As more Jedi—Obi-Wan included!—and clone trooper reinforcements arrive to take Savage Opress and the crooked mine owner into custody, Darth Maul convinces the locals that the Jedi are in league with the mine owner who exploited them.
If the Jedi fight the natives, they’ll be killing innocents. If they don’t, they’ll be killed themselves! It’s the perfect distraction for Maul to find and release his brother!