar; he publicly applauded Bangladesh's support for Rohingya refugees."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Aung Kyaw Moe is a Rohingya politician, human rights advocate, and the Deputy Minister for Human Rights in the Myanmar National Unity Government (NUG) — the parallel civilian government formed in opposition to the military junta. He was born in 1983 in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar, where he experienced structural discrimination against Rohingya communities from an early age.\n\nHe completed a Bachelor’s degree in Yangon and later earned a Master’s degree from Deakin University in Australia. He also participated in leadership programs with the United States Institute of Peace and the Dalai Lama Fellowship, building skills for peace, pluralism, and human rights work.\n\nAung Kyaw Moe has worked with international NGOs and agencies across multiple countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan, and Liberia for over 15 years, focusing on human rights, conflict resolution, and humanitarian assistance.\n\nIn 2017, he founded the Center for Social Integrity, a Myanmar-based humanitarian organization dedicated to building peace, promoting pluralism, and defending the rights of marginalized communities, especially Rohingya.\n\nIn 2021, shortly after the military coup in Myanmar, Aung Kyaw Moe was appointed human rights adviser to the NUG, where he helped shape inclusive policies and advocated for Rohingya inclusion in national political processes. On 30 June 2023, he was appointed Deputy Minister for Human Rights, making him the first Rohingya person to serve in a ministerial position in the NUG.\n\nHe has spoken internationally, including at academic panels such as at the University of Toronto, about inclusive democracy, Rohingya rights, and the need for a federal, pluralistic Myanmar. He publicly applauded Bangladesh’s support for Rohingya refugees and urged their concerns be integrated into Myanmar’s broader democratic movement.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/aung-kyaw-moe.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/aung-kyaw-moe-2.webp",
          "width": 832,
          "height": 773,
          "credit": "DVB (english.dvb.no); credited to the NUG Ministry of Human Rights"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "aung-zaw-win",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aung-zaw-win/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aung-zaw-win/index.md",
      "name": "Aung Zaw Win",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Businessman, politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Business"
      ],
      "epithet": "Raising Maungdaw's questions in Parliament",
      "summary": "A Rohingya businessman and politician who represented Maungdaw in Myanmar's Union Parliament, elected in the 2010 general election and serving in the Upper House during the 2011–2016 parliamentary period. In September 2011 he raised a parliamentary question on the issuing of national registration cards to Maungdaw residents.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "2010",
          "text": "Elected in the general election as an Upper House representative for Maungdaw, serving in the Union Parliament from 2011 to 2016.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2011",
          "text": "In September, raised a question in Parliament about issuing national registration cards to Maungdaw residents."
        },
        {
          "year": "In office",
          "text": "Met local residents in Maungdaw to discuss development and identification issues."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Aung Zaw Win is a Rohingya businessman and politician who served as a member of Myanmar's Parliament representing Maungdaw. He was elected during the 2010 general election and served in the Union Parliament during the 2011–2016 parliamentary period. Contemporary reporting identifies him as an Upper House representative from Maungdaw.\n\nDuring his parliamentary period, Aung Zaw Win raised issues concerning Maungdaw residents. Parliamentary records cited in academic research show that he raised a question concerning the issuance of national registration cards to Maungdaw residents in September 2011. He also met local residents in Maungdaw and discussed development and identification issues.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/aung-zaw-win.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/aung-zaw-win-2.webp",
          "width": 500,
          "height": 466,
          "credit": "X (Twitter) profile picture"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "b-a-jafar",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/b-a-jafar/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/b-a-jafar/index.md",
      "name": "B. A. Jafar",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Mohammed Jafar Habib"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1939",
      "died": "1987-11-06",
      "years": "c. 1939 – 1987",
      "birthplace": "Ali Yaung (Ale Chaung) Village, Buthidaung Township, Arakan",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Revolutionary leader",
      "categories": [
        "Resistance movement",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "An unfading star of the Rohingya resistance",
      "summary": "A notable leader of the Rohingya resistance movement. Born Mohammed Jafar Habib in Buthidaung Township around 1939, he studied at Rangoon University, co-founded the Rohingya Students Organisation, and turned down a life in the United States to resist General Ne Win's military dictatorship. He helped found the Rohingya Independence Front in 1964, led the Rohingya Patriotic Front from 1973, and worked to bring the persecution of the Rohingya to international attention.",
      "quote": "To rebel against and resist evil is to obey the command of God.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "c. 1939",
          "text": "Born around 1939 in Ali Yaung (Ale Chaung) Village, Buthidaung Township, into a wealthy and well-educated family; his father was Habibuz Zaman.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1961 – 62",
          "text": "Represented the Mayu region in the Arakan Muslim Students' Association of Rangoon University. While at university he also worked as a translator at the Egyptian Embassy."
        },
        {
          "year": "1962",
          "text": "With other Rohingya students he founded the Rohingya Students Organisation (RSO) in March and became its vice-president. That year he earned his B.A. in Philosophy, Political Science and Modern History, and joined the student protests of 7 July.",
          "note": "Two years later he was elected the organisation's president.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1964",
          "text": "On 26 April, after a solemn pledge at the old mosque of Mayong Khali Market, he and fellow patriots took a blood oath and founded the Rohingya Independence Front (RIF), with Saya Gyi Sultan as its leader. It began by resisting the dictatorship through non-violent means.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "After 1964",
          "text": "Declined a promising chance to emigrate to the United States, and travelled to Pakistan as the RIF's representative, where he met President Ayub Khan and presented accounts of discrimination and human-rights violations in Burma."
        },
        {
          "year": "1971",
          "text": "Concluding that non-violent resistance had not achieved its aims, he and his RIF colleagues joined Jafar Sani's Mujahid Party in armed resistance. To tell the two Jafars apart, he became known as \"B. A. Jafar\"."
        },
        {
          "year": "1973",
          "text": "Early in the year the Communist Party and the Burmese military jointly launched a surprise attack on the headquarters in Rathedaung; after months of fighting, the resistance forces withdrew from their positions one by one.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1973",
          "text": "After he, Jafar Sani and Mayu Rashid agreed to reorganise and modernise the resistance, the Rohingya Patriotic Front (RPF) was established on 12 September with him as its leader.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1974",
          "text": "Educated young men pledged themselves to the RPF, among them Saya Shabbir Hussein, the lawyer Nurul Islam, Dr. Yunus and Professor Khin Maung — some of whom later led resistance organisations of their own."
        },
        {
          "year": "1978",
          "text": "During the Nagamin (Dragon King) Operation, which drove large numbers of Rohingya from their homes, he worked to draw the world's attention to the persecution through publications such as \"Rohingyas' Outcry and Demands\" and \"Genocide in Burma Against the Muslims of Arakan\", and through reports to international human-rights bodies.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "After 1978",
          "text": "Travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet Muslim leaders from around the world, and on his return reconciled an internal revolt within the RPF. When vice-president Shabbir Hussein later took over the leadership, he rallied the comrades who stayed loyal and reorganised the RPF."
        },
        {
          "year": "1987",
          "text": "Died of hepatitis on 6 November, still committed to the movement.",
          "note": "His example inspired and nurtured a new generation of Rohingya activists and resistance leaders.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "In the history of the Rohingya resistance movement, three prominent leaders bearing the name Jafar emerged, each distinguished by both courage and wisdom. Among them, B. A. Jafar was a notable revolutionary leader. He sought to reform the traditional approach to resistance through new ideas and perspectives, laying the foundation for a modern revolutionary movement. He courageously resisted what he regarded as an oppressive military dictatorship and devoted his entire life to the cause of his people.\n\nB. A. Jafar was born around 1939 in Ali Yaung (Ale Chaung) Village, Buthidaung Township. His full name was Mohammed Jafar Habib, and his father was Habibuz Zaman. He came from a wealthy and well-educated family. His paternal uncle, Ashraf Zaman Chowdhry, was also a prominent and highly respected figure in Buthidaung Township.\n\nJafar received his basic education in Moni Bil and Buthidaung. He completed his intermediate studies at Notre Dame College in Dhaka, East Pakistan. He then went to Rangoon to pursue higher education and attended Rangoon University, where he studied Philosophy, Political Science, and Modern History, earning a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 1962. Jafar actively participated in the student protests of July 7, 1962. He subsequently continued his studies toward a Bachelor of Laws (B.L.) degree. However, before completing the program, he left university and chose the path of resistance against the dictatorship.\n\nWhile studying at Rangoon University in 1961–62, Jafar was appointed as the representative for the Mayu region in the Arakan Muslim Students’ Association of Rangoon University. In addition, Jafar and other Rohingya students took the initiative to establish the Rohingya Students Organisation (RSO) in March 1962. Jafar became the vice-president of the organization, while Hussein Qasim was elected president. Two years later, when a new election for the presidency was held, Jafar was elected president of the organization, and Saya Shabbir Hussein was appointed vice-president. While studying at Rangoon University, Jafar also worked as a translator at the Egyptian Embassy.\n\nIn 1964, Jafar returned to Buthidaung to attend the wedding of his cousin, Abu Sufian. At the wedding, Jafar met Shuna Ali of Dabyu Chaung, Saya Gyi Nazir Ahmad, and Dr. Zahid Hussein. They went to the nearby Sikandar Dargah, where they sat together and discussed the country’s deteriorating situation. They came to a common belief that a resistance movement needed to be initiated in response to the worsening conditions. The following day, they left for Maungdaw to meet and consult with other patriotic figures, including Saya Gyi Sultan. During their discussions, they agreed to resist the military dictatorship by whatever means were available to them. They then travelled to Mayong Khali Market, where they performed the Asr prayer at the old market mosque and made a solemn pledge. On April 26, 1964, they took a blood oath and launched a new phase of the Rohingya resistance movement. The organization was named the Rohingya Independence Front (RIF), and the title given to its leader was “Grand Raja.” Saya Gyi Sultan was chosen as its leader. As Jafar was still relatively young, leadership was entrusted to the respected and experienced elder, Saya Gyi Sultan. The organization initially began its resistance to the military dictatorship through non-violent means. Its stated objectives were to oppose what it regarded as oppressive rule, to work together with other ethnic groups to bring an end to General Ne Win’s authoritarian system, and to restore the rights that the Rohingya people had lost.\n\nAfter his cousin’s wedding had concluded, Jafar returned to Rangoon. Upon his return, the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) government banned Urdu-language newspapers, and as a result, Jafar also lost his translation job. The Ministry of Religious Affairs had previously provided 65,000 kyats in financial support to the Muslim Students’ Association, but this funding was subsequently withdrawn by Brigadier General Kyaw Soe. Jafar therefore worked tirelessly alongside Syed Anwar Azim, Vice-President of the Rangoon University Muslim Students’ Association (RUMSA), to secure advertisements and raise funds for RUMSA’s annual magazine. The two shared similar political convictions: both believed in the democratic path and strongly opposed all forms of dictatorship. They also worked persistently to seek the relaxation of government restrictions imposed on Muslim students at Rangoon University.\n\nWhile Jafar was in Rangoon, he received a promising opportunity to immigrate to the United States. He was also closely acquainted with Dr. Tin Maung, also known as Abul Hussein, a nuclear scientist residing in the United States. When Dr. Tin Maung returned to Rangoon after earning his doctorate, the Rohingya Students Organisation invited him to a formal ceremony held in his honor. In addition, Jafar’s relatives living in the United States invited him to move there and expressed their willingness to provide him with the assistance and financial support he would need. With their support, it would have been relatively easy for Jafar to settle in the United States. However, rather than pursuing what could have been a promising future for himself, Jafar chose to give priority to what he saw as a greater cause: helping his people and his country escape the military dictatorship’s unjust oppression.\n\nAfter returning from Rangoon, Jafar married his childhood sweetheart and lifelong companion, the daughter of Ashraf Zaman Chowdhry. Subsequently, by decision of the organization, Jafar travelled to Pakistan as a representative of the Rohingya Independence Front (RIF).\n\nHe met Pakistani President Ayub Khan and presented accounts of ethnic discrimination and human-rights violations in Burma. He also requested assistance for Burmese citizens involved in opposition to the military dictatorship. Jafar also met General Ziaur Rahman, who would later become President of Bangladesh, and discussed with him allegations of oppression and mistreatment of the population by Ne Win’s government in Burma. He requested that Pakistan exert pressure on Burma’s military government.\n\nAfter concluding that non-violent resistance against the military dictatorship had not achieved its objectives, Jafar and his RIF colleagues joined Jafar Sani’s Mujahid Party in 1971 and began an armed resistance. Since the leader of the Mujahid Party was also named Jafar Sani, Mohammed Jafar Habib came to be known distinctly as “B. A. Jafar” to avoid confusion between the two men. Under an RIF initiative, Mayu Rashid, also known as Ba Maung, and Molvi Kabir were sent to Thailand to meet and hold discussions with former Prime Minister U Nu, who was then seeking to remove Ne Win from power.\n\nIn early 1973, the Communist Party and the Burmese military jointly launched a surprise attack on Jafar’s headquarters in Rathedaung. The Rakhine Communist Party had previously been allied with Jafar Sani. However, it broke the alliance and joined forces with the Burmese military to attack the Mujahid group. The fighting continued for several months, with heavy casualties on both sides. In the initial stages, Jafar’s forces gained the upper hand. Later, however, the Burmese armed forces brought in reinforcements and intensified their offensive. As a result, Jafar’s forces were gradually forced to withdraw, one by one, from the bases and positions they had been holding.\n\nAround the middle of 1973, B. A. Jafar, Jafar Sani, and Mayu Rashid held a three-way discussion and agreed that the time had come to reorganize and modernize the existing resistance movement in accordance with contemporary military strategies.\n\nOn September 12, 1973, the Rohingya Patriotic Front (RPF) was established under the leadership of B. A. Jafar, who was appointed as the leader of the organization.\n\nIn 1974, several more educated young men pledged their allegiance to Jafar’s organization. Among those who joined were Saya Shabbir Hussein, lawyer Nurul Islam, Dr. Yunus, and Professor Khin Maung, some of whom would later become leaders of resistance organizations themselves.\n\nDuring the 1978 Nagamin (Dragon King) Operation, when large numbers of Rohingya were forcibly displaced, many young people joined Jafar’s organization, and the Rohingya Patriotic Front (RPF) grew stronger than before. Jafar worked to draw international attention to what he regarded as the intentions of Ne Win’s government behind the 1978 Nagamin Operation. Through publications such as Rohingyas’ Outcry and Demands and Genocide in Burma Against the Muslims of Arakan, he sought to bring international attention to the systematic repression and persecution of the Rohingya and to present their demands to the wider world. He also submitted reports to international human-rights bodies in an effort to seek justice for the Rohingya. In addition, he sent representatives to a World Muslim Conference held in Malaysia.\n\nAfter 1978, Jafar travelled to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Muslim leaders from around the world, including Muslim leaders from the Philippines. Upon his return from Saudi Arabia, an internal revolt broke out within the Rohingya Patriotic Front (RPF). Jafar, however, succeeded in reconciling and reorganizing those within the movement who had developed disagreements.\n\nAs the RPF began to regain its strength, another internal power struggle arose over the leadership of the organization. Vice-President Shabbir Hussein, also known as U Maung Tin, removed Jafar and assumed control of the leadership. Jafar then rallied the comrades who remained loyal to him and reorganized the RPF. He appointed Dalil Ahmad as the military commander.\n\nB. A. Jafar’s selfless involvement in the resistance movement inspired and nurtured a new generation of young activists who would later dedicate, and in some cases sacrifice, their lives for the Rohingya people. His movement also helped produce a new generation of resistance leaders. While striving to realize his dream of the “liberation of the Rohingya people,” Jafar passed away from hepatitis on November 6, 1987, before he could see that dream fulfilled. Until his final breath, B. A. Jafar remained steadfastly committed to the national resistance movement and worked tirelessly for its cause. In the history of the Rohingya resistance movement, B. A. Jafar will forever be remembered as an unfading star whose legacy continues to shine.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Jilani, A. F. K. (1999). The Rohingyas of Arakan: Their Quest for Justice. Ahmed Jilani.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Siddique, M. (n.d.). Akaabere Arakan (Urdu version).",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/b-a-jafar.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/b-a-jafar.webp",
          "width": 540,
          "height": 614
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "chit-lwin",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/chit-lwin/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/chit-lwin/index.md",
      "name": "Chit Lwin",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Ebrahim",
        "Chit Lwin Ebrahim",
        "U Ebrahim"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1946",
      "years": "Born 1946",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Rakhine State",
      "role": "Politician and lawyer",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Law"
      ],
      "epithet": "Elected in 1990, barred in 1992",
      "summary": "A Rohingya lawyer, accountant and politician from Maungdaw who, as a leading figure of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), won the Maungdaw-1 constituency in the 1990 general election with 20,045 votes, one of only four Rohingya MPs elected nationwide. As chairman of the NDPHR he worked for Rohingya representation, equality and citizenship rights through peaceful, democratic means, until the military junta banned the party and barred its leaders from politics in 1992.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1946",
          "text": "Born.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1967",
          "text": "Earned a Bachelor of Commerce."
        },
        {
          "year": "Career",
          "text": "Qualified as a certified accountant and as a lawyer, and practised at the High Court of Rangoon."
        },
        {
          "year": "Late 1980s",
          "text": "Became a leading figure in the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), the main Rohingya political party of the time, and served as its chairman."
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "Won the Maungdaw-1 constituency in the general election with 20,045 votes, one of only four Rohingya MPs elected nationwide.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1992",
          "text": "The military junta banned the NDPHR and barred its leaders from politics.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Chit Lwin Ebrahim, also known as U Ebrahim, is a prominent Rohingya lawyer, accountant, and politician from Maungdaw, northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. Born in 1946, he earned a Bachelor of Commerce in 1967 and later qualified as a certified accountant and lawyer, practicing at the High Court of Rangoon.\n\nEbrahim's political career began in the late 1980s as a leading figure in the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), the main Rohingya political party at the time. In the 1990 Myanmar General Election, he contested and won the Maungdaw-1 Constituency with 20,045 votes, becoming one of only four Rohingya Members of Parliament elected nationwide. As Chairman of the NDPHR, Ebrahim worked to promote Rohingya representation, equality, and citizenship rights through peaceful and democratic means. However, the military junta banned the NDPHR and barred its leaders from politics in 1992.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Ullah, Aman. 1990 Multi-Party Democracy General Elections and The Rohingyas’ Enfranchisement.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/chit-lwin.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/chit-lwin-2.webp",
          "width": 403,
          "height": 504,
          "credit": "Blogger (blogger.googleusercontent.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "daulat-kazi",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/daulat-kazi/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/daulat-kazi/index.md",
      "name": "Daulat Kazi",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1600",
      "died": "1638",
      "years": "1600 – 1638",
      "birthplace": "Sultanpur, Chittagong region (now Bangladesh)",
      "place": "Sultanpur, Chittagong",
      "role": "Royal poet of the Mrauk U court",
      "categories": [
        "Poetry",
        "Literature"
      ],
      "epithet": "One of the earliest Bengali poets of the Arakan court",
      "summary": "A Bengali poet of the royal court of the Mrauk U kingdom in Arakan, born in 1600 in Sultanpur in the Chittagong region, who moved to Arakan seeking recognition for his literary talent. Under the patronage of Ashraf Khan, a Sufi officer of King Thiri Thudhamma, he began Satimayna Lor Chandrani, a Bengali verse adaptation of Avadhi folk narratives, which the poet Alaol completed after his death in 1638.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1600",
          "text": "Born in Sultanpur, in the Chittagong region.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Arakan",
          "text": "Moved to Arakan, seeking recognition for his literary talent."
        },
        {
          "year": "Mrauk U court",
          "text": "With the patronage of Ashraf Khan, a Sufi officer under King Thiri Thudhamma (reigned 1622–1638), began composing Satimayna Lor Chandrani, adapting Avadhi folk narratives into Bengali verse.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1638",
          "text": "Died before completing the work, which was later finished by the poet Alaol.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Daulat Kazi was a distinguished Bengali poet who served in the royal court of the Mrauk U Kingdom (present-day Rakhine State, Myanmar). Born in 1600 in Sultanpur, Chittagong region (now Bangladesh), he moved to Arakan seeking recognition for his literary talent.\n\nUnder the patronage of Ashraf Khan, a Sufi officer under King Thiri Thudhamma (reigned 1622–1638), Daulat Kazi began composing Satimayna Lor Chandrani, an adaptation of Avadhi folk narratives into Bengali verse. He passed away in 1638 before completing it, and the work was later finished by the poet Alaol.\n\nDaulat Kazi is remembered as one of the earliest Bengali poets in the Arakan court, contributing to the rich cultural and literary heritage of medieval Arakan. His works represent a significant fusion of Bengali literary traditions and Arakanese patronage.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "zohra-begum",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/zohra-begum/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/zohra-begum/index.md",
      "name": "Daw Zohra Begum",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Daw Aye Nyunt",
        "Zura Begum"
      ],
      "gender": "female",
      "born": "1919-04-10",
      "died": "1990",
      "years": "1919 – 1990",
      "birthplace": "Rupah Quarter, Akyab (now Sittwe), Arakan",
      "place": "Sittwe, Arakan",
      "role": "Member of the Union Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "A trailblazer for women in Arakan's politics",
      "summary": "A Rohingya politician from Akyab (now Sittwe), Arakan, who in the 1951–52 elections won the Maungdaw South seat in the Union Parliament with over 75% of the vote. She became one of only two women in the Union Parliament, alongside Khin Kyi, and the first female MP from Arakan, and is celebrated as a trailblazer for women's political participation in Arakan. Her Islamic name was Zohra Begum and her Burmese name Aye Nyunt.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1919",
          "text": "Born on 10 April in Rupah Quarter, Akyab, the daughter of Daw Ma Ma and U Po Khine, a prominent Rohingya community leader and President of the All Burma Muslim Congress.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1937",
          "text": "Educated at St. Anne's Convent and Akyab Government High School, she passed the university entrance exam. She began pre-medical studies, then transferred to a teacher's college."
        },
        {
          "year": "1951 – 52",
          "text": "Elected Member of Parliament for Maungdaw South with over 75% of the vote, becoming one of only two women in the Union Parliament, alongside Khin Kyi, and the first female MP from Arakan.",
          "note": "Her father, U Po Khine, was elected MP for Akyab North, and her husband, Sultan Ahmed, was elected from Maungdaw North and served as a parliamentary secretary.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1956",
          "text": "Lost her seat to the Rohingya police officer Abul Khair.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Daw Zohra Begum, also known as Daw Aye Nyunt, was a pioneering Rohingya politician from Akyab (now Sittwe), Arakan, Myanmar. Born on 10 April 1919 in Rupah Quarter, she was the daughter of U Po Khine, a prominent Rohingya community leader and President of the All Burma Muslim Congress, and Daw Ma Ma. She completed her early education at St. Anne’s Convent and Akyab Government High School, passing the university entrance exam in 1937. She initially pursued pre-medical studies before transferring to a teacher’s college.\n\nIn the 1951–52 parliamentary elections, Daw Zohra Begum was elected as Member of Parliament for Maungdaw South, winning over 75% of the vote. She became one of only two women in the Union Parliament—alongside Khin Kyi, and the first female MP from Arakan. Her father, U Po Khine, was elected as MP for Akyab North, and her husband, Sultan Ahmed, was elected from Maungdaw North and served as a parliamentary secretary.\n\nShe served in the Union Parliament until 1956, when she lost her seat to Rohingya police officer Abul Khair. Daw Zohra Begum remains celebrated as a trailblazer for women’s political participation in Arakan and a historic representative of the Rohingya community in national politics.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Constantine, Greg. (2024). “They Did Not Deny Us.” In Ek Khaale: Once Upon A Time.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Dhaka Tribune. (2017, September 15). The 17 Rohingya, including a woman, in the Burmese parliament.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/zohra-begum.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/zohra-begum-2.webp",
          "width": 202,
          "height": 265,
          "credit": "Wikimedia Commons, File:Aye_Nyunt_(Zura_Begum).jpg"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abdu-rahim",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdu-rahim/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdu-rahim/index.md",
      "name": "Dr. Abdu Rahim",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Dr. Chit Maung"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Rohingya politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "Maungdaw's member of the 1974 Hluttaw",
      "summary": "A Rohingya political figure, also known as Dr. Chit Maung, who represented Maungdaw in the 1974 Hluttaw during the BSPP period. His election shows that Rohingya representatives still held parliamentary seats in the early years of BSPP rule.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1974",
          "text": "Member of the Hluttaw, representing Maungdaw.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Dr. Abdu Rahim, also known as Dr. Chit Maung, was a Rohingya political figure who represented Maungdaw during the BSPP period. Historical records identify him as a member of the 1974 Hluttaw, representing Maungdaw.\n\nRahim's political significance comes from his participation in Burma's national political system as a representative from a Rohingya-majority area. His election in 1974 demonstrates that Rohingya representatives continued to hold parliamentary positions during the early BSPP period.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abdullah-maruf-al-arkani",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdullah-maruf-al-arkani/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdullah-maruf-al-arkani/index.md",
      "name": "Dr. Abdullah Ma’ruf Al-Arkani",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Abdullah Maroof Arakani"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "birthplace": "Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar",
      "place": "Arakan",
      "role": "Rohingya activist and representative to the OIC",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "Representing the Rohingya at the OIC",
      "summary": "A Rohingya activist and community leader from Arakan, best known as the official representative of the Rohingya minority to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He founded the Rohingya Global Center in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and served as deputy head of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), working to unite Rohingya voices in the diaspora.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Origins",
          "text": "Born in Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Arakan Rohingya Union",
          "text": "As deputy head of the ARU, worked to unify Rohingya voices in the diaspora and to promote the Rohingya issue on global platforms."
        },
        {
          "year": "OIC",
          "text": "Served as the official representative of the Rohingya minority to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Makkah",
          "text": "Founded the Rohingya Global Center, based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Abdullah Maroof Arakani is a prominent Rohingya activist and community leader.\n\nHe was born in Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar. As a Rohingya, he has been deeply involved in international advocacy for the rights of his people. He is best known for his role as the official representative of the Rohingya minority to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He also founded the Rohingya Global Center based in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.\n\nAbdullah Maroof served as the deputy head of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU). Through this position, he worked on unifying Rohingya voices in the diaspora and promoting the Rohingya issue at global platforms.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/abdullah-maruf-al-arkani.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abdullah-maruf-al-arkani-2.webp",
          "width": 400,
          "height": 400,
          "credit": "Post on X by Turki Shalhoub"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "wakar-uddin",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/wakar-uddin/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/wakar-uddin/index.md",
      "name": "Dr. Wakar Uddin",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "died": "2022-04-29",
      "years": "c. 1960s – 2022",
      "birthplace": "Maungdaw, Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar",
      "deathplace": "Baltimore, Maryland, USA",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Academic, activist and Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights",
        "Education",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Rohingya voice on the international stage",
      "summary": "Dr. Wakar Uddin was a Rohingya academic and activist from Maungdaw, Arakan, who advocated for the rights of the Rohingya people on the international stage. A professor at Pennsylvania State University, he was the founding chairman of the Burmese Rohingya Association of North America and president of Muslim Aid America, and as Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) he engaged the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Rohingya human rights. He died in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2022.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "c. 1960s",
          "text": "Born in Maungdaw, Arakan (Rakhine State).",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Education",
          "text": "Pursued higher education abroad and earned a doctorate in the United States."
        },
        {
          "year": "Career",
          "text": "Served as a professor at Pennsylvania State University."
        },
        {
          "year": "Advocacy",
          "text": "As founding chairman of the Burmese Rohingya Association of North America and president of Muslim Aid America, he worked to support Rohingya communities globally."
        },
        {
          "year": "Director General",
          "text": "Appointed Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU). In this role he engaged international institutions, including the United Nations and the OIC, advocating for Rohingya human rights and seeking international intervention against abuses in Myanmar.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2019",
          "text": "Several Rohingya organizations issued a joint statement calling for reforms in the ARU leadership, saying some of his actions and decisions did not fully represent Rohingya interests.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2022",
          "text": "Died on 29 April in Baltimore, Maryland, while receiving treatment at Johns Hopkins University Hospital.",
          "note": "Rohingya organizations and activists mourned him and acknowledged his efforts to promote peace and social harmony in Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Dr. Wakar Uddin was a prominent Rohingya academic and activist dedicated to advocating for the rights of the Rohingya people on the international stage. Born in Maungdaw, Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar, he pursued higher education abroad and established himself as a respected scholar.\n\nHe earned a doctorate in the United States and served as a professor at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Uddin was the founding chairman of the Burmese Rohingya Association of North America and president of Muslim Aid America, through which he worked to support Rohingya communities globally.\n\nDr. Uddin was appointed Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), an organization recognized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as the official representative body of the Rohingya people. In this role, he engaged with international institutions, including the United Nations and OIC, advocating for Rohingya human rights and seeking international intervention against abuses in Myanmar.\n\nDespite his official position, Dr. Uddin faced criticism and opposition from some Rohingya groups. In 2019, multiple Rohingya organizations issued a joint statement calling for reforms in the ARU leadership, expressing concerns that some of his actions and decisions did not fully represent Rohingya interests.\n\nDr. Wakar Uddin passed away on 29 April 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, while receiving treatment at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. His death was mourned by Rohingya organizations and activists who acknowledged his efforts to promote peace and social harmony in Arakan.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (n.d.). Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) – Dr. Wakar Uddin profile and statements.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU). (2022). Condolence message on the passing of Dr. Wakar Uddin.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Burmese Rohingya Association of North America (BRANA). (n.d.). Leadership and organizational history.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Muslim Aid America. (n.d.). About Muslim Aid America and leadership.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "OIC-OCI. (n.d.). Engagement with Rohingya representatives.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/wakar-uddin.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/wakar-uddin-2.webp",
          "width": 512,
          "height": 512,
          "credit": "Narinjara (narinjara.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "marakan",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/marakan/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/marakan/index.md",
      "name": "E. Kader Marakan",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Marakan",
        "Maracan"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "Colonial era",
      "place": "Sittwe, Arakan",
      "role": "Merchant, barrister and philanthropist",
      "categories": [
        "Business",
        "Philanthropy",
        "Public service",
        "Law"
      ],
      "epithet": "The wealthiest man in Sittwe",
      "summary": "Barrister-at-law, Municipal Commissioner and the leading businessman of colonial-era Sittwe. He ran cargo, trading and shipping concerns on which more than a thousand people depended, carried coal and petroleum under government contract, and came from a famously generous family: his father paid for the hospital's expansion and built schools and mosques.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1850s",
          "text": "His father, the philanthropist E. S. Maracan, came to Sittwe from Karaikal, Pondicherry, around the 1850s.",
          "note": "At his own expense the father later expanded the main building of the General Hospital and built a mosque and an English school.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1906",
          "text": "Became a Municipal Commissioner of Sittwe. He also served as an Honorary Magistrate.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Anjuman",
          "text": "Vice-President of the Arakan Anjuman-i-Islamia (founded in 1909) and a member of the governing board of Sittwe Government High School."
        },
        {
          "year": "Commerce",
          "text": "Ran cargo handling, general trading and commission agency businesses; owned a large ship and fifteen cargo vessels of 50 to 60 tons; and, as sub-agent of the Burma Oil Co., carried and exported coal and petroleum under government contract. More than a thousand people depended on his businesses.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "The estate",
          "text": "Took over the family estate, valued at more than 300,000 rupees, and handed his father's school to the Municipal Committee; it was renamed E. S. Maracan's Anglo-Vernacular School.",
          "note": "It is said that the land of U Ottama Park in Sittwe was donated by the Marakan family."
        },
        {
          "year": "1936",
          "text": "His eldest son, [E. G. S. (Gani) Maracan](https://people.rohingya.ro/people/gani-markan/), became the legislative representative for northern Sittwe District.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1942",
          "text": "His son E. D. S. Maracan, known as Tanbi Saheb, was among the leaders who worked to end the communal violence of that year.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "During the colonial period, one of the most prominent wealthy and educated figures in Sittwe was none other than the wealthy businessman Marakan. He was a native of Sittwe and was a barrister-at-law. His full name was Mr. E. Kader Marakan.\n\nMr. E. Kader Marakan had served as a Municipal Commissioner of Sittwe since 1906 and was also an Honorary Magistrate. He was a Vice-President of the Arakan Anjuman-i-Islamia and a member of the governing board of Sittwe Government High School. (The Arakan Anjuman-i-Islamia was founded in 1909 by Saya Gyi Miah Abdul Hamid, who served as its president, while T. U. Ahmed, editor-in-chief of The Arakan News, the first newspaper in Arakan, served as its honorary secretary.) Marakan controlled several major commercial enterprises in Sittwe, including cargo handling, general trading, and commission agency businesses. He also owned a large ship as well as fifteen cargo vessels, each capable of carrying between 50 and 60 tons, and more than a thousand employees depended on his businesses for their livelihoods. He established the firm Maracan E. K., Well St., Sub-Agent, Burma Oil Co., through which he secured important government contracts for the transportation of coal and petroleum and exported these commodities abroad. His business associates and representatives included Thomas Brock & Co., 29 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, and Mr. A. J. Ismay, Stoke Newington, London.\n\nThe business enterprise later managed by E. Kader Marakan was originally founded by his father, the wealthy businessman Mr. E. S. Maracan, who was a native of Karaikal, Pondicherry, and came to Sittwe around the 1850s. E. S. Maracan was known as a generous philanthropist who contributed extensively to charitable causes. At his own expense, he financed the expansion of the main building of the General Hospital and donated several other buildings. He also constructed and donated an impressive mosque and an English school. Beyond Sittwe, he funded the construction of schools and mosques in other townships as well. He was regarded as one of the leaders of the Muslim community of his time and served for a period as a Municipal Commissioner, contributing to the welfare of the public. Mr. E. S. Maracan passed away in 1960.\n\nAfter his father’s death, E. Kader Marakan became the administrator of the family estate and succeeded his father in managing the family’s affairs and enterprises. At the time, the property left by his father was valued at more than 300,000 rupees. He transferred the school founded by his father to the Municipal Committee, which later administered and supervised it in association with the local Government High School. In honor of its founder, the school was renamed E. S. Maracan’s Anglo-Vernacular School.\n\nAmong the children of E. K. Marakan, two of his sons became prominent figures in Burmese politics: his eldest son, E. G. S. Maracan (Esmail Ghani Shah Maracan), and E. D. S. Maracan (Esmail Dawood Shah Maracan). E. G. S. Maracan was widely known as Gani Maracan (Gani Markin). In 1936, Gani Maracan became a legislative representative for northern Sittwe District. He was also an enthusiastic horseman who bred horses and regularly participated in horse races, in which he also won championships. E. D. S. Maracan, Dawood Shah Maracan, was popularly known as Tanbi Saheb and was one of the leaders who worked to bring an end to the communal violence of 1942. Both brothers were awarded medals associated with King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II.\n\nThe Marakan family was exceptionally generous and deeply committed to charitable giving. It is said that the land on which U Ottama Park is located was also donated by the Marakan family. In addition to Sittwe, the family made charitable contributions and owned properties in various other towns and cities across Burma.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/marakan.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/marakan.webp",
          "width": 271,
          "height": 320
        },
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/marakan-2.webp",
          "width": 271,
          "height": 320,
          "caption": "His son E. D. S. Maracan, known as Tanbi Saheb, labelled “EDS Maracan (Tanbi Saab)” on the photograph"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "ezhar-miah",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/ezhar-miah/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/ezhar-miah/index.md",
      "name": "Ezhar Miah",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "Northern Arakan",
      "role": "Political figure, social worker and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Public service"
      ],
      "epithet": "Elected for Buthidaung North in 1956",
      "summary": "A social worker and political figure from northern Arakan who was elected to Burma's Parliament for Buthidaung North in 1956. He was one of several Muslim representatives elected from northern Arakan in the 1950s, was associated with the Ra-Ta-Nya (Rakhaing National United Organisation), and his political activities touched on debates about regional autonomy and the political future of Arakan.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1956",
          "text": "Elected to Parliament for Buthidaung North.",
          "note": "He was associated with the Ra-Ta-Nya (Rakhaing National United Organisation), a political organisation active in Arakan during the parliamentary period.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Ezhar Miah was a social worker and political figure from northern Arakan who became a member of Burma's Parliament. Historical records identify him as having been elected in 1956 from Buthidaung North. He was also associated with the Ra-Ta-Nya (Rakhaing National United Organisation), a political organization active in Arakan during the parliamentary period.\n\nEzhar Miah's political role formed part of the period when Muslims from northern Arakan participated in Burma's parliamentary politics. He was one of several Muslim representatives elected from northern Arakan in the 1950s. His political activities also intersected with debates concerning regional autonomy and the political future of Arakan.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "fazal-ahmed",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/fazal-ahmed/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/fazal-ahmed/index.md",
      "name": "Fazal Ahmed",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1941",
      "years": "Born 1941",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Lawyer and former member-elect of parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Law",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "A symbol of lawful resistance",
      "summary": "A Rohingya lawyer and politician from Maungdaw, Arakan, who was elected for the Maungdaw-2 constituency in the 1990 general election as a central leader of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), one of only four Rohingya MPs to win seats. A Higher Grade Pleader, he gave legal support to Rohingya facing discrimination and denial of citizenship, and called for their recognition as an ethnic group of Myanmar. After the NDPHR was banned in 1992 he was arrested, tortured and sentenced to five years in prison.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1941",
          "text": "Born.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Career",
          "text": "Served in government offices, then qualified as a Higher Grade Pleader (HGP) and practised law in Maungdaw, giving legal support to Rohingya citizens facing discrimination and the denial of citizenship."
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "As a senior member and central leader of the NDPHR, elected MP for the Maungdaw-2 constituency, one of only four Rohingya MPs to win seats.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "MP-elect",
          "text": "Worked for the recognition of the Rohingya as an ethnic group of Myanmar, demanded the restoration of their citizenship rights, and advocated peaceful coexistence between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims."
        },
        {
          "year": "1992",
          "text": "After the NDPHR was banned, he was arrested, tortured and sentenced to five years in prison.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Fazal Ahmed is a prominent Rohingya lawyer and former politician from Maungdaw, Arakan. As a senior member and central leader of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP-elect) for the Maungdaw-2 constituency in the 1990 general election, becoming one of only four Rohingya MPs to win seats.\n\nAhmed devoted his professional life to pursuing equality and justice, serving in government offices before qualifying as a Higher Grade Pleader (HGP) and practicing law in Maungdaw. He provided legal support to Rohingya citizens facing discrimination and citizenship denials. As a parliamentarian-elect, he worked to promote the recognition of the Rohingya as an ethnic group of Myanmar and demanded the restoration of their citizenship rights. He advocated for peaceful coexistence between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.\n\nAfter the NDPHR was banned in 1992, Fazal Ahmed was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to five years in prison, part of a broader campaign to silence Rohingya democratic representation. He remains a symbol of lawful resistance.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Rohingyas reject the NVC process in Maungdaw - Kaladan Press Network",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan: News and Analysis of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, September 2009",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "1990 Multi-Party Democracy General Elections and The Rohingyas' Enfranchisement - The Stateless Rohingya",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Impact International, 1991",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Transnational Institute – Arakan (Rakhine State), Martin Smith, December 2019.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "gani-markan",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/gani-markan/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/gani-markan/index.md",
      "name": "Gani Markan",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "E. G. S. Maracan",
        "Esmail Ghani Shah Maracan",
        "Gani Maracan",
        "Gani Markin"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "1880s – 1950s",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Pioneer Arakanese Indian legislator",
      "categories": [
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "Among the first elected Arakanese Indian legislators",
      "summary": "One of the first elected Arakanese Indian legislators in British Burma, elected in the 1936 Burmese general election from the Maungdaw-Buthidaung constituency in Arakan Division. Though of Indian origin, he won his seat in the Burmese national category, reflecting the claim of Arakanese Indians to be a native community, distinct from other immigrants. His full name was Esmail Ghani Shah Maracan; he was the eldest son of the Sittwe businessman and barrister E. Kader Marakan.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Family",
          "text": "Eldest son of [E. Kader Marakan](https://people.rohingya.ro/people/marakan/), the leading businessman of colonial-era Sittwe. His younger brother E. D. S. Maracan, known as Tanbi Saheb, also became a prominent figure in Burmese politics."
        },
        {
          "year": "1936",
          "text": "Elected in the Burmese general election from the Maungdaw-Buthidaung constituency in Arakan Division, in the Burmese national category.",
          "note": "Seats were divided into categories such as Burmese national, Kayin, Anglo-Burman, Indian, Chinese and European; his election in the national category reflected the Arakanese Indians' claim to be a native community. His father's biography describes the seat as northern Sittwe District.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Horse racing",
          "text": "An enthusiastic horseman, he bred horses and won championships in races."
        },
        {
          "year": "Honours",
          "text": "He and his brother were awarded medals associated with King George VI."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Gani Markan was one of the first elected Arakanese Indian legislators in British Burma. He was elected to the Legislative Council of Burma during the 1936 Burmese general election from the Maungdaw-Buthidaung constituency in Arakan Division. The seats in the council were divided into categories like Burmese national, Kayin, Anglo-Burman, Indian, Chinese, and European. Markan, though of Indian origin, was elected in the Burmese national category, reflecting the claim by Arakanese Indians to be a native community, distinct from other immigrants.\n\nAmong the children of E. K. Marakan, two of his sons became prominent figures in Burmese politics: his eldest son, E. G. S. Maracan (Esmail Ghani Shah Maracan), and E. D. S. Maracan (Esmail Dawood Shah Maracan). E. G. S. Maracan was widely known as Gani Maracan (Gani Markin). In 1936, Gani Maracan became a legislative representative for northern Sittwe District. He was also an enthusiastic horseman who bred horses and regularly participated in horse races, in which he also won championships. E. D. S. Maracan, Dawood Shah Maracan, was popularly known as Tanbi Saheb and was one of the leaders who worked to bring an end to the communal violence of 1942. Both brothers were awarded medals associated with King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "News and Analysis of the Arakan Rohingya National Organization. Vol. 1, no. 9, Sept. 2009.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Marakan, the Wealthiest Man in Sittwe (the archive's biography of his father, E. Kader Marakan)",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/gani-markan.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/gani-markan-2.webp",
          "width": 1536,
          "height": 1024,
          "caption": "A copy processed with ChatGPT (its file name begins \"ChatGPT-Image\") of an old portrait photograph. The archive's photo of his father, E. Kader Marakan, is the same portrait.",
          "credit": "rohingyaresearch.org"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "jafar-kawal",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/jafar-kawal/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/jafar-kawal/index.md",
      "name": "Jafar Kawal",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1920",
      "died": "1951",
      "years": "1920 – 1951",
      "birthplace": "Maungdaw Township, Arakan",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Mujahid leader, poet and singer",
      "categories": [
        "Resistance movement",
        "Politics",
        "Poetry",
        "Music"
      ],
      "epithet": "The poet and singer who led the Mujahids",
      "summary": "Jafar Kawal was a Rohingya nationalist from Maungdaw Township, Arakan, and a key figure in the Mujahid movement of the late 1940s. In 1947 he founded the Mujahid Party under the Dobboro Chaung Declaration, aiming to establish an autonomous Muslim state in northern Arakan within the Union of Burma. A poet and singer as well as a political leader, he inspired the Rohingya with songs often infused with the poetry of Allama Iqbal. He was assassinated in 1951, but his legacy influenced later generations of Rohingya activists and leaders.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1920",
          "text": "Born in Maungdaw Township, Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1947",
          "text": "Founded the Mujahid Party under the Dobboro Chaung Declaration, aiming to establish an autonomous Muslim state in northern Arakan within the Union of Burma.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Poet and singer",
          "text": "Used his artistic talents to inspire and mobilize the people; his songs, often infused with the poetry of Allama Iqbal, became anthems of resistance and unity."
        },
        {
          "year": "By 1951",
          "text": "The movement had gained significant traction, with estimates of up to 2,500 fighters mobilized."
        },
        {
          "year": "1951",
          "text": "Assassinated, which led to a temporary fragmentation of the Mujahid movement.",
          "note": "His legacy influenced later generations of Rohingya activists and leaders.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Jafar Kawal was born in 1920 in Maungdaw Township, Arakan (now Rakhine State, Myanmar). He was a prominent Rohingya nationalist and a key figure in the Mujahid movement that emerged in the late 1940s in response to political and social injustices faced by the Rohingya community.\n\nIn 1947, Jafar Kawal founded the Mujahid Party under the Dobboro Chaung Declaration, aiming to establish an autonomous Muslim state in northern Arakan within the Union of Burma. His movement gained significant traction, with estimates of up to 2,500 fighters mobilized by 1951. The Mujahids sought to protect the rights and dignity of the Rohingya people, advocating for their recognition and autonomy.\n\nJafar Kawal was not only a political leader but also a poet and singer, using his artistic talents to inspire and mobilize the masses. His songs, often infused with the poetry of Allama Iqbal, resonated deeply with the Rohingya community and became anthems of resistance and unity.\n\nIn 1951, Jafar Kawal was assassinated, leading to a temporary fragmentation of the Mujahid movement. Despite his death, his legacy endured, influencing subsequent generations of Rohingya activists and leaders.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Transnational Institute (TNI). (2020). Arakan (Rakhine State): A Land in Conflict.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Leider, Jacques P. (2023). Violence and Belonging in Arakan, 1942–1952.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Yegar, Moshe. (1972). The Muslims of Burma: A Study of a Minority Group. Otto Harrassowitz.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Yegar, Moshe. (2002). Between Integration and Secession: The Muslim Communities of the Southern Philippines, Southern Thailand, and Western Burma/Myanmar. Lexington Books.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Lintner, Bertil. (1999). Burma in Revolt: Opium and Insurgency since 1948. Silkworm Books.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO). (n.d.). Rohingya History.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "jaivet-ealom",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/jaivet-ealom/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/jaivet-ealom/index.md",
      "name": "Jaivet Ealom",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "Born 1990s",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Rohingya author and human rights activist",
      "categories": [
        "Literature",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "From detention to freedom in Canada",
      "summary": "A Rohingya refugee and author who escaped persecution in Myanmar, endured detention and found safety in Canada, where he completed a double major in economics and political science at the University of Toronto. His memoir, Escape from Manus Prison: One Man's Daring Quest for Freedom, tells his story and the wider struggle of stateless Rohingya. He co-founded the Rohingya Centre of Canada and Northern Lights Canada to help Rohingya newcomers settle.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Escape",
          "text": "Fled persecution in Myanmar and endured detention before finding safety in Canada.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "Published his memoir, Escape from Manus Prison: One Man's Daring Quest for Freedom.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Toronto",
          "text": "Completed a double major in economics and political science at the University of Toronto."
        },
        {
          "year": "Community work",
          "text": "Co-founded the Rohingya Centre of Canada and Northern Lights Canada, which help Rohingya newcomers integrate, and serves as a co-spokesperson for the Convening Committee to form the Rohingya Consultative Council."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Jaivet Ealom is a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar who escaped persecution, endured detention, and found safety in Canada. He completed a double major in economics and political science at the University of Toronto.\n\nHis memoir, Escape from Manus Prison: One Man’s Daring Quest for Freedom, documents his journey and highlights the broader struggles of statelessness and displacement for the Rohingya. Ealom co-founded the Rohingya Centre of Canada and Northern Lights Canada, which support Rohingya newcomers with integration. He also serves as a co-spokesperson for the Convening Committee to form the Rohingya Consultative Council.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Matti, M. (2023). ‘Not in my wildest dreams’: Refugee Jaivet Ealom on his journey to become a U of T grad",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Ealom, J. (2021). Escape from Manus Prison.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/jaivet-ealom.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/jaivet-ealom-2.webp",
          "width": 338,
          "height": 450,
          "credit": "Penguin Random House author photo"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "m-a-subahan",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/m-a-subahan/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/m-a-subahan/index.md",
      "name": "M. A. Subahan",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Academic, politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "A seat in the Upper House for Maungdaw and Buthidaung",
      "summary": "A member of Burma's Parliament who represented the combined Maungdaw and Buthidaung area in the Upper House during the parliamentary period; historical lists of Rohingya political representation identify him as an Upper House member in 1960. He belongs to the era when Rohingya and other Muslim representatives from northern Arakan took part in Burma's parliamentary system.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1960",
          "text": "Member of the Upper House of Burma's Parliament, representing the combined Maungdaw–Buthidaung area.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "M. A. Subahan was a member of Burma's Parliament representing the combined Maungdaw and Buthidaung area in the Upper House during the parliamentary period. Historical lists of Rohingya political representation identify him as an Upper House member in 1960.\n\nHis significance is primarily connected to the period when Rohingya and other Muslim representatives from northern Arakan participated in Burma's parliamentary system. He represented the combined Maungdaw–Buthidaung area during the 1960 parliamentary period.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "major-faizi",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/major-faizi/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/major-faizi/index.md",
      "name": "Major Faizi",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Faiz"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "died": "1958",
      "years": "d. 1958",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Education officer",
      "categories": [
        "Education",
        "Public service"
      ],
      "epithet": "Remembered in the name of Faizi Ward",
      "summary": "Major Faizi, also known as Faiz, was an education officer and community leader from Maungdaw, North Arakan, active in the late British colonial period and the early years after independence. From the 1920s until 1942 he served as District Education Officer for Maungdaw and Inspector of Schools for North Arakan, and he was also headmaster of the State High School in Maungdaw. He promoted inclusive education by appointing teachers from all communities — Rohingya, Rakhine and Hindu — without discrimination, and Faizi Ward in Maungdaw town was named in recognition of his service.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1920s – 1942",
          "text": "Served as District Education Officer for Maungdaw and Inspector of Schools for North Arakan."
        },
        {
          "year": "Headmaster",
          "text": "Served as headmaster of the State High School in Maungdaw."
        },
        {
          "year": "Inclusive schools",
          "text": "Promoted inclusive education by appointing teachers from all communities — Rohingya, Rakhine and Hindu — without discrimination.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1958",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Legacy",
          "text": "A ward in Maungdaw town was named Faizi Ward in recognition of his service.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Major Faizi (Faiz) was a distinguished education officer and community leader from Maungdaw, North Arakan, active during the late British colonial period and early post-independence era. He served as the District Education Officer for Maungdaw and the Inspector of Schools for North Arakan from the 1920s until 1942. He also served as the Headmaster of the State High School in Maungdaw.\n\nOne of his most notable contributions was promoting inclusive education by appointing teachers from all communities—Rohingya, Rakhine, and Hindu—without discrimination. In recognition of his service, a ward in Maungdaw town was named Faizi Ward.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Ekkhaale. Chapter 8: Education and social development in Arakan.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "aman-ullah",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aman-ullah/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/aman-ullah/index.md",
      "name": "Master Aman Ullah",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1950",
      "years": "Born 1950",
      "birthplace": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Historian, educator and author",
      "categories": [
        "History",
        "Education",
        "Politics",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "Five decades of recording Rohingya history",
      "summary": "A Rohingya historian, educator and author, born in Maungdaw in 1950, who has spent more than five decades documenting Rohingya history, defending Rohingya identity and advocating for Rohingya rights. A teacher in Arakan for 15 years, he went into exile in Bangladesh in 1985, served as Secretary General of the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO), and helped found and lead schools in Chittagong. He has published more than 100 articles on Rohingya history, law, politics and identity, and books including A History of the Rohingyas to 1948.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1950",
          "text": "Born in Maungdaw, Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1969 – 71",
          "text": "Trained at the Rangoon Teachers' Training Institute, then taught in schools across Arakan for 15 years, rising to Senior Assistant Teacher.",
          "note": "He later completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Education, and qualified as a Higher-Grade Pleader."
        },
        {
          "year": "1985",
          "text": "Moved to Bangladesh and joined the Rohingya movement in exile. He served as Secretary General of ARNO, and remains a Central Committee member of the Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA).",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "In exile",
          "text": "Founder member and Executive Director of International School & College (ISC), Chittagong; Managing Director and Founder Principal of Full Bright International School, and Principal of Scholar School, Chittagong. He also contributed to the Rohingya Post and the Rohingya Language Foundation."
        },
        {
          "year": "Writing",
          "text": "Published more than 100 articles on Rohingya history, law, politics and identity, tracing Rohingya roots to early Muslim settlements in 8th-century Arakan and documenting the 1942 Rohingya massacre, colonial-era policies and post-independence marginalisation.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2023 – 24",
          "text": "Published The Citizenship Issue of Rohingya and Myanmar's Policy of Denationalization (2023) and the second edition of A History of the Rohingyas to 1948 (2024)."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Master Aman Ullah is one of the most respected living historians of the Rohingya people. Born in 1950 in Maungdaw, Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar, he has spent over five decades documenting Rohingya history, defending their identity, and advocating for their rights through education and writing.\n\nHe began his career as a teacher after graduating from the Rangoon Teachers’ Training Institute (1969–1971) and served in various schools in Arakan for 15 years, eventually becoming a Senior Assistant Teacher. He later completed a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma in Education, and obtained legal certification as a Higher-Grade Pleader.\n\nIn 1985, he moved to Bangladesh and became active in the Rohingya movement in exile. He served as the Secretary General of the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) and remains involved in Rohingya political efforts as a Central Committee member of the Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA).\n\nBeyond activism, Master Aman Ullah is best known for his historical research and writing. He has published over 100 articles on Rohingya history, law, politics, and identity, and authored key works such as:\n\n- The Citizenship Issue of Rohingya and Myanmar’s Policy of Denationalization (2023)\n\n- A History of the Rohingyas to 1948 (Second Edition, 2024)\n\nHe is among the first to trace Rohingya historical roots to early Muslim settlements in Arakan during the 8th century and has documented major historical events including the 1942 Rohingya massacre, colonial-era policies, and post-independence marginalization.\n\nIn exile, he was founder member and Executive Director of International School & College (ISC), Chittagong; Managing Director and Founder Principal of Full Bright International School, Chittagong and Principal of Scholar School Chittagong, and contributed to community platforms like the Rohingya Post and Rohingya Language Foundation.\n\nMaster Aman Ullah’s work is widely respected for its scholarly depth, historical accuracy, and unwavering commitment to truth. His contributions continue to shape how Rohingya history is recorded and remembered, both within the community and internationally.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/aman-ullah.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/aman-ullah-2.webp",
          "width": 1600,
          "height": 900,
          "caption": "Still from a video posted on Facebook.",
          "credit": "Facebook"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "muhammad-hanif",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muhammad-hanif/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muhammad-hanif/index.md",
      "name": "Maulana Muhammad Hanif",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1952",
      "died": "2023-11-10",
      "years": "1952 – 2023",
      "birthplace": "Northern Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar",
      "place": "Rathedaung, Rakhine State",
      "role": "Scholar and creator of the Hanifi Rohingya script",
      "categories": [
        "Language and script",
        "Education",
        "Religion"
      ],
      "epithet": "A script for the Rohingya language",
      "summary": "A Rohingya scholar remembered for creating the Hanifi script, a writing system he devised in the 1980s to represent the sounds of the Rohingya language. Written from right to left with 28 characters, it is used in Rohingya schools, refugee camps and diaspora communities to teach reading and writing, and has become a key tool for preserving Rohingya identity and culture. Born in 1952 in northern Rathedaung Township into a family of religious scholars, he died on 10 November 2023.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1952",
          "text": "Born in northern Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, into a family of religious scholars.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Studies",
          "text": "Pursued extensive Islamic and linguistic studies."
        },
        {
          "year": "1980s",
          "text": "Created the Hanifi script, written from right to left with 28 characters, to represent accurately the unique sounds of the Rohingya language.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Legacy",
          "text": "The script came to be used in Rohingya schools, refugee camps and diaspora communities to teach reading and writing, giving the Rohingya a standardised way to document their language, history and traditions."
        },
        {
          "year": "2023",
          "text": "Died on 10 November.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Maulana Muhammad Hanif is a respected Rohingya scholar best known for developing the Hanifi script, the very first writing system for the Rohingya language. Born in 1952 in northern Rathedaung township, Rakhine State, Myanmar, he came from a family of religious scholars and pursued extensive Islamic and linguistic studies. He died on 10 November 2023.\n\nIn the 1980s, Hanif created the Hanifi script to accurately represent the unique sounds of the Rohingya language. This script, written from right to left with 28 characters, has become a key tool in preserving Rohingya identity and culture.\n\nThe Hanifi script is widely used today in Rohingya schools, refugee camps, and diaspora communities to teach reading and writing. Hanif’s work gave the Rohingya people a standardized way to document their language, history, and traditions.\n\nHis legacy lives on through the Hanifi script, which remains central to Rohingya cultural preservation and education.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "maung-tun-khin",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/maung-tun-khin/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/maung-tun-khin/index.md",
      "name": "Maung Tun Khin",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Tun Khin"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "birthplace": "Buthidaung Township, northern Arakan",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Rohingya rights activist and president of BROUK",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "An international advocate for Rohingya justice",
      "summary": "A Rohingya rights activist from Buthidaung Township who founded and leads the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), lobbying governments, human rights institutions and the United Nations from exile in Britain. He has testified before the British Parliament, the U.S. Congress, the European Parliament and the UN Human Rights Council, helped submit evidence to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and in 2024 became Chairperson of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC).",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Birth",
          "text": "Born in Buthidaung Township into a prominent Rohingya family; his grandfather was elected to Parliament in Myanmar's democratic era.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "After 1982",
          "text": "Facing growing discrimination and statelessness after the 1982 Citizenship Law stripped the Rohingya of citizenship, he and his family fled the country.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "United Kingdom",
          "text": "In exile in the UK, founded the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) and became its president. He has published articles in outlets such as Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Anadolu Agency and Time.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Testimony",
          "text": "Testified before the British Parliament, the U.S. Congress, the European Parliament and the UN Human Rights Council, demanding accountability for Myanmar's generals, and helped submit evidence to the ICC and the ICJ.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2024",
          "text": "Became Chairperson of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC), campaigning for Rohingya recognition, repatriation and equal rights inside Myanmar.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Tun Khin was born in Buthidaung Township in northern Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar. He comes from a prominent Rohingya family—his grandfather was elected as a Member of Parliament in Myanmar’s democratic era. Facing growing discrimination and statelessness, Tun Khin and his family fled the country after the military stripped Rohingya of their citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law.\n\nLiving in exile in the United Kingdom, Tun Khin founded the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) and currently serves as its president. Under his leadership, BROUK has become one of the most visible international Rohingya advocacy organizations, actively lobbying governments, human rights institutions, and the United Nations. He frequently speaks to global media and has published articles in outlets such as Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Anadolu Agency, and Time magazine.\n\nHe has testified before the British Parliament, U.S. Congress, European Parliament, and the UN Human Rights Council, consistently demanding justice for the Rohingya people and accountability for military generals in Myanmar. He played a key role in submitting evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), supporting investigations into genocide and crimes against humanity.\n\nTun Khin has participated in dozens of conferences and interviews across the world, and met with key global leaders. He has also collaborated with other Rohingya leaders and diaspora groups to build stronger political unity.\n\nIn 2024, he became the Chairperson of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC), a political coalition representing Rohingya voices worldwide. Through this position, he has pushed for broader engagement with global institutions, and continues to campaign for Rohingya recognition, repatriation, and equal rights inside Myanmar.\n\nHis decades-long struggle reflects the voice of millions of Rohingya who remain stateless, silenced, and displaced. Tun Khin remains one of the most consistent and committed international advocates for Rohingya justice.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK). (n.d.). About and advocacy work of Tun Khin.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Al Jazeera. (Various years). Articles and opinion pieces by Tun Khin on the Rohingya crisis.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Guardian. (Various years). Commentary and interviews featuring Tun Khin.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Anadolu Agency. (Various years). Interviews and statements by Tun Khin on Rohingya issues.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "TIME. (Various years). Opinion and quoted commentary by Tun Khin on Myanmar and the Rohingya.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "UK Parliament. (n.d.). Testimonies and briefings by Tun Khin on Rohingya human rights.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "U.S. Congress hearings. (n.d.). Rohingya human rights briefings including testimony from Tun Khin.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). (n.d.). Sessions featuring statements or submissions from Tun Khin/BROUK.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "International Criminal Court (ICC). (n.d.). Civil society submissions from BROUK.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "International Court of Justice (ICJ). (n.d.). Rohingya-related evidence supported by BROUK.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC). (2024). Announcement of Tun Khin as Chairperson.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/maung-tun-khin.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/maung-tun-khin-2.webp",
          "width": 604,
          "height": 604,
          "caption": "At the World Forum Normandy for Peace.",
          "credit": "Facebook post by the Maung Tun Khin profile, 17 July 2018"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "muzzaffar-ahmad",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muzzaffar-ahmad/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muzzaffar-ahmad/index.md",
      "name": "Mawlana Pir Muzzaffar Ahmad",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1927-10-29",
      "died": "2006",
      "years": "1927 – 2006",
      "birthplace": "Mee Chaung Zay, Buthidaung Township, Arakan",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Islamic spiritual guide, Hadith scholar and educator",
      "categories": [
        "Religion",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "A teacher and healer sought out across faiths",
      "summary": "A Rohingya Islamic scholar, Muhaddith and spiritual guide (Pir) from Mee Chaung Zay in Buthidaung Township, who devoted his life to teaching Hadith, Fiqh and the Qur'an, to spiritual guidance and to healing. He went to India for higher studies in 1947 and returned home in 1957; in 1977 the ulama of Arakan appointed him chairman of their committee with the title Khalifatul Muslimeen. Respected by Muslims across Arakan, he was also sought out for advice and treatment by many Buddhists and people of other faiths.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1927",
          "text": "Born on 29 October in Mee Chaung Zay, Buthidaung Township.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1934 – 40",
          "text": "Studied at local Arabic and Urdu schools: the Mee Chaung Zay Arabic primary school (1934), an Urdu middle school in Hpon Nyo Leik village, and the Paung Taw Pyin Madrasa (1940)."
        },
        {
          "year": "1947",
          "text": "Travelled to India in June for higher studies."
        },
        {
          "year": "1957",
          "text": "Returned home in February to serve his people and country, and devoted his life to teaching Hadith, Fiqh and the Qur'an and to spiritual purification. He became known as a clear and capable teacher, a healer of physical and spiritual suffering, and a guide to scholars and ordinary people alike.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1971",
          "text": "Helped establish a religious organisation in Bangladesh to protect Islamic teachings, and served as a central council leader of what became Khuddamul Islam and later Hemayatul Islam."
        },
        {
          "year": "1977",
          "text": "The ulama of Arakan formed a committee, appointed him its chairman and granted him the title Khalifatul Muslimeen.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Writings",
          "text": "Wrote two books: Jala’ al-Qulub, on Sufi spiritual training, and Ishq Ahlian Burma, a record of the oppression of the people of Arakan."
        },
        {
          "year": "2006",
          "text": "Died after a lifetime of service.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Mawlana Pir Muzzaffar Ahmad was a renowned Rohingya Islamic scholar, Muhaddith, and spiritual guide (Pir), known for his lifelong service to the Rohingya community through religious teaching, spiritual leadership, writing, social guidance, and healing. He was deeply respected by Muslims across Arakan and also admired by many Buddhists and people of other faiths who sought his advice and treatment. He was widely regarded as a rare scholar of strong character, a defender of oppressed people, a Deobandi-trained alim, and a senior spiritual successor (khalifah) connected to the tradition of Mawlana Husain Ahmad Madani.\n\nHe was born on  29 October 1927, in Mee Chaung Zay, Buthidaung Township. He began his studies in local Arabic and Urdu schools, including Mee Chaung Zay Arabic primary school (1934), an Urdu middle school in Hpon Nyo Leik village, and Paung Taw Pyin Madrasa (1940).\n\nIn June 1947, he traveled to India for higher studies. He returned home in February 1957 to serve his people and country. His life was dedicated to teaching Hadith, Fiqh, Qur’an, and spiritual purification. He was known as a clear and capable teacher, a healer for physical and spiritual suffering, and a guide for both scholars and ordinary people. He was skilled in Urdu, English, and Arabic, and recognized as a Muhaddith and spiritual Pir.\n\nIn 1971, he helped establish a religious organization in Bangladesh aimed at protecting Islamic teachings. He served as a central council leader in what became known as Khuddamul Islam and later Hemayatul Islam. In 1977, Arakan ulama formed a committee and appointed him as chairman, also granting him the title Khalifatul Muslimeen. Through these roles, he worked for the religious and social welfare of his community.\n\nHe authored two books: Jala’ al-Qulub, a work on Sufi spiritual training based on earlier classical texts, and Ishq Ahlian Burma, which documents oppression against Arakan people and serves as a historical record for future generations.\n\nHe was also associated with unity efforts around Burma’s independence era and was said to have signed agreements connected to cooperation among communities, believing Rohingya contributions to independence were often overlooked in official history.\n\nMawlana Pir Muzzaffar Ahmad passed away in 2006 after a lifetime of service. He is remembered as a major Rohingya alim, spiritual guide, teacher, writer, and community leader who dedicated his life to knowledge, faith, and the welfare of his people.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/muzzaffar-ahmad.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/muzzaffar-ahmad-2.webp",
          "width": 720,
          "height": 708,
          "credit": "Blogger (blogger.googleusercontent.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "mayyu-ali",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/mayyu-ali/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/mayyu-ali/index.md",
      "name": "Mayyu Ali",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Mayyu (Rahmat) Ali"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1991",
      "years": "Born 1991",
      "birthplace": "Maungdaw Township, Arakan",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Rohingya poet and writer",
      "categories": [
        "Poetry",
        "Literature",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "Keeping Rohingya culture alive in verse",
      "summary": "A Rohingya poet and writer born in Maungdaw Township in 1991, who survived the 2017 military crackdown, fled to Bangladesh and later moved to Canada. He founded the Community Rebuilding Centre for education and youth in the Rohingya refugee camps, co-founded and edits Art Garden Rohingya, and has published poetry collections including Exodus: Between Genocide and Me.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1991",
          "text": "Born in Maungdaw Township, Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2017",
          "text": "Survived the military crackdown and fled to Bangladesh.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Community work",
          "text": "Founded the Community Rebuilding Centre, a Rohingya organisation in the refugee camps focused on education and youth empowerment, and co-founded Art Garden Rohingya, an online platform reviving Rohingya poetry, art and literature, which he edits."
        },
        {
          "year": "Canada",
          "text": "Relocated to Canada, where he continues to preserve Rohingya culture through literature and advocacy; his poetry collections include Exodus: Between Genocide and Me.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Mayyu Ali was born in Maungdaw Township, Arakan. He survived the 2017 military crackdown and fled to Bangladesh before relocating to Canada, where he continues his mission to preserve Rohingya culture through literature and advocacy.\n\nAli is the founder of the Community Rebuilding Centre, a Rohingya community organization in Rohingya refugee camps focusing on education and youth empowerment. He is also the co-founder and editor of Art Garden Rohingya, an online platform dedicated to reviving Rohingya poetry, art, and literature. As a writer, he has published several poetry collections, including Exodus: Between Genocide and Me.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Fortify Rights. (n.d.). A Rohingya poet transforms pain into power.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Balsillie School of International Affairs. (n.d.). Mayyu (Rahmat) Ali",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Byrne, J. (2020). Rohingya writing as activism: A conversation with Mayyu Ali",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/mayyu-ali.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/mayyu-ali-2.webp",
          "width": 1024,
          "height": 1024,
          "credit": "Balsillie School of International Affairs (balsillieschool.ca)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "mohammed-noor",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/mohammed-noor/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/mohammed-noor/index.md",
      "name": "Mohammed Noor",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "Born 1980s",
      "birthplace": "Makkah, Saudi Arabia",
      "place": "Makkah, Saudi Arabia",
      "role": "Media entrepreneur and founder of RVision",
      "categories": [
        "Journalism and media",
        "Language and script",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "Giving the Rohingya a screen and a script",
      "summary": "A Rohingya media entrepreneur, born in Makkah to a Rohingya refugee family from Arakan, who founded Rohingya Vision (RVision), a Rohingya satellite television channel and digital news platform for the diaspora. He also established the Rohingya Football Club and led initiatives to digitise the Rohingya alphabet, create fonts and secure the Rohingya script's inclusion in the Unicode standard in 2018.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1980s",
          "text": "Born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to a Rohingya refugee family from Arakan, and grew up stateless outside his ancestral homeland.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "RVision",
          "text": "Founded Rohingya Vision (RVision), a Rohingya satellite television channel and digital news platform providing news, education and cultural programmes from a Rohingya perspective.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Football",
          "text": "Established the Rohingya Football Club (RFC), a national team representing Rohingya youth internationally."
        },
        {
          "year": "2018",
          "text": "The Rohingya script was included in the Unicode standard, the goal of initiatives he led to digitise Rohingya alphabets and create fonts.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Archive",
          "text": "Co-founded the Rohingya Genocide Archive, which documents atrocities committed against Rohingya civilians."
        },
        {
          "year": "2019",
          "text": "Published his memoir, Born to Struggle."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Mohammed Noor was born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to a Rohingya refugee family originally from Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar. Growing up stateless outside his ancestral homeland, he dedicated his life to amplifying Rohingya voices worldwide through media, technology, and advocacy.\n\nHe founded Rohingya Vision (RVision), the world’s first Rohingya satellite television channel and digital news platform. RVision serves millions in the Rohingya diaspora by providing news, education, and cultural programming from a Rohingya perspective.\n\nNoor also established the Rohingya Football Club (RFC), a national team representing Rohingya youth internationally. RFC promotes unity, pride, and global visibility for Rohingya identity through sports.\n\nHe played a key role in developing Rohingya language technology, leading initiatives to digitize Rohingya alphabets, create fonts, and secure the Rohingya script’s inclusion in the Unicode standard in 2018. This work enables Rohingya language use across computers and smartphones, helping preserve and teach their culture.\n\nAdditionally, Noor co-founded the Rohingya Genocide Archive, which documents atrocities committed against Rohingya civilians, aiding accountability efforts worldwide.\n\nHis memoir, \"Born to Struggle\" (2019), shares his personal journey as a Rohingya refugee and leader of digital activism.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/mohammed-noor.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/mohammed-noor-2.webp",
          "width": 1067,
          "height": 1600,
          "credit": "rohringya.org"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "mohib-ullah",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/mohib-ullah/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/mohib-ullah/index.md",
      "name": "Mohib Ullah",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1971",
      "died": "2021-09-29",
      "years": "1971 – 2021",
      "birthplace": "Arakan, Myanmar",
      "deathplace": "Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh",
      "place": "Arakan",
      "role": "Peace activist and community leader",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "The refugees' Peace Father",
      "summary": "Mohib Ullah was a Rohingya human rights defender and peace activist who, after the 2017 genocide, co-founded the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh. Called the \"Peace Father\" by refugees for his calm, non-violent leadership, he addressed the UN Human Rights Council in 2019, met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, and campaigned for the safe return of the Rohingya with full rights. He was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Kutupalong camp on 29 September 2021.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1971",
          "text": "Born in Arakan, Myanmar.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Education",
          "text": "Earned a B.Sc. degree from Sittway University."
        },
        {
          "year": "2010",
          "text": "Became chairman of the Buthidaung Maungdaw Regional Development Association (BMRDA)."
        },
        {
          "year": "2012",
          "text": "Began documenting atrocities against the Rohingya and writing about their struggle on RohingyaBlogger.com."
        },
        {
          "year": "After 2017",
          "text": "After the 2017 genocide, co-founded the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) in the Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh. Under his leadership it worked on education, community organizing, documentation of abuses and advocacy for repatriation with full rights.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "March 2019",
          "text": "Addressed the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, calling for justice and safe return."
        },
        {
          "year": "July 2019",
          "text": "Met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House and asked him directly what the U.S. would do to help the Rohingya return home with rights and safety.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "August 2019",
          "text": "Organized a mass commemoration of the genocide anniversary with over 200,000 refugees in Kutupalong refugee camp.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "Shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Kutupalong camp on 29 September.",
          "note": "His assassination was condemned internationally.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Mohib Ullah was one of the most prominent Rohingya human rights defenders of his time. Born in 1971 in Arakan, Myanmar, he spent much of his life advocating for the rights, dignity, and safe return of the Rohingya people.\n\nHe held a B.Sc. degree from Sittway University, and in 2010, became the chairman of the Buthidaung Maungdaw Regional Development Association (BMRDA). His activism expanded globally when he began documenting atrocities against Rohingya and writing about their struggle on RohingyaBlogger.com from 2012.\n\nAfter the 2017 genocide, Mohib Ullah co-founded the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) in the Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh. It quickly became one of the largest and most organized Rohingya-led civil society groups in exile. Under his leadership, ARSPH worked on education, community organizing, documentation of abuses, and advocating for repatriation with full rights.\n\nHe earned the title \"Peace Father\" from refugees for his calm leadership and non-violent approach. Mohib Ullah became the voice of the Rohingya in key international spaces:\n\n- In March 2019, he addressed the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, calling for justice and safe return.\n\n- In July 2019, he met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, where he directly asked what the U.S. would do to help the Rohingya return home with rights and safety.\n\n- In August 2019, he organized a mass commemoration of the genocide anniversary with over 200,000 refugees in Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh.\n\nHe rejected armed movements and always insisted that the Rohingya struggle should remain peaceful and focused on truth, rights, and justice. He also worked to unite different Rohingya voices in exile, despite facing internal and external threats.\n\nOn 29 September 2021, Mohib Ullah was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Kutupalong camp. His assassination was condemned internationally and marked a huge loss for the Rohingya community.\n\nMohib Ullah's legacy is remembered through his fearless voice, dedication to peace, and tireless defense of Rohingya identity and dignity.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Fortify Rights. (2021). Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah shot dead in Bangladesh refugee camp.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Human Rights Watch. (2021). Bangladesh: Killing of Rohingya Activist Mohib Ullah.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). (2019). Statement by Rohingya representative Mohib Ullah at the Human Rights Council.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The White House. (2019, July 17). Remarks by President Trump in meeting with religious and ethnic persecution survivors.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Reuters. (2021, September 30). Prominent Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah shot dead in Bangladesh camp.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Al Jazeera. (2021). Rohingya activist Mohib Ullah killed in Cox’s Bazar camp.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Rohingya Post. (2021). Joint statement demanding probe into the killing of Mohib Ullah.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH). (n.d.). Organizational background and activities.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/mohib-ullah.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/mohib-ullah-2.webp",
          "width": 285,
          "height": 209,
          "credit": "Wikipedia, Mohib Ullah"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "nasir-uddin",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nasir-uddin/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nasir-uddin/index.md",
      "name": "Nasir Uddin",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "U Pho Khaing"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Community leader, politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "An early Muslim legislator for Akyab West",
      "summary": "An influential Muslim community leader associated with Akyab, also known as U Pho Khaing, who represented Akyab West in Burma's legislature in the early parliamentary period and was listed as a Member of the Legislative Council in 1947. He belonged to the early generation of Muslim political leaders in Arakan and is described as active in Arakan's political movement during the struggle for independence.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Independence struggle",
          "text": "Active in the political movement in Arakan during the struggle for independence."
        },
        {
          "year": "1947",
          "text": "Listed as a Member of the Legislative Council, representing Akyab West.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Nasir Uddin, also known as U Pho Khaing, was an influential Muslim community leader associated with Akyab. Historical records identify him as a member of Burma's legislature representing Akyab West during the early parliamentary period. He was listed as a Member of the Legislative Council in 1947.\n\nNasir Uddin was part of the early generation of Muslim political leaders who participated in Burma's parliamentary system following independence. His representation of Akyab West is significant in the history of Muslim political participation in Arakan. Historical accounts also describe U Pho Khaing as active in the political movement in Arakan during the struggle for independence.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "nay-san-lwin",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nay-san-lwin/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nay-san-lwin/index.md",
      "name": "Nay San Lwin",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Zafar Shah"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1978",
      "years": "Born 1978",
      "birthplace": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Rohingya activist and co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "Telling the world what happens in Arakan",
      "summary": "A Rohingya political activist, born in Buthidaung in 1978 and raised in Rangoon, and a leading voice in the global advocacy for Rohingya rights and justice. Since leaving Myanmar he has documented human rights violations and military campaigns in Arakan, sharing information and analysis with governments, human rights organisations, United Nations staff and journalists. In July 2025 he became Co-Chair of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC).",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1978",
          "text": "Born in Buthidaung and raised in Rangoon (Yangon), in a family with a legacy of civil service.",
          "note": "His great-grandfather, Abdul Zolil, was officially recognised as an indigenous person in Burma.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "In exile",
          "text": "After leaving Myanmar, began documenting human rights violations and military campaigns in Arakan, providing information and analysis to governments, human rights organisations, UN staff and journalists."
        },
        {
          "year": "Official attacks",
          "text": "Publicly attacked by Myanmar's presidential office and the State Counsellor's office for spreading news of military atrocities in northern Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "July 2025",
          "text": "Appointed Co-Chair of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC), a political platform for Rohingya in Myanmar, in the camps in Bangladesh and in the diaspora.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Nay San Lwin (Zafar Shah) is a prominent Rohingya political activist and a leading voice in the global advocacy for Rohingya rights and justice. Born in 1978 in Buthidaung, Arakan (now Rakhine State, Myanmar), and raised in Rangoon (Yangon), he hails from a family with a legacy of civil service. His great-grandfather, Abdul Zolil, was officially recognized as an indigenous person in Burma.\n\nSince leaving Myanmar, Nay San Lwin has dedicated himself to documenting human rights violations and military campaigns in Arakan State. He provides information and analysis to governments, human rights organizations, United Nations staff, and journalists to raise awareness of the Rohingya crisis.\n\nIn July 2025, Nay San Lwin was appointed Co-Chair of the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC), a unified political platform representing Rohingya communities from Myanmar, refugee camps in Bangladesh, and the global diaspora.\n\nHe has been publicly attacked by Myanmar's presidential office and the State Counsellor's office for his role in disseminating news about military atrocities in Northern Arakan State.\n\nNay San Lwin continues to be a leading voice for the Rohingya community, advocating for justice, recognition, and protection for his people.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Free Rohingya Coalition. (n.d.). Founding members and advocacy work of Nay San Lwin.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Al Jazeera. (Various years). Reports and commentary citing Nay San Lwin on the Rohingya crisis.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Reuters. (Various years). News reports quoting Nay San Lwin as a Rohingya activist and analyst.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Diplomat. (Various years). Analysis and interviews featuring Nay San Lwin on Rakhine/Rohingya issues.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Fortify Rights. (Various years). Documentation and briefings referencing Nay San Lwin’s advocacy and information work.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). (n.d.). Civil society briefings and information contributions from Rohingya activists including Nay San Lwin.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC). (2025). Announcement of Nay San Lwin as Co-Chair.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/nay-san-lwin.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/nay-san-lwin-2.webp",
          "width": 960,
          "height": 960,
          "credit": "Wikimedia Commons, File:Ro_Nay_San_Lwin.jpg"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "nur-ahmed",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nur-ahmed/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nur-ahmed/index.md",
      "name": "Nur Ahmed",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Tin Maung"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1928",
      "years": "Born 1928",
      "birthplace": "Buthidaung, Myanmar",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Member-elect of Parliament and health worker",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Human rights",
        "Health and medicine"
      ],
      "epithet": "The health worker elected for Buthidaung",
      "summary": "Nur Ahmed, also known as Tin Maung, was a Rohingya leader from Buthidaung who was elected Member of Parliament for the Buthidaung-2 constituency in Myanmar's 1990 general elections, a rare instance of Rohingya representation. A member of the Central Executive Committee of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), he advocated for Rohingya rights and identity until the military junta banned the party in 1992. Before entering politics he had trained as a Health Assistant and worked in Burma's Anti-Malaria Department.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1928",
          "text": "Born in Buthidaung.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Until 1968",
          "text": "Trained as a Health Assistant and worked in Burma's Anti-Malaria Department."
        },
        {
          "year": "1978",
          "text": "Joined the Rohingya Independent Force, a sign of his growing advocacy for his people's rights."
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "Elected Member of Parliament for the Buthidaung-2 constituency in the general elections, with 20,045 of 40,143 valid votes.",
          "note": "As a member of the Central Executive Committee of the NDPHR, he advocated for Rohingya rights and identity.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1992",
          "text": "His formal political activities ended when the military junta banned the NDPHR.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Nur Ahmed, also known as Tin Maung, was a prominent Rohingya leader born in 1928 in Buthidaung, Myanmar. He trained as a Health Assistant and worked in Burma’s Anti-Malaria Department until 1968. In 1978, he joined the Rohingya Independent Force, reflecting his growing advocacy for his people's rights.\n\nIn the 1990 general elections, Nur Ahmed was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Buthidaung-2 constituency, receiving 20,045 votes out of 40,143 valid votes. This victory was a rare instance of Rohingya representation. As a member of the Central Executive Committee of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), he advocated for Rohingya rights and identity. In 1992, his formal political activities ceased when the military junta banned the NDPHR.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR)",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "1990 Multi-Party Democracy General Elections and The Rohingyas’ Enfranchisement, by Aman Ullah.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/nur-ahmed.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/nur-ahmed-2.webp",
          "width": 1536,
          "height": 1024,
          "caption": "An image made with ChatGPT (its file name begins \"ChatGPT-Image\"), not known to be a photograph.",
          "credit": "rohingyaresearch.org"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "nurul-islam",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nurul-islam/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/nurul-islam/index.md",
      "name": "Nurul Islam",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1948",
      "years": "Born 1948",
      "birthplace": "Chilkhali, Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar",
      "place": "Chilkhali, Maungdaw",
      "role": "Lawyer and chairman of ARNO",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Law",
        "Human rights",
        "Resistance movement"
      ],
      "epithet": "The veteran lawyer of the Rohingya movement",
      "summary": "A veteran Rohingya lawyer and political activist, born in 1948 in Chilkhali, Maungdaw Township. A student leader in the 1960s, he co-founded and led several Rohingya insurgent and nationalist groups and became the first Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) when they merged into it in 1998. Under his leadership ARNO has urged the UN, the OIC, ASEAN and major powers to investigate and prosecute Myanmar's military for genocide and crimes against humanity.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1948",
          "text": "Born in Chilkhali, Maungdaw Township.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1960s",
          "text": "Joined the Rohingya political movement as a student leader; in 1971 he was President of the Rangoon University Rohingya Students Association."
        },
        {
          "year": "1972 – 73",
          "text": "Earned a B.A. (Law) and an LL.B. from the University of Rangoon."
        },
        {
          "year": "1998",
          "text": "Merged the insurgent and nationalist groups he had co-founded and led, including the Rohingya Patriotic Front and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization, into the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO), and became its first Chairman.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2007",
          "text": "Received an LL.M. in Human Rights from the University of East London, having also completed human rights training at the University of New South Wales."
        },
        {
          "year": "Until 2010",
          "text": "Served as consultant on Arakan affairs for the Euro-Burma Office in Brussels."
        },
        {
          "year": "2011",
          "text": "At the Rohingya Global Day of Action in London, he stressed the community's historical roots in Arakan and demanded the restoration of Rohingya citizenship.",
          "note": "He continues to call for UN-led inquiries and action by the International Criminal Court to hold Myanmar accountable."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Nurul Islam is a veteran Rohingya lawyer and political activist. He was born in 1948 in Chilkhali, Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar. He earned a B.A. (Law) and LL.B. from the University of Rangoon in 1972–73. Later, he completed human rights training at the University of New South Wales and received an LL.M. in Human Rights from the University of East London in 2007.\n\nHe joined the Rohingya political movement in the 1960s as a student leader. He served as President of the Rangoon University Rohingya Students Association in 1971. He also co-founded and led several insurgent and nationalist groups, including the Rohingya Patriotic Front and Rohingya Solidarity Organization, eventually merging them into the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) in 1998, where he became its first Chairman.\n\nSince joining ARNO, Nurul Islam has been a central figure in Rohingya advocacy. He served as consultant on Arakan affairs for the Euro-Burma Office in Brussels until 2010. He now divides his time between Chittagong, Bangladesh, and East London, UK, while leading ARNO and coordinating policy at the Free Rohingya Coalition.\n\nNurul Islam has been a key figure in global advocacy for Rohingya rights as chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO). Under his leadership, ARNO urged international bodies such as the UN, OIC, ASEAN, and major powers to investigate and prosecute Myanmar’s military for genocide and crimes against humanity. In 2011, during the Rohingya Global Day of Action in London, he emphasized the community’s historical roots in Arakan and demanded the restoration of citizenship, citing their political presence since the 15th century. He continues to call for UN-led inquiries and ICC action to hold Myanmar accountable for atrocities against Rohingya civilians.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/nurul-islam.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/nurul-islam-2.webp",
          "width": 864,
          "height": 486,
          "caption": "Speaking at an \"Arakan Konferenz\".",
          "credit": "Anadolu Agency (aa.com.tr)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "arshad-hussain",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/arshad-hussain/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/arshad-hussain/index.md",
      "name": "Qari Arshad Hussain",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Al-Hajj Maulana Mufti Qari Arshad Hussain"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1910",
      "died": "2021",
      "years": "1910 – 2021",
      "birthplace": "Oudaung Village, near Maungdaw",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Islamic scholar, teacher and radio broadcaster",
      "categories": [
        "Religion",
        "Education",
        "Journalism and media"
      ],
      "epithet": "The Qur'an in a Rohingya voice on Burma's radio",
      "summary": "A Rohingya Islamic scholar, teacher and radio broadcaster from Oudaung Village near Maungdaw, who studied at Darul Uloom Deoband in India and taught at Islamic schools in Myanmar. In 1961 he became the first known Rohingya to recite the Qur'an on the Burma Broadcasting Service, where he also presented news and Qur'anic recitations in the Rohingya language. After fleeing Myanmar following the 2017 military campaign, he kept teaching in Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh until his death in 2021.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1910",
          "text": "Born in Oudaung Village near Maungdaw.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1939 – 47",
          "text": "Studied Islamic sciences at Darul Uloom Deoband in India. Back in Myanmar he taught at several Islamic schools, including Sufia, Lokmania and Jamiya Forkania."
        },
        {
          "year": "1961",
          "text": "Became the first known Rohingya to recite the Qur'an on the Burma Broadcasting Service, Burma's national radio, where he also presented news and Qur'anic recitations in Rohingya.",
          "note": "The Rohingya-language programme was discontinued in 1965.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "After 2017",
          "text": "Fled Myanmar following the 2017 military campaign and continued teaching in Balukhali Rohingya Refugee Camp, Bangladesh.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "Died, still teaching in the camp.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Qari Arshad Hussain was a Rohingya Islamic scholar, teacher, and radio broadcaster. He was born in 1910 in Oudaung Village near Maungdaw and studied Islamic sciences at Darul Uloom Deoband in India from 1939 to 1947. After returning to Myanmar, he taught at several Islamic schools, including Sufia, Lokmania, and Jamiya Forkania.\n\nIn 1961, he became the first known Rohingya to recite the Qur'an on Burma's national radio service, the Burma Broadcasting Service. He also presented news and Qur'anic recitations in the Rohingya language. The Rohingya-language program was discontinued in 1965. After fleeing Myanmar following the 2017 military campaign, he continued teaching in Balukhali Rohingya Refugee Camp in Bangladesh until his death in 2021.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/arshad-hussain.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/arshad-hussain-2.webp",
          "width": 1600,
          "height": 941,
          "caption": "A presentation slide that includes his photograph.",
          "credit": "Blogger (blogger.googleusercontent.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "rashid",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/rashid/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/rashid/index.md",
      "name": "Rashid",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Educator, politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "A seat for Maungdaw North before the 1962 coup",
      "summary": "An educator and politician who represented Maungdaw North in Burma's Parliament, elected in 1960. His election placed a representative from the Rohingya-majority region of northern Arakan in the national legislature in the final years before the 1962 military coup.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1960",
          "text": "Elected to Burma's Parliament for Maungdaw North.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Rashid was an educator and politician who represented Maungdaw North in Burma's Parliament. Historical records list him as a member elected in 1960.\n\nRashid's significance lies in his participation in the parliamentary representation of northern Arakan. His election from Maungdaw North placed a representative from the Rohingya-majority region in Burma's national legislature during the final years before the 1962 military coup.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "rashid-ahmed",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/rashid-ahmed/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/rashid-ahmed/index.md",
      "name": "Rashid Ahmed",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "U Tin Maung",
        "Mayu Rashid"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1948",
      "died": "2021-09-16",
      "years": "1948 – 2021",
      "deathplace": "Chittagong, Bangladesh",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Rohingya community elder and advocate",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Maungdaw elder who kept working from exile",
      "summary": "A Rohingya community elder from Maungdaw, also known as U Tin Maung and Mayu Rashid, described by the European Rohingya Council as a respected elder of Quarter 4 in Maungdaw Township. Forced into exile in 1994, he settled in Chittagong, Bangladesh, where he continued to work for the Rohingya cause and supported Rohingya organisations and activists until his death in 2021.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1948",
          "text": "Born, the son of Zahir Miah and Fatema Khatun.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Maungdaw",
          "text": "A respected elder of Quarter 4 in Maungdaw Township."
        },
        {
          "year": "1994",
          "text": "Forced into exile, he settled in Chittagong, Bangladesh, where he continued working for the Rohingya cause and supported Rohingya organisations and activists.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "Died in Chittagong on 16 September, aged 73.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Rashid Ahmed, also known as U Tin Maung and Mayu Rashid, was a Rohingya community elder from Maungdaw. He was the son of Zahir Miah and Fatema Khatun and was described by the European Rohingya Council as a respected elder of Quarter 4 in Maungdaw Township.\n\nAfter being forced into exile in 1994, Rashid Ahmed settled in Chittagong, Bangladesh. According to the European Rohingya Council, he continued working for the Rohingya cause while living in Bangladesh. He remained connected to the community and supported the work of Rohingya organizations and activists. He died in Chittagong on 16 September 2021, aged 73.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "razia-sultana",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/razia-sultana/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/razia-sultana/index.md",
      "name": "Razia Sultana",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "female",
      "born": "1973",
      "years": "Born 1973",
      "birthplace": "Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Rakhine State",
      "role": "Lawyer and human rights activist",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights",
        "Law"
      ],
      "epithet": "Bearing witness for Rohingya women",
      "summary": "A Rohingya lawyer, researcher and human rights activist born in Maungdaw, who practises law in Bangladesh with Rohingya refugees and documents the trauma, mass rape and trafficking suffered by Rohingya women during Myanmar's military operations. Her reports Witness to Horror (2017) and Rape by Command (2018) exposed the systematic use of sexual violence by Myanmar's security forces, and in 2019 she became the first Rohingya woman to receive the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1973",
          "text": "Born in Maungdaw, Rakhine State.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2014",
          "text": "Began extensive field research, interviewing hundreds of survivors of Myanmar's military operations."
        },
        {
          "year": "2017 – 18",
          "text": "Published the reports Witness to Horror (2017) and Rape by Command (2018), which exposed the systematic use of sexual violence by Myanmar security forces during the 2016–2017 \"clearance operations\".",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Advocacy",
          "text": "Founded the Rohingya Women Welfare Society (RWWS) and became Coordinator for Women and Children's Affairs at the Free Rohingya Coalition."
        },
        {
          "year": "2019",
          "text": "Received the International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. Department of State, the first Rohingya woman to do so.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Razia Sultana is a prominent Rohingya lawyer, researcher, and human rights activist born in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar. She currently practices law in Bangladesh, working directly with Rohingya refugees. Her work focuses on documenting trauma, mass rape, and human trafficking suffered by Rohingya women during Myanmar’s military operations.\n\nSince 2014, Sultana has conducted extensive field research, interviewing hundreds of survivors and documenting their testimonies in influential reports like Witness to Horror (2017) and Rape by Command (2018), which exposed the systematic use of sexual violence by Myanmar security forces during the 2016–2017 \"clearance operations.\"\n\nShe serves as Coordinator for Women and Children’s Affairs at the Free Rohingya Coalition (FRC) and founded the Rohingya Women Welfare Society (RWWS). For her tireless activism, she was honored with the International Women of Courage Award (2019) by the U.S. Department of State, becoming the first Rohingya woman to receive the award.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Sultana, Razia. (2017). Witness to Horror. [Report documenting sexual violence in Rakhine State.]",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Sultana, Razia. (2018). Rape by Command. [Report documenting systematic rape by Myanmar military forces.]",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "U.S. Department of State. (2019). 2019 International Women of Courage Award. [Archived from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2019.]",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Daily Star. (2019, April 20). Rohingya lawyer gets US award. [Retrieved April 20, 2019.]",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/razia-sultana.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/razia-sultana-2.webp",
          "width": 960,
          "height": 960,
          "caption": "At the 2019 International Women of Courage Awards.",
          "credit": "Wikimedia Commons, File:Razia_Sultana_2019_International_Women_of_Courage_(cropped).jpg"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "romarun",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/romarun/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/romarun/index.md",
      "name": "Romarun",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Rokaiyah",
        "Ma Hla Hla Win"
      ],
      "gender": "female",
      "born": "1981-11-06",
      "died": "2020-10-17",
      "years": "1981 – 2020",
      "birthplace": "Nazi Village, Sittwe, Arakan",
      "place": "Sittwe, Arakan",
      "role": "Poet and editor",
      "categories": [
        "Literature",
        "Poetry"
      ],
      "epithet": "The last footsteps of a poet",
      "summary": "Rohingya poet from Sittwe whose poems appeared on Rohingya Today, Arakan Pen and The Art Garden Rohingya, where she became an editor in 2020. She wrote of a life without a shore, of being left behind and of longing for the homeland, and kept up her editorial work until the end of her life. She died in 2020, at thirty-eight.",
      "quote": "I usually write poetry only when I feel something deeply in my heart.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1981",
          "text": "Born Rokaiyah, also known as Ma Hla Hla Win, on 6 November in Nazi Village, Sittwe. Her parents, U Wali Ullah and Daw Sawfura, came from Myoma Ngakhura in Maungdaw Township.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Education",
          "text": "Earned a B.Sc. degree specialising in Chemistry. She married at twenty-one, and later gave birth to her son, Osman."
        },
        {
          "year": "Poems",
          "text": "Published poems online in Rohingya Today, Arakan Pen and The Art Garden Rohingya, among them \"Kan Pyout Bawa\" (A Life Without a Shore), \"Shan Yit Khae Tot\" (When Left Behind), \"Ywet War\" (The Yellow Leaf), \"Pyone San Par-Mi Yoe\" (Smile, Mother) and \"Mway Yat Myay Tan Shin\" (Longing for the Homeland).",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Early 2019",
          "text": "Fell ill with lung cancer, and was treated continuously in Myanmar and abroad.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2020",
          "text": "Became an editor of The Art Garden Rohingya in February, and carried the work with dedication to the end of her life. Her last poem was \"Chit Thaw May May\" (Beloved Mother).",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2020",
          "text": "Died at 4 p.m. on 17 October, aged thirty-eight.",
          "note": "In her memory, The Art Garden Rohingya published her poems as \"The Last Footsteps of Romarun\".",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Poet Romarun was born on November 6, 1981, in Nazi Village, Sittwe, Arakan State. Her birth name was Rokaiyah, also known as Ma Hla Hla Win. Her parents were U Wali Ullah (also known as U Kyaw Win) and Daw Sawfura. Her parents were originally from Myoma Ngakhura, Maungdaw Township, Arakan State.\n\nShe received her basic education in Sittwe and later pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree with a specialization in Chemistry. At the age of 21, she married and later gave birth to a son named Osman.\n\nRomarun had a deep passion for reading and writing. In an interview, she once said, “I usually write poetry only when I feel something deeply in my heart.” She wrote and published numerous poems on online platforms such as Rohingya Today, Arakan Pen, and The Art Garden Rohingya. Among her well-known poems are Kan Pyout Bawa (A Life Without a Shore), Shan Yit Khae Tot (When Left Behind), Ywet War(The Yellow Leaf), Pyone San Par-Mi Yoe (Smile, Mother), and Mway Yat Myay Tan Shin (Longing for the Homeland).\n\nAfter contributing poems to The Art Garden Rohingya, Romarun became an editor of the platform in February 2020. She carried out her editorial responsibilities with dedication and goodwill until the final period of her life. Her last poem was entitled “Chit Thaw May May” (Beloved Mother). Romarun was also particularly fond of the literary works of A Kyi Taw. Explaining why she admired his writing, she once said, “His works not only entertain readers and make them laugh, but also offer them a wide range of literary emotions and experiences.”\n\nRomarun had been suffering from lung cancer since early 2019 and underwent continuous medical treatment both within the country and abroad. However, death spares no one. Whether young or old, wise or strong, when one’s appointed time comes, departure from this world is inevitable. Every living soul must surely taste death. At 4:00 p.m. on October 17, 2020, Romarun bade farewell to her beloved mother and her only son and returned to Allah in accordance with His divine will.\n\nFollowing Romarun’s death, The Art Garden Rohingya published a collection of her poems entitled The Last Footsteps of Romarun in her memory.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/romarun.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/romarun.webp",
          "width": 156,
          "height": 160
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "selim-noor",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/selim-noor/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/selim-noor/index.md",
      "name": "Selim Noor",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1990",
      "years": "Born 1990",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Humanitarian leader and media founder",
      "categories": [
        "Journalism and media",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "Carrying the Rohingya story to Arabic-speaking audiences",
      "summary": "A Rohingya humanitarian and media figure based in Istanbul, who works to raise awareness of the Rohingya crisis and strengthen Rohingya identity through media, education and community initiatives. He co-founded the Arakan News Agency and the Arakan Humanitarian Association in Turkey, and in 2022 founded Zita TV, a Rohingya television platform devoted to Rohingya history, culture, identity and current issues.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "2014",
          "text": "Studied at a College of Arabic Language and Literature; his fluency in formal Arabic lets him reach Arabic-speaking audiences and media on Rohingya issues."
        },
        {
          "year": "Arakan News Agency",
          "text": "Co-founded the Arakan News Agency (ANA), a news platform reporting on Rohingya affairs and the situation in Arakan."
        },
        {
          "year": "Turkey",
          "text": "Co-founded the Arakan Humanitarian Association in Turkey, which works on humanitarian support, awareness and youth engagement for Rohingya communities."
        },
        {
          "year": "2022",
          "text": "Founded Zita TV, a Rohingya television platform dedicated to Rohingya history, culture, identity and current issues.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Selim Noor is a Rohingya humanitarian and media figure based in Istanbul, known for his work in raising awareness about the Rohingya crisis and strengthening Rohingya identity through media, education, and community initiatives.\n\nOriginally connected to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and now living in Istanbul, Turkey, he is active in Rohingya civil society and diaspora efforts. He is fluent in formal Arabic, which has allowed him to engage with Arabic-speaking audiences and media on Rohingya issues.\n\nHe is a co-founder of Arakan News Agency (ANA), a Rohingya-focused news platform that reports on Rohingya affairs and the situation in Arakan. He is also a co-founder of the Arakan Humanitarian Association in Turkey, which works on humanitarian support, awareness, and youth engagement for Rohingya communities.\n\nIn 2022, he founded Zita TV, a Rohingya television platform dedicated to Rohingya history, culture, identity, and current issues. Through this media work, he contributes to preserving Rohingya heritage and sharing Rohingya narratives with a wider audience.\n\nAcademically, he studied at a College of Arabic Language and Literature (2014), which aligns with his strong Arabic communication and media outreach.\n\nSelim Noor is part of a younger generation of Rohingya diaspora leaders who combine humanitarian work and media to advocate for Rohingya rights, cultural preservation, and global awareness.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "shamsul-anwarul-huq",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/shamsul-anwarul-huq/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/shamsul-anwarul-huq/index.md",
      "name": "Shamsul Anwarul Huq",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Kyaw Min"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1944-03-19",
      "years": "Born 1944",
      "birthplace": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Academic, former politician and pro-democracy activist",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Education",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "From the classroom to the struggle for democracy",
      "summary": "Shamsul Anwarul Huq, also known as Kyaw Min, is a Rohingya academic, educator and pro-democracy activist from Buthidaung, Arakan. A former teacher and primary school headmaster, he became a leading figure in the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR) and was elected Member of Parliament for Buthidaung-1 in the 1990 general election, but the military junta banned the party and prevented him from taking his seat. In 1998 Aung San Suu Kyi invited him to join the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP). In 2005 he was arrested and sentenced to 47 years in prison, and the imprisonment of his family with him, including his daughters Wai Wai Nu and Khin Khin Nu, drew international attention to the persecution of Rohingya political figures.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1944",
          "text": "Born on 19 March in Buthidaung, Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Education",
          "text": "Graduated in Economics and obtained a Diploma in Educational Practice from institutions in Rangoon."
        },
        {
          "year": "1969",
          "text": "Began his career in the Myanmar Education Department, serving as a teacher and primary school headmaster in Arakan and promoting education and literacy in the Rohingya community."
        },
        {
          "year": "1988",
          "text": "His activism intensified during the pro-democracy movement, leading to his political career and to his dismissal from the education sector."
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "A leading figure in the NDPHR, he was elected Member of Parliament for the Buthidaung-1 constituency in the general election.",
          "note": "The military junta banned the NDPHR and prevented him from taking his seat, but he continued to campaign for citizenship rights and equality.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1992",
          "text": "Detained, and detained again in 1994.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1998",
          "text": "Aung San Suu Kyi invited him to join the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP).",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2005",
          "text": "Arrested and sentenced to 47 years in prison.",
          "note": "His imprisonment, alongside that of his wife and children, including his daughters Wai Wai Nu and Khin Khin Nu, drew international attention to the persecution of Rohingya political figures.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Shamsul Anwarul Huq, also known as Kyaw Min, is a distinguished Rohingya academic, educator, and pro-democracy activist born in Buthidaung, Arakan. After graduating in Economics and obtaining a Diploma in Educational Practice from institutions in Rangoon, he began his career in 1969 with the Myanmar Education Department. His early, significant work for the Rohingya community focused on promoting education and literacy, serving as a teacher and primary school headmaster in Arakan.\n\nHuq’s activism intensified during the 1988 pro-democracy movement, leading to his political career and dismissal from the education sector. He became a crucial figure in the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR) and was overwhelmingly elected as a Member of Parliament for the Buthidaung-1 constituency in the 1990 general election. Although the military junta banned the NDPHR and prevented him from taking his seat, he continued to campaign for citizenship rights and equality. His importance to the national pro-democracy struggle was further cemented when Aung San Suu Kyi invited him to join the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament (CRPP) in 1998.\n\nHis decades of peaceful resistance were met with severe persecution. Huq was repeatedly detained in 1992 and 1994, and most dramatically in 2005, when he was arrested and unjustly sentenced to 47 years in prison under discriminatory laws. His imprisonment, alongside that of his wife and children (including his daughters Wai Wai Nu and Khin Khin Nu), drew significant international attention to the systematic persecution of Rohingya political figures.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "1990 Multi-Party Democracy General Elections and The Rohingyas' Enfranchisement - The Stateless Rohingya",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "King, Rohang. Moulana Phir Muzaffor: A Short Biography 1927–2006",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Kyaw Min. Rohingya History: Reality, Devoid of Myth.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/shamsul-anwarul-huq.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/shamsul-anwarul-huq-2.webp",
          "width": 304,
          "height": 303,
          "credit": "Website unknown (image hosted on exactdn.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abdul-wali-al-arkani",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-wali-al-arkani/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-wali-al-arkani/index.md",
      "name": "Shaykh Abdul Wali al-Arkani",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Abu Muʿāḍ"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1983",
      "years": "Born 1983",
      "birthplace": "Mislafah, Mecca",
      "place": "Mecca, Saudi Arabia",
      "role": "Qari and imam in Saudi Arabia",
      "categories": [
        "Religion"
      ],
      "epithet": "A melodious Rohingya voice from Mecca",
      "summary": "A Rohingya Qari and imam, born in Mecca in 1983 to a family of Rohingya origin from Arakan, whose distinctive, melodious Quran recitations are broadcast on Arab channels in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. A graduate of the Al-Arqam Ibn Abu Al-Arqam Institute at Masjid al-Haram, he served in various Mecca mosques before becoming imam of Khādim al-Haramayn ash-Sharifayn in Jeddah, and has been invited to lead prayers alongside reciters such as Mishary Rashid al-Afasy in Ajman, UAE.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1983",
          "text": "Born in Mislafah, Mecca, to a family of Rohingya origin from Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar).",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Childhood",
          "text": "Memorized the Quran early, guided by his father and other teachers."
        },
        {
          "year": "Age 13",
          "text": "Took his first post as an imam, at the mosque of Shaykh Muhammad Saleh Jamal in Mecca."
        },
        {
          "year": "Age 14",
          "text": "Began formal recitation studies, under scholars including Shaykh Harun Dahir, the late Shaykh Muhammad Kabir and Shaykh Muhammad Idriss Abbass."
        },
        {
          "year": "1997",
          "text": "Graduated from the Al-Arqam Ibn Abu Al-Arqam Institute at Masjid al-Haram."
        },
        {
          "year": "Jeddah",
          "text": "After serving in various Mecca mosques, became imam of Khādim al-Haramayn ash-Sharifayn in Jeddah, preaching and reciting Taraweeh and the regular prayers.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Ajman",
          "text": "Officially invited to lead prayers alongside reciters such as Mishary Rashid al-Afasy in Ajman, UAE."
        },
        {
          "year": "Broadcasts",
          "text": "His recitations are recorded and broadcast on Arab channels in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, and are available on platforms such as Assabile.com and Quran Central."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Shaykh Abdul Wali al‑Arkani, also called Abu Muʿāḍ, was born in 1983 in Mislafah, Mecca, to a Rohingya-origin family from Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar). He memorized the Quran early, guided by his father and other teachers, beginning formal recitation studies at age 14, particularly under notable scholars including Shaykh Harun Dahir, the late Shaykh Muhammad Kabir, and Shaykh Muhammad Idriss Abbass.\n\nHe joined the Al-Arqam Ibn Abu Al-Arqam Institute at Masjid al‑Haram and graduated in 1997. His first imamate role was at age 13 in Mecca at the mosque of Shaykh Muhammad Saleh Jamal. After serving in various Mecca mosques, he became Imam of Khādim al-Haramayn ash-Sharifayn in Jeddah, preaching and reciting Taraweeh and regular prayers.\n\nHe has been officially invited to lead prayers alongside esteemed reciters such as Mishary Rashid al-Afasy in Ajman, UAE, an honor reflecting his rising reputation. His distinctive, melodious Quran recitations are recorded and broadcast across major Arab channels in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain, and are available on platforms like Assabile.com and Quran Central.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/abdul-wali-al-arkani.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/abdul-wali-al-arkani-2.webp",
          "width": 200,
          "height": 200,
          "credit": "Assabile (assabile.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "abdul-majeed-al-arakani",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-majeed-al-arakani/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/abdul-majeed-al-arakani/index.md",
      "name": "Sheikh Abdul Majeed al-Arakani",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "الشيخ عبد المجيد الأركاني"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "birthplace": "Saudi Arabia",
      "place": "Saudi Arabia",
      "role": "Qari and Islamic scholar",
      "categories": [
        "Religion"
      ],
      "epithet": "A soulful Rohingya voice of the Quran",
      "summary": "A Rohingya Qari and Quran reciter, born in Saudi Arabia to a Rohingya refugee family originally from Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar, and known for his soulful, melodious recitations. He memorized the Quran at an early age and mastered the rules of Tajweed and Qira'at, and has served as an imam leading daily and Taraweeh prayers at mosques in Saudi Arabia. His recitations are broadcast on Islamic television and radio and on online Quranic platforms.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Birth",
          "text": "Born in Saudi Arabia to a Rohingya refugee family originally from Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Early years",
          "text": "Memorized the Quran at an early age under prominent Quranic scholars, and mastered the rules of Tajweed and Qira'at."
        },
        {
          "year": "Imam",
          "text": "Has served as an imam leading daily and Taraweeh prayers at prominent mosques in Saudi Arabia."
        },
        {
          "year": "Broadcasts",
          "text": "His recitations are broadcast on Islamic television channels, radio stations and online platforms such as Assabile, Quran Central and Islamway."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Sheikh Abdul Majeed al-Arakani (الشيخ عبد المجيد الأركاني) is a renowned Rohingya Qari and Quran reciter born in Saudi Arabia to a Rohingya refugee family originally from Arakan (Rakhine State), Myanmar. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, he memorized the Holy Quran at an early age under the guidance of prominent Quranic scholars and mastered the rules of Tajweed and Qira'at.\n\nHe gained wide recognition across the Islamic world for his soulful, melodious, and emotionally resonant Quranic recitations. Sheikh Abdul Majeed has served as an Imam leading daily and Taraweeh prayers at prominent mosques in Saudi Arabia. His recitations are widely broadcast on Islamic television channels, radio stations, and online Quranic platforms (such as Assabile, Quran Central, and Islamway), serving as a distinguished cultural and spiritual representative for the Rohingya diaspora worldwide.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-03"
    },
    {
      "slug": "muhammad-ayyub",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muhammad-ayyub/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muhammad-ayyub/index.md",
      "name": "Sheikh Muhammad Ayyub",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1952-10",
      "died": "2016-04-16",
      "years": "1952 – 2016",
      "birthplace": "Mecca, Saudi Arabia",
      "deathplace": "Medina",
      "place": "Mecca, Saudi Arabia",
      "role": "Qari and Imam of the Prophet's Mosque",
      "categories": [
        "Religion",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Rohingya voice in the Prophet's Mosque",
      "summary": "A Rohingya Qari and scholar of the Quran who, in 1990, was appointed Imam of the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi) in Medina, a historic achievement for a Rohingya. Born in Mecca in 1952 to a family of Rohingya refugees who had fled persecution in Arakan, he grew up in hardship, memorized the Quran by the age of 13, and earned master's and doctorate degrees in Tafsir and Quranic sciences at the Islamic University of Madinah, where he later joined the faculty. He was known for his emotional, clear and deeply spiritual recitation.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1952",
          "text": "Born in October in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to a family of Rohingya refugees who had fled persecution in Arakan. His early life was marked by hardship and poverty.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "By age 13",
          "text": "Had memorized the Quran, under the guidance of Sheikh Khalil Al-Qari."
        },
        {
          "year": "Studies",
          "text": "Studied in Medina: a bachelor's degree in Sharia, then master's and doctorate degrees in Tafsir and Quranic sciences from the Islamic University of Madinah, where he later became a faculty member."
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "Appointed Imam of the Prophet's Mosque (1410 AH), a historic achievement for a Rohingya.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1997",
          "text": "Held the post until 1997, then served as Imam of Quba Mosque until his final years."
        },
        {
          "year": "2015",
          "text": "In Ramadan he was again appointed to lead the Taraweeh prayers at the Prophet's Mosque, a moment of honour for Rohingya Muslims worldwide.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2016",
          "text": "Died in Medina on 16 April. His funeral prayer was held in the Prophet's Mosque, and he was buried in Al-Baqi Cemetery.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Muhammad Ayyub was a renowned Rohingya Islamic scholar, Qari, and Imam, best known for his powerful recitation of the Quran and his service as an Imam of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina. He was one of the most respected Rohingya figures in the Islamic world.\n\nHe was born in October 1952 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to a family of Rohingya refugees who had fled persecution in Arakan (Rakhine State), Burma. His early life was marked by hardship and poverty. Despite this, he memorized the Quran by age 13 under the guidance of Sheikh Khalil Al-Qari.\n\nHe pursued higher Islamic studies in Medina, earning a bachelor's degree in Sharia, followed by master’s and doctorate degrees in Tafsir and Quranic sciences from the Islamic University of Madinah, where he later became a faculty member.\n\nIn 1990 (1410 AH), Sheikh Ayyub was appointed Imam of the Prophet’s Mosque, a historic achievement for a Rohingya. He held the position until 1997, then served as Imam of Quba Mosque until his final years. In Ramadan 2015, he was again appointed to lead Taraweeh prayers at Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, a moment of honor for Rohingya Muslims worldwide.\n\nHe was known for his emotional, clear, and deeply spiritual recitation, widely listened to and loved across the Muslim world. He followed the Hanafi school of thought and was deeply connected to classical Islamic scholarship.\n\nSheikh Muhammad Ayyub passed away on 16 April 2016 in Medina. His funeral prayer was held in the Prophet’s Mosque, and he was buried in Al-Baqi Cemetery.\n\nHe is remembered not only as a great Qari and scholar, but as a proud Rohingya who reached the highest levels of Islamic leadership through knowledge, perseverance, and sincerity.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/muhammad-ayyub.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/muhammad-ayyub-2.webp",
          "width": 316,
          "height": 316,
          "credit": "Wikipedia, Muhammad Ayyub"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "shobu",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/shobu/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/shobu/index.md",
      "name": "Shobu",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Shobbir Ahmed"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "died": "2009-11-19",
      "years": "c. 1950 – 2009",
      "birthplace": "Myoma Khayandan, Maungdaw, Arakan (Rakhine State)",
      "deathplace": "Jeddah, Saudi Arabia",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Singer and performer",
      "categories": [
        "Music"
      ],
      "epithet": "The voice of Arakan",
      "summary": "Shobu, officially named Shobbir Ahmed, was a Rohingya singer and performer from Maungdaw whose emotional and patriotic songs made him a household name across Rohingya communities. As lead singer of the Arakanese Rohingya theatre in Maungdaw and Buthidaung, he sang of the suffering, love and hopes of his people, in songs such as \"Arakanor Meri Herejohar\". Because of rising persecution he migrated to Saudi Arabia in 1980, and he kept singing for the Rohingya diaspora until his death in Jeddah in 2009.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "c. 1950",
          "text": "Born in Myoma Khayandan, Maungdaw.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1970s – 80s",
          "text": "Became the lead singer of the Arakanese Rohingya theatre in Maungdaw and Buthidaung, in performances that often combined music and drama.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Songs",
          "text": "His most famous songs, like \"Arakanor Meri Herejohar\", moved listeners to tears and reminded them of their deep connection to their homeland."
        },
        {
          "year": "1980",
          "text": "Migrated to Saudi Arabia because of rising persecution in Burma, and kept singing in exile; his songs became a source of comfort and pride for the Rohingya diaspora.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2009",
          "text": "Died in Jeddah on 19 November after a long struggle with kidney disease, and was buried there the following day.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Shobu, officially named Shobbir Ahmed, was a legendary Rohingya singer and performer. Born around 1950 in Myoma Khayandan, Maungdaw, (Arakan)  Rakhine State, he became a household name across Rohingya communities for his emotional and patriotic songs. He is remembered as one of the greatest cultural figures in Rohingya history.\n\nIn the 1970s and 1980s, Shobu became the lead singer of the Arakanese Rohingya theatre in Maungdaw and Buthidaung. He used his voice to speak about the suffering, love, and hopes of the Rohingya people. His performances often combined music and drama, playing a major role in shaping Rohingya cultural identity.\n\nHis most famous songs, like “Arakanor Meri Herejohar,” moved listeners to tears and reminded them of their deep connection to their homeland. His songs were not just entertainment — they were emotional, historical, and political expressions of a people in crisis.\n\nIn 1980, due to rising persecution in Burma, Shobu migrated to Saudi Arabia. Even in exile, he continued singing and remained an active voice for his people. His songs became a source of comfort and pride for the Rohingya diaspora, helping preserve their language, history, and spirit.\n\nShobu died on 19 November 2009 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after a long struggle with kidney disease. He was buried there the following day. His passing was deeply mourned across Rohingya communities worldwide.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/shobu.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/shobu-2.webp",
          "width": 1280,
          "height": 720,
          "caption": "Thumbnail of a YouTube video, marked \"Rohingya Folk Song Studio\".",
          "credit": "YouTube"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "syed-alaol",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/syed-alaol/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/syed-alaol/index.md",
      "name": "Syed Alaol",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1607",
      "died": "1673",
      "years": "1607 – 1673",
      "birthplace": "Jalalpur, Fatehabad Pargana, Bengal Subah (now part of Madaripur District, Bangladesh)",
      "place": "Jalalpur, Bengal",
      "role": "Poet of Arakan and translator of Persian and Hindi literature",
      "categories": [
        "Poetry",
        "Literature",
        "Translation"
      ],
      "epithet": "The wise poet of the Mrauk U court",
      "summary": "A Bengali poet of the royal court of Arakan's Mrauk U kingdom, born in 1607 in Jalalpur, Bengal, and brought to Arakan in his youth after Portuguese pirates captured him. With the patronage of the prime minister Magan Thakur and the royal minister Syed Musa he wrote Padmavati (1648), a Bengali adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's Hindi epic, completed Daulat Qazi's unfinished Satimayna O Lorchandrani, and rendered Persian works of Nizami into Bengali, earning the title Pandit Kabi (Wise Poet).",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1607",
          "text": "Born in Jalalpur, Fatehabad Pargana, into an aristocratic family; his father was a minister under the ruler of Fatehabad. He mastered Bengali, Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit, and was trained in music and warfare.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Youth",
          "text": "Captured by Portuguese pirates while travelling with his father, and taken to Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Mrauk U",
          "text": "First served as a bodyguard; his poetic talent later won him a place at the royal court of King Sanda Thudhamma, with the patronage of the prime minister Magan Thakur and the royal minister Syed Musa."
        },
        {
          "year": "1648",
          "text": "Wrote Padmavati, his most famous work, a Bengali adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's Hindi epic that blends Sufi themes with local folklore.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1659",
          "text": "Completed Satimayna O Lorchandrani from Daulat Qazi's unfinished manuscript."
        },
        {
          "year": "1665 – 72",
          "text": "Wrote Saptapaykar (1665), a Bengali rendition of Nizami Ganjavi's Persian text; Saifulmuluk Badiuzzamal (1669), a love story between a prince and a fairy; and Sikandarnama (1671–72), a translation of Nizami's Eskander-nama."
        },
        {
          "year": "1673",
          "text": "Died.",
          "note": "Bangladesh honours him with the Alaol Sahitya Puroshkar, a literary award named after him.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Syed Alaol was born in 1607 in Jalalpur, Fatehabad Pargana, Bengal Subah (now part of Madaripur District, Bangladesh). He hailed from an aristocratic family; his father served as a minister under the ruler of Fatehabad. Alaol was well-educated, mastering Bengali, Arabic, Persian, and Sanskrit, and was also trained in music and warfare .\n\nIn his youth, Alaol was captured by Portuguese pirates while traveling with his father and was taken to Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar). Initially serving as a bodyguard, he later gained recognition for his poetic talents and was appointed to the royal court of King Sanda Thudhamma of the Mrauk U dynasty. There, he received patronage from prominent figures such as Magan Thakur, the prime minister, and Syed Musa, the royal minister .\n\nAlaol's literary contributions are significant. His most famous work, \"Padmavati\" (1648), is a Bengali adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's Hindi epic, blending Sufi themes with local folklore. Other notable works include:\n\n- \"Satimayna O Lorchandrani\" (1659): Completed from Daulat Qazi's unfinished manuscript.\n\n- \"Saptapaykar\" (1665): A Bengali rendition of Nizami Ganjavi's Persian text.\n\n- \"Saifulmuluk Badiuzzamal\" (1669): A love story between a prince and a fairy.\n\n- \"Sikandarnama\" (1671–72): A translation of Nizami's \"Eskander-nama\" .\n\nAlaol's works are celebrated for their lyrical beauty and intellectual depth, earning him the title \"Pandit Kabi\" (Wise Poet). His legacy is honored in Bangladesh through the Alaol Sahitya Puroshkar, a literary award named in his honor .",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "tekkatho-nanda-meik",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/tekkatho-nanda-meik/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/tekkatho-nanda-meik/index.md",
      "name": "Tekkatho Nanda Meik",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Mohammed Ali",
        "Maung Tin Aung"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1923-03-08",
      "died": "1986-11-15",
      "years": "1923 – 1986",
      "birthplace": "Taungup, Thandwe District, Arakan",
      "deathplace": "Ywama East, Insein, Yangon",
      "place": "Taungup, Arakan",
      "role": "Writer, novelist and editor",
      "categories": [
        "Literature",
        "Journalism and media",
        "Translation"
      ],
      "epithet": "The man who asked for heaven and earth",
      "summary": "Writer, novelist, poet, editor and publisher from Taungup, remembered as \"the man who asked for heaven and earth\". He edited Myawaddy Magazine and other leading journals, wrote dozens of books, many of them novels, translated works of war and military history, and produced one of Burma's earliest translated works of wartime memoir literature.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1923",
          "text": "Born Mohammed Ali, also called Maung Tin Aung, on 8 March in Taungup, Thandwe District — the elder of twins. His father, U Maung Maung Gyi, was a township official in Taungup.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1940s",
          "text": "During the Japanese occupation, took part in anti-fascist student movements alongside the lecturer U Kyaw Yin, later Rector of Mandalay University."
        },
        {
          "year": "1946",
          "text": "Passed the matriculation examination at the Government Anglo-Burmese High School in Thandwe, with distinction in English, and went on to Rangoon University."
        },
        {
          "year": "1947",
          "text": "His earliest known work, the poem \"Maung Do Rakhine Pyi\" (Our Arakan), appeared in the December issue of Journal Kyaw.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1949 – 50",
          "text": "Associate editor of the Burmese section of the Rangoon University Annual Magazine and editor of the Arakanese and Burmese Muslim students' magazines; won first prize in a short-story competition with \"Kabyar Ta Kyawt\"."
        },
        {
          "year": "1950",
          "text": "Left university and published his first full-length novel, \"Nandar Pearl\"; became an assistant editor at the Toe Tat Yay (Progress) newspaper."
        },
        {
          "year": "1953",
          "text": "High-school teacher at the Government High School in Wakema."
        },
        {
          "year": "1954 – 60",
          "text": "Editor of Yaung Chi Journal and, from the same year, managing editor and editor-in-chief of Myawaddy Magazine; published the novels \"Maung Gyi Lar Par Hay\" and \"Pan Taing Hmwe Par Say\".",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1960s",
          "text": "Edited Yoke Shin Padetha and Nawaday magazines, started Detective Magazine with the writer Moe Wai, and wrote a stream of novels, among them \"Thway Thitsar\" (Blood Oath), along with the guide \"Sar Yay Chin Thaw Thu Myar Tho\" (To Those Who Want to Write)."
        },
        {
          "year": "1965 – 66",
          "text": "Published full-length translations of war and military history, among them \"The Battle of Imphal\", \"Burma: The Battlefield\" and \"Thanlwin Myit Kan Taik Pwe\" (The Battle on the Banks of the Thanlwin River).",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1967",
          "text": "Published a further run of full-length books, among them \"Saipan Kyun Taik Pwe\" (The Battle of Saipan) and \"Myitkyina Taik Pwe\" (The Battle of Myitkyina)."
        },
        {
          "year": "1981 – 86",
          "text": "Kept publishing to the end of his life, including two-volume translations of \"Titanic\" and \"Thway Set Chay Yar\" (Trail of Blood)."
        },
        {
          "year": "1986",
          "text": "Died at 10:05 p.m. on Saturday, 15 November, at House No. 991, Aung Mingalar Lane, Ywama East, Insein.",
          "note": "His twin, Tekkatho Zaw Min, founded the Twin Brothers publishing house in his memory. In 2004 his former students published \"Tekkatho Nanda Meik, or The Man Who Asked for Heaven and Earth\".",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Tekkatho Nanda Meik, who was figuratively described as “one who asked for heaven and earth,” was a prominent Muslim figure from Arakan. He was renowned as a writer, novelist, poet, editor, and literary publisher, as well as the author of one of Burma’s earliest translated works of wartime memoir literature.\n\nTekkatho Nanda Meik was born on Thursday, March 8, 1923, during the colonial period, in Taungup, Thandwe District. He was the son of U Maung Maung Gyi, a township official in Taungup, and Daw Shwe. He had three siblings: Maung Tin Aung, Maung Tin Maung, and Ma Tin Tin. He was the elder of a pair of twins. His birth name was Mohammed Ali, also known as Maung Tin Aung, while his parents affectionately called him “Ko Ko.”\n\nMohammed Ali received his early education at the National Burmese Middle School in Taungup, where he studied up to the fifth standard. After moving with his family to Thandwe, he passed the matriculation examination in 1946 from the Government Anglo-Burmese High School in Thandwe, earning a distinction in English. He subsequently continued his education at Rangoon University. While serving as an executive member of the Thandwe Students’ Union, he participated alongside lecturer U Kyaw Yin in anti-fascist student movements during the Japanese occupation.\n\nNanda Meik entered the literary world with his poem “Maung Do Rakhine Pyi” (Our Arakan), published in the December 1947 issue of Journal Kyaw (Vol. 11, No. 3). The poem is believed to be his earliest known literary work.\n\nIn 1949–50, Nanda Meik served as associate editor of the Burmese-language section of the Rangoon University Annual Magazine. He also served as editor of the magazine of the Rangoon University Arakanese Students’ Association and as editor of the magazine of the Rangoon University Burmese Muslim Students’ Association. In addition, he held the position of Vice-President of the Rangoon University Arakanese Students’ Association. In a short-story competition organized by the Rangoon University Arakanese Association, he won first prize for his short story “Kabyar Ta Kyawt”, which he submitted under the name “Maung Tin Aung (B.A. Senior)”. During the same year, his play “Ko Pyauk Say Lone” (The Invisibility Pill) was published in the Rangoon University Annual Magazine (Vol. 1, No. 3). His poem “Khit-e-Kyemon” (Mirror of the Age), described as a tay gyo (lyrical prelude), was also published in Taw Win Magazine and in the magazine of the Arakanese Students’ Association.\n\nIn 1950, Nanda Meik left university without sitting for his final B.A. examination. That year, he wrote and published his first full-length novel, “Nandar Pearl”. During the Japanese occupation, he had also participated in anti-Japanese resistance activities alongside U Kyaw Yin, who later became Rector of Mandalay University. After leaving university, Nanda Meik worked as an assistant editor at the Toe Tat Yay (Progress) newspaper. In 1953, he became a high school teacher at the Government High School in Wakema.\n\nIn 1954, Nanda Meik became editor of Yaung Chi Journal, published by Myawaddy Magazine. In the same year, he also took on the roles of managing editor and editor-in-chief of Myawaddy Magazine, positions he held until 1960. During this period, he published the full-length novel Maung Gyi Lar Par Hay (Maung Gyi, Come Here). In 1956, he wrote and published the novel Pan Taing Hmwe Par Say (May Every Flower Be Fragrant). In 1960, he served as editor of Yoke Shin Padetha Magazine and as editor-in-chief of Nawaday Magazine. Together with the writer Moe Wai, he also took the lead in publishing Detective Magazine, serving as its editor. He also wrote and published Shwe Pyi Gyi, a novel set against the background of Burmese history, and Pan Phwet Tan,a romantic novel based on traditional Arakanese customs and culture.\n\nIn 1961, Nanda Meik published several original novels, including Thway Thitsar (Blood Oath), Saw Kyo Hlae Par, Chit Thaw Ni Ni (Beloved Ni Ni), Achit Lan Kalay Winga Bar (The Labyrinth of Love), Moe Tein Ko Hmyaw (Looking Toward the Clouds), and Moe Tein Ko Hmar. He also compiled a collection of literary essays and published a book on writing entitled Sar Yay Chin Thaw Thu Myar Tho (To Those Who Want to Write). In 1963, he published the war novel Sit Kyaung Chi Thaw.\n\nIn 1964, Nanda Meik published the books Chindwin Kyaw Hlyin (When We Cross the Chindwin), Thway Ko Lan Khin Ywe (Paving the Road with Blood), and Thin Kyar Pay Par Lay Oo Saya (Please Continue to Teach Us, Teacher). In 1965, he wrote and published a number of full-length translated works on war and military history, including The Anti-Japanese Resistance, Life as Fragile as a Leaf, The Battle of Imphal, Kalein Seit Ngyan Sin, Burma: The Battlefield, and Through Mandalay: The Stages of Battle.\n\nIn 1966, Nanda Meik published several full-length translated works, including Thway Chaung Si Taik Pwe (The Battle of Flowing Blood), Thanlwin Myit Kan Taik Pwe (The Battle on the Banks of the Thanlwin River), Let Ta Kan Taik Pwe (Close-Quarters Battle), Ta Ti Ya Mee Kyi (The Third Firebomb), Sit Pyay (War Refugee), Sin Yal, Sanit Yal, Lu Thar Yal, and Zet Tat Phwe. In 1967, he published a number of full-length books, including Ah-Thay Khan Tat Su (The Suicide Unit), Saipan Kyun Taik Pwe (The Battle of Saipan), Htaung Ko Yar Lay Se Hnit (1942), Pan War Sit Kyaung (The Pan Wa Column), Myawaddy Sit Kyaung (The Myawaddy Column), Myitkyina Taik Pwe (The Battle of Myitkyina), Meinma Thutethana (Women: A Study), Volumes 1 and 2, and Yone Kyi Chet Atwet Athak Sunt Thu Myar (Those Who Sacrificed Their Lives for Their Beliefs). In 1968, he published such books as Bandula Khan Tat (Bandula Fort), Saw Nanda, and Moe Tein Ko Say. In 1969, he published the full-length translated works Theikpan Sone Htauk (The Science Detective) and Thone Yaung Chae Tase Thinbaw (The Three-Colored Ghost Ship). In 1971, he published Bawa Thitsar Myitta Hlaing (Waves of Life, Loyalty, and Love) and Ta Theint Theint Done. In 1977, he published the novels Se Pyi Htaung Chawt Tot Ma Pyone and Taung Ta Kar Taw, San Kaw Ne Kyar Htaung.\n\nIn 1981, Nanda Meik published Following Thay Min Nauk Tho Chay Yar Kauk Thaw (the Footsteps of Death), a two-volume work.\n\nIn 1982, he published the translated works Titanic (two volumes) and Thway Set Chay Yar (Trail of Blood), also in two volumes. In 1983, he published Ta Thaung Hmar Ta Yauk (One in Ten Thousand) and Than Khaung Yan Khunit Mee Nit (Seven Minutes Past Midnight). In 1984, he published several books, including Maha Khayee Shay (The Great Long Journey), Moe Pyo Ma Pyo, A-Twe Sein Sein, and Hitler’s Amwe (Hitler’s Legacy).\n\nIn 1985, he published Typhoon (Taik Fun), Naung Udan Be Ma Kyei Sayar, and the two-volume Bilu Si, Lu Si. In 1986, he wrote and published several full-length translated works, including Thanmani Thitsar (Steel Loyalty”) and 34-Ashay (34-East).\n\nTekkatho Nanda Meik remained devoted to his literary work without interruption until the final days of his life. At the age of 64, he passed away at 10:05 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, 1986, at House No. 991, Aung Mingalar Lane, Ywama East, Insein. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Daw Than Nu; his daughters, Saw Thida Nanda Meik and Saw Sanda Nanda Meik; and his sons, Zeya Nanda Meik, Seinda Nanda Meik, and Okka Nanda Meik. Following his death, his twin brother, Tekkatho Zaw Min, took the lead in establishing the “Twin Brothers” Publishing House (Ahmwar Nyi Naung) in his memory. In addition, some of Nanda Meik’s former students took the initiative to compile and publish a commemorative book entitled Tekkatho Nanda Meik, or The Man Who Asked for Heaven and Earth in 2004.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/tekkatho-nanda-meik.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/tekkatho-nanda-meik.webp",
          "width": 264,
          "height": 400,
          "caption": "A painted portrait, captioned in Burmese: “Myawaddy Magazine editor-in-chief, writer Tekkatho Nanda Meik, also known as Mohammed Ali”"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/tekkatho-nanda-meik-2.webp",
          "width": 292,
          "height": 320,
          "caption": "A poster, captioned in Burmese: “Renowned writer Tekkatho Nanda Meik, also known as Mohammed Ali (1922–1986)”"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-abdul-gaffar",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-abdul-gaffar/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-abdul-gaffar/index.md",
      "name": "U Abdul Gaffar",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "M. A. Gaffar"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1910",
      "died": "1966",
      "years": "1910 – 1966",
      "birthplace": "Rwanyno Taung village, Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Member of the Constituent Assembly and politician",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "An early champion of Rohingya recognition",
      "summary": "A Rohingya politician and educator from Buthidaung, Arakan, remembered for his 1948 Memorandum of Appeal, which sought official recognition of the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group with their own culture, language, history and civilization. Elected to the Burmese Constituent Assembly for Buthidaung in 1947, he later sat in the Chamber of Nationalities and served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health under Prime Minister U Nu.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1910",
          "text": "Born in Rwanyno Taung village, the son of Ulah Meah.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1930 – 33",
          "text": "After the Chittagong Senior Madrasa, earned a B.A. from the University of Dacca (1930) and a Bachelor of Education from Aligarh Muslim University in India (1933)."
        },
        {
          "year": "1931 – 42",
          "text": "District Inspector of Schools in Akyab."
        },
        {
          "year": "1944 – 45",
          "text": "Township Officer in Buthidaung."
        },
        {
          "year": "1947",
          "text": "Elected to the Burmese Constituent Assembly for Buthidaung; he took his oath in January 1948, after Burma's independence.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1948",
          "text": "Presented a Memorandum of Appeal seeking official recognition of the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group in Arakan, arguing that they were a nation with their own culture, language, history and civilization, deserving constitutional recognition.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1949",
          "text": "Appointed by President Sao Shwe Thaik to the Inquiry Commission of Arakan, which examined questions of regional autonomy."
        },
        {
          "year": "1952 – 56",
          "text": "Elected to the Chamber of Nationalities (Upper House) from Akyab West in 1952 and from Maungdaw in 1956."
        },
        {
          "year": "Parliamentary secretary",
          "text": "Served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health under Prime Minister U Nu."
        },
        {
          "year": "1966",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Abdul Gaffar was a prominent Rohingya politician and educator from Buthidaung, Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar). Born in 1910 in Rwanyno Taung village, he was the son of Ulah Meah. He completed his education at Chittagong Senior Madrasa, then earned a B.A. from the University of Dacca (1930) and a Bachelor of Education from Aligarh Muslim University (1933) in India. Before entering politics, he served as District Inspector of Schools in Akyab (1931–1942) and Township Officer in Buthidaung (1944–1945).\n\nGaffar was elected to the Burmese Constituent Assembly in 1947, representing Buthidaung, and took his oath in January 1948 after Burma’s independence. In 1949, he was appointed by President Sao Shwe Thaik to the Inquiry Commission of Arakan, which examined regional autonomy issues. He was later elected to the Chamber of Nationalities (Upper House) in 1952 from Akyab West and in 1956 from Maungdaw. He also served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health under Prime Minister U Nu.\n\nGaffar is particularly remembered for presenting a Memorandum of Appeal in 1948, seeking official recognition of the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group in Arakan. In this document, he argued that the Rohingya were a nation with a unique culture, language, history, and civilization, deserving constitutional recognition. His advocacy laid the foundation for Rohingya political identity, even though subsequent events—such as the 1962 military coup and the 1982 nationality law—later marginalized the community.\n\nU Abdul Gaffar passed away in 1966, leaving a legacy as one of the earliest Rohingya leaders to champion constitutional recognition, minority rights, and political participation in Burma.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Taylor, Robert H. (1987). The State in Burma. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, pp. 126–127.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Ullah, Aman. (2016, August 3). Mr MA Gaffar (1910–1966) MP and His Memorandum. Rohingya Vision.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Radio Free Asia. (n.d.). Who are the Rohingya?",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Nemoto, Kei. (n.d.). The Rohingya Issue: A Thorny Obstacle between Burma (Myanmar) and Bangladesh.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Kristof, Nicholas. (2014, May 28). Myanmar’s Appalling Apartheid. The New York Times.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Human Rights Watch. (n.d.). Burma/Bangladesh: Burmese Refugees in Bangladesh – Discrimination in Arakan.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-abdul-gaffar.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-abdul-gaffar-2.webp",
          "width": 298,
          "height": 321,
          "credit": "Wikimedia Commons, File:M._A._Gaffar_Rohingya.jpg"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-ba-sein",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-ba-sein/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-ba-sein/index.md",
      "name": "U Ba Sein",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Founder of Rohingya Blogger and former civil servant",
      "categories": [
        "Journalism and media",
        "Human rights",
        "Public service"
      ],
      "epithet": "An early online record of the Rohingya crisis",
      "summary": "A Rohingya writer and former Myanmar civil servant, best known as the founder of Rohingya Blogger, one of the early online platforms reporting on human rights abuses against the Rohingya in Arakan. After fleeing persecution he settled in the United Kingdom, and his first-hand testimony about military operations such as the 1978 Naga Min (King Dragon) operation has been cited by researchers, journalists and human rights groups.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "Civil service",
          "text": "Worked as a civil servant in Myanmar's Ministry of Co-operatives."
        },
        {
          "year": "Exile",
          "text": "Fled Myanmar as discrimination and persecution against the Rohingya increased, and settled in the United Kingdom.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2005",
          "text": "Founded the Rohingya Blogger website, a source of news, statements and documentation on the Rohingya community.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Testimony",
          "text": "Gave first-hand testimony about military operations against the Rohingya, including the 1978 Naga Min (King Dragon) operation; his accounts have been cited in academic and policy discussions of Rohingya persecution."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Ba Sein is a Rohingya writer and community figure known for documenting and sharing information about the Rohingya crisis. He is best recognized as the founder of Rohingya Blogger, one of the early online platforms used to report on human rights abuses and the situation of Rohingya in Arakan (Rakhine State).\n\nU Ba Sein worked as a civil servant in Myanmar’s Ministry of Co-operatives before later fleeing the country due to increasing discrimination and persecution against Rohingya.\n\nIn exile in the United Kingdom, he became active in advocacy and information work focused on Rohingya rights.\n\nHe has provided first-hand testimony about historical military operations against Rohingya, including the 1978 Naga Min (King Dragon) operation. His accounts have been cited in academic and policy discussions on Rohingya persecution and have helped researchers, journalists, and human rights groups understand patterns of abuse in Rakhine State.\n\nIn 2005, he founded the Rohingya Blogger website, which became a source of news, statements, and documentation related to the Rohingya community. Through writing and information-sharing, he contributed to raising international awareness about the Rohingya situation.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Rapid Descent into Genocide in Myanmar? (event profile listing U Ba Sein as Rohingya blogger from Maungdaw)",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Middle East Institute. (2017). An Evolution of Rohingya Persecution in Myanmar",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Daily Star (Bangladesh). (2017). Stories from inside Rakhine",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "VSH Bulletin. (2015). Migration and Rohingya diaspora references",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-ba-sein.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-ba-sein-2.webp",
          "width": 400,
          "height": 400,
          "credit": "X (Twitter) profile picture"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-kyaw-hla-aung",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-kyaw-hla-aung/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-kyaw-hla-aung/index.md",
      "name": "U Kyaw Hla Aung",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Muhammad Kasim",
        "Kyaw Hla Aung"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1940-08-16",
      "died": "2021-07-31",
      "years": "1940 – 2021",
      "birthplace": "Sittwe (Akyab), Rakhine State, Myanmar",
      "deathplace": "Yangon, Myanmar",
      "place": "Sittwe, Rakhine State",
      "role": "Lawyer and civil rights activist",
      "categories": [
        "Law",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "A steadfast defender of Rohingya rights",
      "summary": "U Kyaw Hla Aung, born Muhammad Kasim in Sittwe, was a Rohingya lawyer and civil rights defender who was arrested multiple times and spent years in prison under Myanmar's military regime. After qualifying as a lawyer in 1982 he defended Rohingya farmers and landowners, co-founded the National Democratic Party for Human Rights, and later worked to improve access to healthcare and education for Rohingya in the camps, becoming a respected leader in the Thet Kae Pyin internment camp near Sittwe. In 2018 he became the first Rohingya to win the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1940",
          "text": "Born Muhammad Kasim on 16 August in Sittwe (Akyab).",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Early career",
          "text": "Worked as a court clerk and stenographer."
        },
        {
          "year": "1982",
          "text": "Graduated as a lawyer, and began using his legal knowledge to defend vulnerable farmers and landowners."
        },
        {
          "year": "1986",
          "text": "Represented Rohingya farmers resisting land confiscation by the government.",
          "note": "The case led to his first imprisonment.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "Having co-founded the National Democratic Party for Human Rights, he was a candidate in the elections.",
          "note": "The government blocked his political participation by arresting him and sentencing him to 14 years in prison."
        },
        {
          "year": "Later years",
          "text": "Continued his activism from inside prison and later in the camps, working to improve access to healthcare and education for the Rohingya, and became a respected leader in the Thet Kae Pyin internment camp near Sittwe."
        },
        {
          "year": "2018",
          "text": "Became the first Rohingya to win the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, an international humanitarian award.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2019",
          "text": "Fortune magazine ranked him 28th in its list of the World's Greatest Leaders, and the Armenian post office honoured him with a commemorative stamp."
        },
        {
          "year": "2021",
          "text": "Died on 31 July in Yangon.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Kyaw Hla Aung was a pioneering Rohingya lawyer and civil rights defender, widely recognized as one of the most courageous advocates for Rohingya rights. Born as Muhammad Kasim on 16 August 1940 in Sittwe (Akyab), Rakhine State, Myanmar, he witnessed early on the systemic injustice faced by his community.\n\nAfter working as a court clerk and stenographer, he trained as a lawyer and graduated in 1982. Motivated by the ongoing discrimination against Rohingya, he used his legal knowledge to defend vulnerable farmers and landowners. In 1986, he represented Rohingya farmers resisting land confiscation by the government — a courageous act that led to his first imprisonment.\n\nDespite multiple arrests and spending years in prison under Myanmar’s military regime, U Kyaw Hla Aung remained steadfast. He co-founded the National Democratic Party for Human Rights and was a candidate in the 1990 elections, though the government blocked his political participation by arresting him and sentencing him to 14 years in prison.\n\nHe continued his activism from inside prison and later in refugee camps, where he worked tirelessly to improve access to healthcare and education for the Rohingya. He became a respected leader in the Thet Kae Pyin internment camp near Sittwe.\n\nIn 2018, U Kyaw Hla Aung became the first Rohingya — and one of the very few people from Myanmar — to win the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, an international humanitarian award recognizing his extraordinary courage and dedication.\n\nIn 2019, Fortune magazine ranked him 28th in its list of the World's Greatest Leaders, and the Armenian post office honored him with a commemorative stamp.\n\nU Kyaw Hla Aung passed away on 31 July 2021 in Yangon, Myanmar, after years of service to his people.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Public Radio of Armenia. (2021, August 1). Aurora Prize Laureate Hla Aung passes away.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Frontier Myanmar. (2016, June 3). Frontier Myanmar article on Kyaw Hla Aung.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Aurora Prize. (2018, June 26). Kyaw Hla Aung: “We are not from another land.”",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Thiagarajan, Kamala. (2018, September 17). Rohingya lawyer Kyaw Hla Aung on the price of fighting for justice. Devex.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. (2015). Political Prisoner Profile: U Kyaw Hla Aung.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "ABC News Australia. (2014, August 6). Human rights group deplores Myanmar court extension of Rohingya activist Kyaw Hla Aung detention.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "NPR. (2018, May 29). ‘Deeply Disturbing’ conditions for Rohingya in Myanmar, and those yet to return.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Japan Times. (2018, June 11). Give us Myanmar citizenship to end exodus, award-winning Rohingya lawyer urges.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Fortune. (2019). World’s Greatest Leaders.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "News.am. (2019, October 16). New stamp features 2018 Aurora Prize Laureate Kyaw Hla Aung.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Sunde, Kristin Hulaas. (2015, April 8). A reluctant hero of the Rohingya in Myanmar.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Armenian Mirror-Spectator. (2021, August 1). Rohingya human rights activist Kyaw Hla Aung passes away.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-kyaw-hla-aung.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-kyaw-hla-aung-2.webp",
          "width": 1392,
          "height": 928,
          "credit": "Aurora Luminaries (auroraluminaries.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-mya-than",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-mya-than/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-mya-than/index.md",
      "name": "U Mya Than",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Delwar Ahmad",
        "Doctor Nana"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1935",
      "died": "2009-02-12",
      "years": "1935 – 2009",
      "birthplace": "Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "place": "Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw",
      "role": "Health officer",
      "categories": [
        "Health and medicine",
        "Public service",
        "Education"
      ],
      "epithet": "The forgotten ray",
      "summary": "A Rohingya health worker and leprosy specialist who served hospitals and rural health centres across Arakan for three decades, and an unsung builder of his community: he helped turn a village hut into a health centre, pressed for Taung Pyo Let Wai's clinic to become a hospital, and in retirement taught and treated people in the villages around Bawli Bazaar and organised water supplies for mosques.",
      "quote": "Ashá táilé rasta neele. Where there is a will, there is a way.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1935",
          "text": "Born Delwar Ahmad in Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw, the fourth of six brothers. His father, Qazi Bokhtar Mahmud, was a medical officer in the British Army and a Qazi; his mother was a well-known practitioner of traditional medicine.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Training",
          "text": "After Maungdaw High School he trained at the Health Assistant Training School in Rangoon, and began his career as a laboratory technician at Maungdaw Hospital."
        },
        {
          "year": "1964 – 74",
          "text": "Grade I Laboratory Supervisor at Buthidaung General Hospital."
        },
        {
          "year": "1974 – 85",
          "text": "Supervisor in the leprosy departments of Sittwe General Hospital and then Buthidaung Township Hospital — a specialist so valued that hospitals kept inviting him to lecture on leprosy after he retired."
        },
        {
          "year": "1985 – 90",
          "text": "Health Officer at Thabeik Taung Rural Health Centre, where he rallied the villagers to turn a clinic that was little more than a hut into a permanent health facility.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1993",
          "text": "At Taung Pyo Let Wai, he made the case to General Khin Nyunt that the health centre was too small for its patients; it was upgraded and rebuilt as a station hospital. That year he also served on the medical team of the refugee repatriation programme.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1995",
          "text": "Retired to Bawli Bazaar, where he taught children who could not afford school, gave free treatment and first-aid training, and started \"Water Supply for All\" to bring water to mosques and other religious buildings."
        },
        {
          "year": "2009",
          "text": "Died on the morning of Thursday, 12 February — he had been born on a Thursday too — and was laid to rest at the Bawli Cemetery in Kyaik Chaung, Laung Don.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "> “Ashá táilé rasta neele”\n\nThis was one of the sayings that Health Officer U Mya Than often used when offering advice and encouragement. He frequently quoted the original English proverb, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” It was one of his favorite sayings.\n\nThe name U Mya Than may be unfamiliar to many readers. Although he was not a nationally renowned figure, he was an unsung individual who devoted himself to serving his country and his people. As a healthcare worker, he carried out his duties faithfully, conscientiously, and with genuine dedication to the well-being of those he served.\n\nMaung Mya Than was born in 1935 in Bawli Bazaar, Maungdaw, Arakan State, to Qazi Bokhtar Mahmud and Daw Amina Chowdhury. His birth name was Delwar Ahmad. His father served as a medical officer in the British Army and as a local medical officer in the Bawli area. He was also a Qazi appointed by the British administration with judicial authority. His mother was a well-known practitioner of traditional medicine and came from the Bawli family lineage. Mya Than was the fourth of six brothers. When he was around thirteen years old, his father, Qazi Bokhtar Mahmud, passed away. Thereafter, Mya Than grew up under the care and guidance of his mother and elder brother.\n\nMaung Mya Than studied up to the sixth standard at the Amir Ali Urdu School of that period. When the school was later converted into a Burmese-English National School, he continued his education there. He subsequently completed his secondary education at Maungdaw High School. He had initially been interested in joining the Burmese Army, but circumstances prevented him from doing so. Influenced by his family background, he instead developed an interest in medicine and pursued medical training at the Health Assistant Training School at Aung San Stadium in Rangoon (Institute of Community Health, which was later relocated and expanded in Magway).\n\nMaung Mya Than began his career as a laboratory technician at Maungdaw Hospital. In 1964, he was appointed Grade I Laboratory Supervisor at Buthidaung General Hospital, where he served until 1974. From 1974 to 1981, he served as a Grade II Supervisor in the Leprosy Department of Sittwe General Hospital. From 1981 to 1985, he worked as a supervisor in the Leprosy Department at Buthidaung Township Hospital. From 1985 to 1990, he served as a Health Officer at Thabeik Taung Rural Health Centre, and from 1990 to 1995, he served in the same capacity at Taung Pyo Health Centre. In 1995, he retired from government service. He spent the remaining years of his life peacefully in his native Bawli Bazaar.\n\nDuring his retirement, in addition to providing medical care, U Mya Than volunteered as a teacher in the villages of Kyein Chaung, Laung Don, and Done Paik. He actively taught children who were unable to attend school because their families lacked the financial means to support their education. He also provided financial assistance, whenever possible, to students from disadvantaged families. He regularly conducted basic health education and first-aid training for people living in rural communities. He also provided free medical treatment to a remarkable number of people, setting an admirable example of service to the community. In addition, he took a particular interest in improving access to water at mosques and other religious buildings, organizing initiatives to ensure an adequate water supply. He called this initiative “Water Supply for All.”\n\nDuring his years of service, Health Officer U Mya Than undoubtedly helped save many lives through health education and medical treatment. In addition, some of his lasting contributions to the country and the public, which continue to benefit local communities to this day, include the following:\n\n(a)  When U Mya Than was assigned to Thabeik Taung, the rural health center in the Rakhine village of Thabeik Taung was little more than a small hut. During his period of service there, through his tireless efforts day and night, he mobilized the collective support of the villagers and helped transform the small clinic into a more substantial and permanent healthcare facility. To this day, the villagers remember him for his contribution.\n\n(b)  Health Officer U Mya Than also made significant efforts toward upgrading the Taung Pyo Let Wai Health Centre into a larger hospital. During General Khin Nyunt’s visit to Taung Pyo Let Wai in 1993, U Mya Than met with him and explained that the existing health centre was inadequate for the number of patients in the area. He proposed that the facility be upgraded to a hospital. When asked about what would be required for such an expansion, he also discussed the needs and requirements for enlarging and developing the facility. Following General Khin Nyunt’s visit, the health centre was upgraded to a station hospital, and the facility itself was expanded and reconstructed. The station hospital that stands in Taung Pyo Let Wai today was therefore, according to this account, an outcome of Health Officer U Mya Than’s persistent efforts. At the time, Myanma Alinn and Kyemon newspapers reportedly covered General Khin Nyunt’s visit and published accounts of their meeting and discussions.\n\n(c)  During the 1993 refugee repatriation programme, Health Officer U Mya Than was selected to serve as a member of the medical team. In this capacity, he actively assisted refugees returning to their original homes.\n\n(d)  U Mya Than was a Rohingya healthcare professional with specialized expertise in leprosy. Because of his knowledge and experience in this field, he was specially transferred from Buthidaung Township Hospital to Sittwe General Hospital. Even after his retirement, he was frequently invited by the relevant hospitals to deliver health-education lectures on leprosy.\n\nThroughout his professional career, U Mya Than devoted himself wholeheartedly to serving the public without distinction of ethnicity or religion. Even in retirement, he continued working for the welfare of his community and the wider public.\n\nIn 1961, Maung Mya Than married Daw Ma Nu, also known as Husson Jahan, the niece of Township Officer Furuk Ahmad and the third daughter of Saya Gyi Muhammad Hassan. She was descended from the Bawli and Qazi families. The couple had nine children—four daughters, Thein Thein Nu, Than Than Nu, Thein Nu, and Than Than Htwe; and five sons, Than Myint, Thein Hteik, Than Hteik, Than Tun, and Aye Tun.\n\nHealth Officer U Mya Than, who held Registration No. AK-155594, also came from a family whose members served their country and community in various capacities. His eldest brother, U Bedar Ahmad, served as a military medical officer appointed under the British administration. U Nesar Ahmad served as secretary of a village administrative body; U Maung Nu served as a high school headmaster; and his younger brother, U Mya Sein, served as a state malaria-control officer. Each contributed to public service in his respective field. His youngest brother, U Mahmud, unfortunately passed away while studying at Kyaukphyu Education College. His only sister, Daw Naw Fiza, remains alive to this day.\n\nHealth Officer U Mya Than was a man who lived a simple and modest life. He was particularly fond of children. It is said that whenever he returned from somewhere, he would almost always bring snacks in his hands for the children in his neighborhood. Whenever he went for a walk through the village, children would often gather around him. To them, the sight of “Doctor Nana” immediately brought to mind the treats he would give them. He had a great passion for reading and keeping a diary. He was proficient in both reading and writing Urdu and Bengali. He was also interested in architecture and craftsmanship. During his spare time, he enjoyed working at home with wood and cement, making chairs, tables, shelves, and other pieces in a variety of creative designs. One particularly remarkable characteristic was that, although he was naturally left-handed, he could write skillfully with either hand. As for sports, he was especially fond of playing badminton.\n\nOn the morning of Thursday, February 12, 2009, Health Officer U Mya Than bade farewell to his beloved children and returned to Allah. He had been born on a Thursday, and it was also on a Thursday that he passed away. His remains were laid to rest at the Bawli Cemetery in Kyaik Chaung, Laung Don. May Almighty Allah grant him the highest and most honored place in the Hereafter. Ameen.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-mya-than.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-mya-than.webp",
          "width": 299,
          "height": 400,
          "caption": "Health Officer U Mya Than (1935–2009): the caption printed in Burmese on the photograph"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-shwe-maung",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-shwe-maung/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-shwe-maung/index.md",
      "name": "U Shwe Maung",
      "alsoKnownAs": [
        "Abdul Razak"
      ],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1965-06-30",
      "years": "Born 1965",
      "birthplace": "Buthidaung, Arakan (now Rakhine State)",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Arakan",
      "role": "Former Member of Parliament for Buthidaung and rights activist",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "Elected in 2010, barred in 2015",
      "summary": "U Shwe Maung, also known as Abdul Razak, is a Rohingya politician and rights activist from Buthidaung, Arakan, who won a seat in Myanmar's House of Representatives (Pyithu Hluttaw) in the 2010 general election. During his 2011–2016 term he used his position to advocate for Rohingya rights and reconciliation in Rakhine State, but ahead of the 2015 election the Union Election Commission barred him from running, citing alleged citizenship issues concerning his parents. He later became a board member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights and President of the Arakan Institute for Peace and Human Rights (AiPAH).",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1965",
          "text": "Born on 30 June in Buthidaung to Rohingya Muslim parents, Abdul Hadi and Aye Sein.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2010",
          "text": "Won a seat in Myanmar's House of Representatives (Pyithu Hluttaw) in the general election.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2011 – 16",
          "text": "Served his term in Parliament, sitting on the Reform and Modernization Assessment Committee and advocating for Rohingya rights and reconciliation in Rakhine State."
        },
        {
          "year": "2015",
          "text": "The Union Election Commission barred him from running in the general election, citing alleged citizenship issues concerning his parents, who the authorities claimed were not citizens.",
          "note": "He called the ruling \"illogical and ridiculous\" and promised to appeal.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Later",
          "text": "Became a board member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a founding member of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPP FoRB), and President of the Arakan Institute for Peace and Human Rights (AiPAH)."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Shwe Maung was born on 30 June 1965 in Buthidaung, Arakan (now Rakhine State), to Rohingya Muslim parents Abdul Hadi and Aye Sein. He entered politics and won a seat in Myanmar’s House of Representatives (Pyithu Hluttaw) in the 2010 general election, becoming the only Rohingya MP in the national legislature at the time.\n\nDuring his term (2011–2016), he served on the Reform and Modernization Assessment Committee and used his position to advocate for Rohingya rights and reconciliation in Rakhine State. He later became a board member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a founding member of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPP FoRB), and President of the Arakan Institute for Peace and Human Rights (AiPAH).\n\nAhead of the 2015 general election, the Union Election Commission barred him from running. Authorities cited alleged citizenship issues concerning his parents, who they claimed were not citizens, though he stated the ruling was \"illogical and ridiculous,\" and promised to appeal.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-shwe-maung.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-shwe-maung-2.webp",
          "width": 194,
          "height": 299,
          "credit": "Rohingya Dictionary blog (rohingyadictionary.wordpress.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-shwe-yat",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-shwe-yat/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-shwe-yat/index.md",
      "name": "U Shwe Yat",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "years": "",
      "place": "",
      "role": "Social worker, politician and member of Parliament",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Public service"
      ],
      "epithet": "Akyab's representative in the 1990 election",
      "summary": "A social worker and politician who was elected to represent Akyab in Burma's 1990 multi-party general election. Historical election records list him among the Muslim and Rohingya representatives elected that year, alongside those from the Maungdaw and Buthidaung constituencies.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1990",
          "text": "Elected as the representative for Akyab in the multi-party general election.",
          "kind": "major"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Shwe Yat was a social worker and politician who represented Akyab in Burma's 1990 general election. Historical election records list him among the Muslim/Rohingya representatives elected during the 1990 multi-party election.\n\nHis significance is connected to the brief restoration of Rohingya political representation during the 1990 election. Historical records list U Shwe Yat as the representative for Akyab, alongside Rohingya representatives elected from Maungdaw and Buthidaung constituencies.",
      "sources": [],
      "photos": [],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-sultan-ahmed",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-sultan-ahmed/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-sultan-ahmed/index.md",
      "name": "U Sultan Ahmed",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1901",
      "died": "1981-03-02",
      "years": "1901 – 1981",
      "birthplace": "Thay Chaung Village (Balukhali, Maungdaw), Arakan",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Parliamentary secretary and politician",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Law"
      ],
      "epithet": "Among the first Rohingya in Burma's legislature",
      "summary": "A Rohingya lawyer and politician from Maungdaw, Arakan, who was elected to the Legislature of Burma for Maungdaw in 1947, one of the first Rohingya members of the national legislature. After independence he served in the constituent assembly, was elected to the Union Parliament in 1951, 1956 and 1960, and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Minorities with the rank of Deputy Minister. He also served on the Arakan sub-committee of the Justice Sir Ba Oo Commission on the question of Arakanese statehood.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1901",
          "text": "Born in Thay Chaung Village (Balukhali, Maungdaw), the son of Maulana Akram Uddin.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1924 – 29",
          "text": "Earned a B.A. from the University of Calcutta (1924) and a Bachelor of Law from Rangoon University (1929)."
        },
        {
          "year": "British rule",
          "text": "Worked as a lawyer and magistrate under the British administration, serving as Higher-Grade Pleader, Assistant Township Officer and First Class Magistrate."
        },
        {
          "year": "1947",
          "text": "Entered politics and was elected to the Legislature of Burma for Maungdaw, one of the first Rohingya members of the national legislature.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1951 – 60",
          "text": "After serving in the Burmese constituent assembly following independence, he was elected to the Union Parliament in 1951, 1956 and 1960."
        },
        {
          "year": "Deputy minister",
          "text": "Appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Minorities, with the rank and status of a Deputy Minister, and advocated for Rohingya rights and regional development.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Statehood",
          "text": "Served on the Arakan sub-committee of the Justice Sir Ba Oo Commission, which recommended the creation of a Ministry of Arakan Affairs and an Arakan Affairs Council."
        },
        {
          "year": "1962",
          "text": "The military coup ended democratic governance, and with it his efforts to ensure minority inclusion in Burma's political framework.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1981",
          "text": "Died on 2 March.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Sultan Ahmed was a prominent Rohingya politician from Maungdaw, Arakan, and one of the longest-serving legislators from the region. Born in 1901 in Thay Chaung Village (Balukhali, Maungdaw), he was the son of Maulana Akram Uddin. He completed his education with a B.A. from the University of Calcutta (1924) and a Bachelor of Law from Rangoon University (1929), preparing him for a distinguished career in law and public service.\n\nAhmed began his professional life as a lawyer and magistrate, serving as Higher-Grade Pleader, Assistant Township Officer, and First Class Magistrate under the British administration. He entered politics in 1947, elected to the Legislature of Burma representing Maungdaw, becoming one of the first Rohingya members of the national legislature. After independence, he served in the Burmese constituent assembly and was repeatedly elected to the Union Parliament (1951, 1956, 1960). He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Minorities, holding the rank and status of Deputy Minister, and played a key role in advocating for Rohingya rights and regional development.\n\nAhmed also contributed to the question of Arakanese statehood, serving on the Arakan sub-committee of the Justice Sir Ba Oo Commission, which recommended the creation of a Ministry of Arakan Affairs and an Arakan Affairs Council. He led efforts to ensure minority inclusion in Burma’s political framework until the 1962 military coup ended democratic governance.\n\nU Sultan Ahmed passed away on 2 March 1981, remembered as a pioneering Rohingya leader whose work bridged his community with the national government and set a precedent for political representation in Arakan.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Khan, Raja Afsar. (1984). The Concept. p. 31.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Magazine. (2011, March). Arakan Magazine.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya National Organisation. (2009, September). Arakan: News and Analysis of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, Arakan (Burma). Burmalibrary.org.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Arakanese Political Activities from 1948 to 1962. (n.d.). Archived source.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-sultan-ahmed.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-sultan-ahmed-2.webp",
          "width": 700,
          "height": 700,
          "caption": "A poster with his portrait and a short printed biography.",
          "credit": "Facebook post by Pro Myo Lin, 15 May 2024 (poster credited @mayyukhan)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "u-sultan-mahmud",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-sultan-mahmud/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/u-sultan-mahmud/index.md",
      "name": "U Sultan Mahmud",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1919",
      "died": "1994",
      "years": "1919 – 1994",
      "place": "Sittwe, Arakan",
      "role": "Minister of Health and politician",
      "categories": [
        "Politics",
        "Public service",
        "Health and medicine",
        "Human rights"
      ],
      "epithet": "A Rohingya voice in U Nu's cabinet",
      "summary": "A Rohingya politician from Sittwe (Akyab), Arakan, who served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed Minister of Health in Prime Minister U Nu's government. As a cabinet minister he worked to expand healthcare in rural areas, including the Mayu frontier townships of Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Maungdaw, and he advocated for the rights and recognition of the Rohingya and their political inclusion within the Union of Burma.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1919",
          "text": "Born; he came from Sittwe (Akyab), Arakan.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "After independence",
          "text": "Pursued law and became active in politics in the years after Burma's independence."
        },
        {
          "year": "Minister of Health",
          "text": "A Member of Parliament for the Arakan region, he was appointed Minister of Health in Prime Minister U Nu's government, and worked to expand healthcare and improve services in rural areas, including the Mayu frontier (Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Maungdaw townships), where many Rohingya lived.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "Advocacy",
          "text": "Spoke for Arakan's Muslims in the national arena, pressing for the rights and recognition of the Rohingya and their political inclusion within the Union of Burma, and acting as a bridge between Arakan's Muslims and the central government."
        },
        {
          "year": "1962",
          "text": "Sidelined after the military coup that ended democratic governance.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1994",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "U Sultan Mahmud was a prominent Rohingya politician from Sittwe (Akyab), Arakan, who played an important role in Burma’s parliamentary era. Born in 1919, he pursued law and became active in politics during the years following independence.\n\nHe served as a Member of Parliament representing the Arakan region and was appointed Minister of Health under Prime Minister U Nu’s government in the 1950s. As a cabinet member, he worked to expand healthcare access and improve services in rural areas, including the Mayu frontier (Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Maungdaw townships) region where many Rohingya lived.\n\nSultan Mahmud was also one of the most vocal Muslim leaders from Arakan in the national arena. He advocated for the rights and recognition of Rohingya communities, pushing for their political inclusion within the Union of Burma. His leadership provided a bridge between Arakan’s Muslims and the central government at a time of fragile democracy.\n\nHe continued to serve in politics through Burma’s shifting landscape but was later sidelined following the 1962 military coup that ended democratic governance. Despite this, his role as a cabinet minister remains a key part of Rohingya political history.\n\nU Sultan Mahmud passed away in 1994, remembered as one of the highest-ranking Rohingya figures in Burma’s post-independence government.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Arakan Rohingya National Organisation. (2009). Arakan: News and Analysis of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, Arakan (Burma). Burmalibrary.org.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Khan, Raja Afsar. (1984). The Concept. p. 31.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "ResearchGate. (2020). Rohingya: The History of a Muslim Identity in Myanmar – Summary and Keywords.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Ullah, Aman. (2016). Mr. Sultan Mahmud and Statehood of Arakan. The Stateless Rohingya.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/u-sultan-mahmud.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/u-sultan-mahmud-2.webp",
          "width": 700,
          "height": 700,
          "caption": "A poster with his portrait and a short printed biography.",
          "credit": "Facebook post by Pro Myo Lin, 15 May 2024 (poster credited @mayyukhan)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "wai-wai-nu",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/wai-wai-nu/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/wai-wai-nu/index.md",
      "name": "Wai Wai Nu",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "female",
      "born": "1987",
      "years": "Born 1987",
      "birthplace": "Buthidaung, Rakhine State",
      "place": "Buthidaung, Rakhine State",
      "role": "Human rights activist and lawyer",
      "categories": [
        "Human rights",
        "Law",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "From political prisoner to global advocate",
      "summary": "A Rohingya human rights activist and lawyer from Buthidaung, known for her advocacy for democracy, women's rights and justice in Myanmar. Arrested with her family at 18 while a law student, she spent nearly seven years in Insein Prison before her release in 2012, then founded the Women's Peace Network (Arakan) and Justice for Women and has spoken at the United Nations and other international forums. She has been listed in BBC 100 Women and named a TIME Next Generation Leader.",
      "quote": "I am not free. My community is not free. My country is not free.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1987",
          "text": "Born in Buthidaung, Rakhine State, to Rohingya parents.",
          "note": "Her father, U Kyaw Min, was elected to Parliament in the 1990 election, but the military junta refused to recognise the results.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "Age 16",
          "text": "After the family moved to Yangon, she began studying law at the University of East Yangon."
        },
        {
          "year": "2005",
          "text": "Arrested with most of her family at the age of 18, in her second year of law school, and sentenced to 17 years in Insein Prison; her father received a long sentence in solitary confinement.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "2012",
          "text": "Released with her family under a presidential amnesty in January, after nearly seven years in prison.",
          "note": "She later said she had learned deeply from the experiences of other women detainees.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "After release",
          "text": "Completed her law degree and founded the Women's Peace Network (Arakan) and Justice for Women, working for women's rights, legal aid and peaceful coexistence between communities.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "2018",
          "text": "Earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of California, Berkeley."
        },
        {
          "year": "Recognition",
          "text": "Listed in BBC 100 Women and named a TIME Next Generation Leader."
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Wai Wai Nu is a Rohingya human rights activist and lawyer known for her advocacy for democracy, women’s rights, and justice in Myanmar. She was born in 1987 in Buthidaung, Rakhine State, to Rohingya parents. Her father, U Kyaw Min, was elected as a Member of Parliament in the 1990 election as a candidate of the National League for Democracy (NLD), but the military junta refused to recognize the results. She later moved to Yangon with her family and began studying law at the University of East Yangon at age 16.\n\nIn 2005, when she was 18 and in her second year of law school, Wai Wai Nu and most of her family were arrested. She was sentenced to 17 years in Insein Prison, while her father received a long sentence in solitary confinement. She spent nearly seven years in prison, where she later said she learned deeply from the experiences of other female detainees. In January 2012, her family was released under a presidential amnesty.\n\nAfter her release, she completed her law degree and began human rights work. She founded Women’s Peace Network (Arakan) and Justice for Women, focusing on women’s rights, legal aid, and peaceful coexistence among communities. She has spoken at the United Nations and other international forums on human rights in Myanmar. In 2018, she earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of California, Berkeley.\n\nShe has received international recognition, including being listed in BBC 100 Women and named a TIME Next Generation Leader. Wai Wai Nu is widely known as a Rohingya voice for human rights and justice, and her journey from political prisoner to global advocate has made her a notable figure in Rohingya activism.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Wai Wai Nu, Rohingya activist: “I am not free. My community is not free. My country is not free.”",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Solomon, Felix. The Activist Bridging a Democratic Divide. TIME.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Reed, John. (2017, December 7). Myanmar activist Wai Wai Nu: “Prison was really a life education.” Financial Times.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Berkeley Law. (2017, July 25). From Political Prisoner to International Inspiration: LL.M. Student Wai Wai Nu.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Nobel Women’s Initiative. Meet Wai Wai Nu, Burma.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "The Equal Rights Review. Layers of Marginalisation: Life for Rohingya Women – Testimony from Myanmar.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "George W. Bush Presidential Center. Wai Wai Nu profile.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "N-Peace. (2014). Alumni profile: Wai Wai Nu.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Foreign Policy Magazine. Wai Wai Nu profile (Top 100 Global Thinkers).",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Georgetown University. Hillary Clinton Award – Wai Wai Nu.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Columbia World Projects. Wai Wai Nu profile.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). Wai Wai Nu profile.",
          "url": ""
        },
        {
          "label": "Ekathimerini. (2021, October 1). Democracy’s arc from Athens to Myanmar.",
          "url": ""
        }
      ],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/wai-wai-nu.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/wai-wai-nu-2.webp",
          "width": 960,
          "height": 960,
          "credit": "Wikimedia Commons, File:Wai_Wai_Nu.jpg"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    },
    {
      "slug": "waji-ullah-arkani",
      "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/waji-ullah-arkani/",
      "markdown": "https://people.rohingya.ro/people/waji-ullah-arkani/index.md",
      "name": "Waji Ullah Arkani",
      "alsoKnownAs": [],
      "gender": "male",
      "born": "1919-12-11",
      "died": "1988",
      "years": "1919 – 1988",
      "birthplace": "Chira Dan Village, Maungdaw Township, Arakan",
      "place": "Maungdaw, Arakan",
      "role": "Political activist, V-Force member and interpreter",
      "categories": [
        "Resistance movement",
        "Politics"
      ],
      "epithet": "From V-Force interpreter to Rohingya advocate",
      "summary": "A Rohingya political activist and interpreter, born in 1919 in Chira Dan Village, Maungdaw Township, who served as an interpreter with the British-organised V-Force during the Japanese occupation of Arakan. In letters to Major Anthony Irwin in 1945–46 he described discrimination against Muslims and argued for a separate Muslim territory within a constitutional framework. In 1978, as Secretary of the Arakan Historical Society, he worked to draw international attention to the plight of Rohingya refugees.",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "year": "1919",
          "text": "Born on 11 December in Chira Dan Village, Maungdaw Township. Before the Second World War he passed his matriculation examination and worked as an office clerk.",
          "kind": "life"
        },
        {
          "year": "1942",
          "text": "During the Japanese occupation of Arakan, joined the British-organised V-Force as an interpreter, thanks to his command of English.",
          "note": "He later studied at Calcutta University.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "1945 – 46",
          "text": "In letters to Major Anthony Irwin, described discrimination against Muslims and argued for a separate Muslim territory within a constitutional framework.",
          "kind": "major"
        },
        {
          "year": "After independence",
          "text": "Took part in political and armed movements connected with the Rohingya question."
        },
        {
          "year": "1978",
          "text": "As Secretary of the Arakan Historical Society, worked to draw international attention to Rohingya refugees after that year's military operations."
        },
        {
          "year": "1988",
          "text": "Died.",
          "kind": "life"
        }
      ],
      "biography": "Waji Ullah Arkani was a Rohingya political activist and interpreter who was born on 11 December 1919 in Chira Dan Village, Maungdaw Township. Before the Second World War, he passed his matriculation examination and worked as an office clerk. During the Japanese occupation of Arakan in 1942, he joined the British-organized V-Force and worked as an interpreter because of his command of English. He later studied at Calcutta University and became involved in Rohingya political movements.\n\nWaji Ullah became involved in political efforts concerning the future of Muslims in Arakan. Letters he wrote to Major Anthony Irwin in 1945–46 discussed discrimination against Muslims and advocated a separate Muslim territory within a constitutional framework. After independence, he became involved in political and armed movements connected with the Rohingya question. In 1978, he served as Secretary of the Arakan Historical Society and worked to draw international attention to the condition of Rohingya refugees following the military operations of that year.",
      "sources": [],
      "image": "https://people.rohingya.ro/reliefs/waji-ullah-arkani.webp",
      "photos": [
        {
          "url": "https://people.rohingya.ro/photos/waji-ullah-arkani-2.webp",
          "width": 265,
          "height": 280,
          "caption": "With a printed caption in Burmese and the words \"V-Force\".",
          "credit": "Blogger (blogger.googleusercontent.com)"
        }
      ],
      "updated": "2026-11-04"
    }
  ]
}