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.
From V-Force interpreter to Rohingya advocate
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.
Waji 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.
