U Wirathu, a monk infamous for his anti-Muslim campaigns, met with Border Guard Police Chief Thura San Lwin in Maungdaw township on May 4.
The monk, who the government last month slapped with a sermon ban, is traveling though northern Rakhine State in the area where security forces launched a counter-insurgency operation last October. The crackdown, which was prompted by lethal attacks on border guard posts allegedly by Rohingya insurgent group Harakah Al-Yaqeen, saw more than 75,000 Muslim Rohingya residents flee the area.
U Wirathu met with the border guard official at the Border Guard Police headquarters in Kyee Kan Pyin. He was accompanied by 10 monks but reporters were not allowed inside the meeting.
U Wirathu arrived in Rakhine State on May 3, landing in the capital, Sittwe, at 1am. He stayed the Alodaw Pyae Monastery in Sittwe before traveling to Maungdaw by road.
The official purpose of his visit is to donate 3,000 bags of rice to local Rakhine residents.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by Laignee Barron
