I think you, Ekram Ullah, may have misunderstood the intentions of Shafiur Rahman. Good journalist are loyal only to the truth, and they often anger people who want them to serve a given ideology as a result.
Hi Ann - thanks for your comment. It is interesting that the comment in question appeared word-for-word on a facebook post by another individual. Clearly their handler - Ekram's and the Facebook guy's - didn't bother to change copy!
I see the selection of leaders as just the beginning, not the end. It’s a first step forward, and I believe more opportunities for inclusion will come with time. Let’s be patient and see how things unfold.
As a Rohingya who has witnessed my people endure genocide, displacement, forced exile, and systemic ethnic cleansing, I can no longer remain silent in the face of internal betrayal. While the Myanmar regime and Arakan Army (AA) continue their brutal policies, their agents are working tirelessly to sow disunity and destruction of the Rohingya people.
The Diplomat article titled “Rohingya Power Struggles Before the UN Conference” completely fails to expose and understand the real intention of two figures who have long worked against Rohingya interests:
• Shwe Maung, a military-aligned opportunist
• Shafiur Rahman, a propagandist pushing for external agendas on Rohingya and Bangladesh.
This is not a matter of political disagreement. It is a matter of truth versus treachery.
Shwe Maung: From Military Puppet to Political Saboteur
Let history record this truth: Shwe Maung was never elected by the people of Buthidaung in 2010. The true landslide winner of that election was disqualified on fabricated charges, orchestrated by Shwe Maung. And then Shwe Maung himself was installed with direct backing from military top ranks.
Once in power, he repaid his people with betrayal, accusing those who voted for his opponent of being insurgents or accepting bribes from insurgent groups fighting against military from outside the country, all to justify the disqualification. He defamed his own people to serve in military interests, going as low as needed to gain favor, power, and money.
When the military barred all Rohingya from contesting or voting in the 2015 elections, Shwe Maung saw that his usefulness inside Myanmar was ending. So, he moved to the United States, claiming to be a victim of oppression, a cynical, self-serving lie. In truth, he remains connected to high-ranking Myanmar generals and continues to receive support and funding from them, tasked with one goal and that is to undermine Rohingya unity abroad.
Before fleeing to the U.S., he even cheated his own colleague, Aung Zaw Win, out of a large sum of money. That money was never returned. All these are only a few of Shwe Maung`s treachery against our people but I have abundant evidence of his treachery against our people.
Even the U.S. asylum system saw through him. He was denied full protection, precisely because of his continued loyalty to the Burmese military and his criminal background. Today he lives in US, works as unqualified interpreter and make some noises online in his spare time to pretend representing Rohingya interests while in fact serving as a mole for the regime. This is also a reason why U.S. government, refused to offer him formal asylum protection. He is still a military agent and a saboteur.
He is addicted to three things:
Power. Money. Alcohol.
That’s his identity as a leader, willing to destroy his own people for the right price.
The ARSA Connection: A Creator and a Thief
Many fear to speak the full truth, but I must. Shwe Maung was a founding architect of ARSA, working with military actors especially military no. 2 man to create a group not to protect the Rohingya, but to entrap and destroy them under the pretext of armed insurgency.
He facilitated meetings between ARSA’s early founders and military intelligence. But when Myanmar´s military intelligence donated some 14 weapons they have confiscated form other ethnic group to ARSA through him, he sold 12 of them for personal gain, betraying even the armed actors he helped organize. He didn’t just betray the Rohingya people, but he robbed and sabotaged the very group he helped formed.
Rejected by Every Genuine Leader
Later, Shwe Maung with NUG deputy minster Aung Kyaw Moe, formed a new political body. But within days, he demanded to be sole president as always, trying to grab control without accountability. When Aung Kyaw Moe uncovered Shwe Maung’s ill intention, he removed him immediately from the group.
"Road to New York" vs. "Road to Arakan"
When members of the newly formed ARNC (Arakan Rohingya National Council) visited refugee camps in Bangladesh, they delivered a clear, honest message:
“We are here for the Road to Arakan, not the Road to New York or somewhere else.”
They came not with cameras or slogans, but with humility, listening ears, and a strategy to rebuild unity from the grassroots. All those who attended the event organized by the refugees in the camp were very encouraged by their presence and strategy. But unfortunately, this has become a headache for these two selfish individuals.
By contrast, Shwe Maung’s dream is to speak at the UN, get his face on camera, and preserve his fake status as a ‘leader’ even if he has to tear down every real Rohingya institution to do so.
His motto is simple:
“Road to New York.” Not Arakan. Not the camps. Not the people. Just personal exposure. This is not leadership. It is narcissism with a military price tag.
Even His Own Nephews Are Not Spared
The depths of his selfishness are hard to exaggerate. Shwe Maung now manipulates two of his own nephews educated young men born and raised in Bangladesh, who never identified as Rohingya and uses them as pawns in his schemes to regain influence.
There is an old saying:
“Even a mother tiger spares her cubs.”
But Shwe Maung sacrifices his own blood to gain his own interest. He is worse than a hyena, ruthless, shameless, and ready to consume even family for survival.
Shafiur Rahman: A PR Mercenary in Journalistic Clothing
Then there is Shafiur Rahman, who calls himself a journalist but works as a paid propagandist for anti-Rohingya narratives. He has never written positively about Rohingya nor Bangladesh, his country of birth. I have yet to find any article by this so-called journalist that favors Rohingya in general or advocates for the dignified return of Rohingya refugees to their motherland. Why? Because he is afraid of that their return would impact his illicit income as an agent for the Arakan Army (AA) and India’s RAW.
He regularly posts hostile commentary against Rohingya activists under the mask of “analysis.”
His articles:
• Undermine every Rohingya-led effort he cannot control
• Echo talking points favorable to the Arakan Army and Burmese elite
• Are commissioned hit pieces, not journalism
What surprises me is how so-called Rohingya leaders like Nurul Islam, owner of ARNO, ARNA, and many other organizations, give interviews to this disgraced journalist-for-sale. He is fooling people like Dr. Ambia Parveen and Razia Sultana, a product of Nurul’s network.
Nurul, much like Shwe Maung, has always feared someone else doing better than him. For these men, leadership is a one-way street that they must be on top until their last breath.
The Diplomat’s decision to publish Shafiur’s work without declaring these deep conflicts of interest is a serious editorial failure that must be called out.
To All Genuine Rohingya Advocates: Stay the Course
To the leaders of Rohingya who still believe in unity, dignity, and justice:
• Do not waste your time on paid agents and the agents of chaos.
• Do not be distracted by puppets and provocateurs.
“Let the dogs bark while the caravan moves on.”
We, the people, know the truth.
We know who speaks for us and who sold us out long ago. And let me make one thing very clear to my fellow Rohingya. I hold volumes of classified documents on almost all the so-called leaders and activists. I have kept them private for now. But, if necessary, I will release them one after another.
Conclusion: The Road to Arakan Is the Only Road That Matters
This is not a case of “leadership fragmentation.” This is the desperate sabotage of a dying old guard men who built careers on our suffering, who now fight to remain relevant. Shwe Maung and Shafiur Rahman are not misunderstood. They are well understood by our people and fully rejected. The Rohingya struggle must continue with integrity, consultation, and courage. Not with liars funded by the very regime that killed our families. We want real leadership, not rehearsed speeches.
Every action has side_effect. We Rohingya believe you Shafiur Rahman is a virus for the whole Rohingya and working together with Myanmar Army back MP Shwe Maung. Shame on you.
I think you, Ekram Ullah, may have misunderstood the intentions of Shafiur Rahman. Good journalist are loyal only to the truth, and they often anger people who want them to serve a given ideology as a result.
Hi Ann - thanks for your comment. It is interesting that the comment in question appeared word-for-word on a facebook post by another individual. Clearly their handler - Ekram's and the Facebook guy's - didn't bother to change copy!
; ) Wow... all-time-low credibility score for those guys!
I see the selection of leaders as just the beginning, not the end. It’s a first step forward, and I believe more opportunities for inclusion will come with time. Let’s be patient and see how things unfold.
By a Concerned Rohingya Refugee from Camp
July 26, 2025
As a Rohingya who has witnessed my people endure genocide, displacement, forced exile, and systemic ethnic cleansing, I can no longer remain silent in the face of internal betrayal. While the Myanmar regime and Arakan Army (AA) continue their brutal policies, their agents are working tirelessly to sow disunity and destruction of the Rohingya people.
The Diplomat article titled “Rohingya Power Struggles Before the UN Conference” completely fails to expose and understand the real intention of two figures who have long worked against Rohingya interests:
• Shwe Maung, a military-aligned opportunist
• Shafiur Rahman, a propagandist pushing for external agendas on Rohingya and Bangladesh.
This is not a matter of political disagreement. It is a matter of truth versus treachery.
Shwe Maung: From Military Puppet to Political Saboteur
Let history record this truth: Shwe Maung was never elected by the people of Buthidaung in 2010. The true landslide winner of that election was disqualified on fabricated charges, orchestrated by Shwe Maung. And then Shwe Maung himself was installed with direct backing from military top ranks.
Once in power, he repaid his people with betrayal, accusing those who voted for his opponent of being insurgents or accepting bribes from insurgent groups fighting against military from outside the country, all to justify the disqualification. He defamed his own people to serve in military interests, going as low as needed to gain favor, power, and money.
When the military barred all Rohingya from contesting or voting in the 2015 elections, Shwe Maung saw that his usefulness inside Myanmar was ending. So, he moved to the United States, claiming to be a victim of oppression, a cynical, self-serving lie. In truth, he remains connected to high-ranking Myanmar generals and continues to receive support and funding from them, tasked with one goal and that is to undermine Rohingya unity abroad.
Before fleeing to the U.S., he even cheated his own colleague, Aung Zaw Win, out of a large sum of money. That money was never returned. All these are only a few of Shwe Maung`s treachery against our people but I have abundant evidence of his treachery against our people.
Even the U.S. asylum system saw through him. He was denied full protection, precisely because of his continued loyalty to the Burmese military and his criminal background. Today he lives in US, works as unqualified interpreter and make some noises online in his spare time to pretend representing Rohingya interests while in fact serving as a mole for the regime. This is also a reason why U.S. government, refused to offer him formal asylum protection. He is still a military agent and a saboteur.
He is addicted to three things:
Power. Money. Alcohol.
That’s his identity as a leader, willing to destroy his own people for the right price.
The ARSA Connection: A Creator and a Thief
Many fear to speak the full truth, but I must. Shwe Maung was a founding architect of ARSA, working with military actors especially military no. 2 man to create a group not to protect the Rohingya, but to entrap and destroy them under the pretext of armed insurgency.
He facilitated meetings between ARSA’s early founders and military intelligence. But when Myanmar´s military intelligence donated some 14 weapons they have confiscated form other ethnic group to ARSA through him, he sold 12 of them for personal gain, betraying even the armed actors he helped organize. He didn’t just betray the Rohingya people, but he robbed and sabotaged the very group he helped formed.
Rejected by Every Genuine Leader
Later, Shwe Maung with NUG deputy minster Aung Kyaw Moe, formed a new political body. But within days, he demanded to be sole president as always, trying to grab control without accountability. When Aung Kyaw Moe uncovered Shwe Maung’s ill intention, he removed him immediately from the group.
"Road to New York" vs. "Road to Arakan"
When members of the newly formed ARNC (Arakan Rohingya National Council) visited refugee camps in Bangladesh, they delivered a clear, honest message:
“We are here for the Road to Arakan, not the Road to New York or somewhere else.”
They came not with cameras or slogans, but with humility, listening ears, and a strategy to rebuild unity from the grassroots. All those who attended the event organized by the refugees in the camp were very encouraged by their presence and strategy. But unfortunately, this has become a headache for these two selfish individuals.
By contrast, Shwe Maung’s dream is to speak at the UN, get his face on camera, and preserve his fake status as a ‘leader’ even if he has to tear down every real Rohingya institution to do so.
His motto is simple:
“Road to New York.” Not Arakan. Not the camps. Not the people. Just personal exposure. This is not leadership. It is narcissism with a military price tag.
Even His Own Nephews Are Not Spared
The depths of his selfishness are hard to exaggerate. Shwe Maung now manipulates two of his own nephews educated young men born and raised in Bangladesh, who never identified as Rohingya and uses them as pawns in his schemes to regain influence.
There is an old saying:
“Even a mother tiger spares her cubs.”
But Shwe Maung sacrifices his own blood to gain his own interest. He is worse than a hyena, ruthless, shameless, and ready to consume even family for survival.
Shafiur Rahman: A PR Mercenary in Journalistic Clothing
Then there is Shafiur Rahman, who calls himself a journalist but works as a paid propagandist for anti-Rohingya narratives. He has never written positively about Rohingya nor Bangladesh, his country of birth. I have yet to find any article by this so-called journalist that favors Rohingya in general or advocates for the dignified return of Rohingya refugees to their motherland. Why? Because he is afraid of that their return would impact his illicit income as an agent for the Arakan Army (AA) and India’s RAW.
He regularly posts hostile commentary against Rohingya activists under the mask of “analysis.”
His articles:
• Undermine every Rohingya-led effort he cannot control
• Echo talking points favorable to the Arakan Army and Burmese elite
• Are commissioned hit pieces, not journalism
What surprises me is how so-called Rohingya leaders like Nurul Islam, owner of ARNO, ARNA, and many other organizations, give interviews to this disgraced journalist-for-sale. He is fooling people like Dr. Ambia Parveen and Razia Sultana, a product of Nurul’s network.
Nurul, much like Shwe Maung, has always feared someone else doing better than him. For these men, leadership is a one-way street that they must be on top until their last breath.
The Diplomat’s decision to publish Shafiur’s work without declaring these deep conflicts of interest is a serious editorial failure that must be called out.
To All Genuine Rohingya Advocates: Stay the Course
To the leaders of Rohingya who still believe in unity, dignity, and justice:
• Do not waste your time on paid agents and the agents of chaos.
• Do not be distracted by puppets and provocateurs.
“Let the dogs bark while the caravan moves on.”
We, the people, know the truth.
We know who speaks for us and who sold us out long ago. And let me make one thing very clear to my fellow Rohingya. I hold volumes of classified documents on almost all the so-called leaders and activists. I have kept them private for now. But, if necessary, I will release them one after another.
Conclusion: The Road to Arakan Is the Only Road That Matters
This is not a case of “leadership fragmentation.” This is the desperate sabotage of a dying old guard men who built careers on our suffering, who now fight to remain relevant. Shwe Maung and Shafiur Rahman are not misunderstood. They are well understood by our people and fully rejected. The Rohingya struggle must continue with integrity, consultation, and courage. Not with liars funded by the very regime that killed our families. We want real leadership, not rehearsed speeches.
Ro Mayu Kogyi
Every action has side_effect. We Rohingya believe you Shafiur Rahman is a virus for the whole Rohingya and working together with Myanmar Army back MP Shwe Maung. Shame on you.