After the killing of Anis Mollah, Rohingyas in the area lived in an atmosphere of uncertainty and terror. The effect of it could be felt in business ventures and even in the crop fields. None of the Rohingya villagers dared to work alone in the fields. However, it wasn’t always possible to work as a flock. At one point, everyone began talking about a practical solution to this problem, but no one knew what to do. This feeling of hopelessness was expressed more frequently and in more frightening ways in the single storied mosque in Aung Syke. The forefathers of the Mollah clan were the founders of this mosque. Once, it was built with a wall made of wickers and a thatched roof. Ten years earlier, together, Anis and Rahim turned it into a concrete mosque. The main structure of the mosque covered an area of fifteen decimals. In front of the mosque, there was an open space as well. It was also part of the property owned by the Mollah clan. Other than the times of Jumma prayer on Fridays, the mosque never filled up completely. But the picture changed after the Maung Dao incident and the killing of Anis Mollah. It became difficult to find space inside the mosque during every prayer session. Suppressed noise of sobbing could be heard whenever there was a congregation. The arrangement for the Imam’s lodging was made in a shack next to the mosque. Even after the prayers, people would consult with the Imam for hours, expecting some kind of guidance from him. But the issue was way too complicated for the Imam to tackle. In this kind of situation, a stranger appeared. Not a single worshipper could be found who knew this stranger. This man was tall, fair and had short beard. Everyone wondered whether he was a member of ARSA. After a brief interaction, it was disclosed that he was from Maung Dao. For the last one month he had been staying at Malek’s residence, about a mile north from the Mollah mosque. He was a distant relative of Malek. After every prayer session, this man warned the worshippers about an impending disaster. He was the man who proposed a meeting in order to find a solution to this crisis. The congregation agreed that the meeting should be held before the Jumma prayer next Friday. A part of the congregation demanded that the identity, address and the motive of the stranger be disclosed. On the day of the meeting, after having a bath, Rahim and his son arrived at the mosque, only to find the mosque and the space in front of it filled to the brim. It was only ten in the morning. Sitting on a mat in front of the Imam, the worshippers who congregated over had been eagerly waiting for the arrival of the father and son. The Imam sat in a chair, while the two chairs next to him remained empty.
Immediately after taking his seat, Rahim asked the congregation if they had anything to say. None uttered anything about a solution. Everyone kept staring at Sultan. When Sultan was requested to say something, after the traditional Islamic greeting, like a skillful speaker he began saying, “The horrible situation that we’re in, the context of the situation was created a hundred years ago by the British. Arakan was never a part of the Buddhist Burma. Before leaving this continent, the British left us under the rule of the Buddhist Burmese. We couldn’t do anything against it then. Our neighbors got their own countries, none thought about us. Those who drew the maps assumed we were safe under the flag bearers of Buddha’s message of peace and non-violence. That was a seriously flawed assumption, and we are paying the price for that mistake. Today we are aliens in our own motherland. The Buddhists came to Arakan from Burma. Now they’re claiming it to be their own land. We’ve been trying our best to live peacefully with them. By trampling that good will, now they’re about to kick us out. We also strayed away from our religion in order to appease them. As a result of that, instead of His blessings, we are facing the wrath from Almighty. However, every dark cloud has a silver lining. Now we’re all flocking to our religion. Previously we used to be very progressive. Of course, in this wicked world we live in, it means staying away from the religion. Now we have become more attentive about the rights of the Almighty and his servants. I don’t know how long we’ll be allowed to do this because in many countries of the world, Muslims are being prevented from following their faith. The so-called secularism we hear so much about, cannot protect the rights of the Muslims to practice their religion peacefully.”
A man among the worshippers interrupted by shouting, “This has happened because many Muslims are indulging in terrorism in the name of ‘Jihad’. There is no place for terrorism in Islam. Most unfortunately, there are those who are spreading terrorism in the name of our religion. This cannot be.”
After this statement, Sultan resumed his speech. He said, “Of course, there’s no place for terrorism in Islam. But are all incidents terrorism? I don’t know if you have noticed, those who’ve been screaming about terrorism, none of them came up with a concrete definition of terrorism. Can you tell us why they aren’t interested in a concrete definition of it? There is only one reason for it. If there is a specific definition of terrorism, often their own activities would fall in this category. And this is why they cleverly avoid this. What they want to say is, if a Muslim drops a bomb and kills innocent people, then it is terrorism. But, if one of them commits the same crime, they portray it as an isolated incident, a hate crime. They wouldn’t call it terrorism. We all know that hatred drives people to commit terrorism. Hence, hatred and terrorism go hand in hand. Today what is happening in Arakan, isn’t this terrorism? Of course, it is state sponsored terrorism. Our homes are being burnt down. They’re attacking our businesses, forcefully taking away our crops, raping our children and women, unjustly throwing us into jails and even killing us. And they’ve been happening right in front of the security forces. Yet the security forces are indifferent to all of this. This is nothing but pure form of state sanctioned terrorism.”
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At this point Sultan stopped and rhetorically asked, “So, what’s the solution to this problem?”
Sultan looked at the congregation and replied, “What we should do and a solution, are two different things. We can decide what we must do. but there’s no guarantee that it’s going to bring about peace or security. There’s no quick remedy to this problem.”
Rahim stopped sultan and said, “You talk a lot, but can’t come up with a solution.”
“I didn’t say, there’s no solution to this problem. What I’m trying to say is that whatever we do, we have to leave the solution to the future. The future will tell whether this problem is going to be solved or not.”
With an impatient tone Rahim Mollah said, “Forget about your theories, tell us what we must do.”
Sultan resumed, “We have two options before us. Right now, no one can tell which option will deliver us from this kind of oppression and tyranny. It may well be that none of the options will produce the desired results.”
“If that is the case, why talk for so long?”
“Of course, we must talk about it. I just want you to be practical about it.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Okay I agree to whatever you just said. Now tell us what your advice is.”
“I don’t think we should go for armed resistance. Instead we should try to make the world, particularly the Muslim world, aware of the situation. However, we have to keep the armed option open to us, in case everything else fails.”
“And how do you plan to do that?”
“Contacting the Muslim world or the International community and then convincing them should be the first logical step.”
“It’s not a piece of cake. Apart from that, who will do that? None of us has the minimum qualification required for this task.”
“I heard one of your sons has a degree on computer. If he wills, he can take over this responsibility.”
“He’s no longer with us. He’s been sent abroad.”
“Well, that’s even better. Better because whatever restrictions we have over here, he doesn’t have to face them there.”
“And what will happen to my son? By doing this, he’s going to turn himself into a target.”
“If you’re so afraid, so self-centered, then why did you even agree to have this meeting? Go home and keep quiet. One day, the security forces will come and exterminate us the way they did it in Maung Dao. Then there will be no problem left.”
Pin drop silence prevailed in the mosque after this statement from Sultan. Like everyone else, Rahim stared at Sultan in a speechless manner. Then with a dry throat he asked, “You are claiming the security force is responsible for the incident in Maung Dao. How do you know it?”
“I know a man. At one stage, he was involved in it.”
“Where is he now?”
“He is at the refugee camp in Bangladesh right now?”
Rahim asked again, “How did you come to know this man?”
“He took shelter in my home in Maung Dao, on his way to the refugee camp in Bangladesh. He’s the only witness alive who knows what happened at Maung Dao. I’ve heard the description of the entire episode from his mouth. You can check if there’s a man named Debashish in the Refugee camps of Bangladesh.”
After Sultan’s long speech, there was a murmur among the worshippers. In a low voice they began saying that they knew what had happened in Maung Dao. Rahim told the congregation to be quiet and said to Sultan, “The place where you have been lodging, I’ll send one of my men over there with you. Do you have any problem with that?”
By saying ‘Yes, yes’ the congregation expressed its approval as Rahim Mollah proposed it. When Sultan said, he did not have any problem with it, the meeting was adjourned for the Jumma prayer. After the Jumma prayer, Rahim did not prolong the meeting. He told his nephew Hoson to go with Sultan, and find out where he had been lodging at Aung Syke.