Burmese Student Movement

Very Brief History of Burmese Student Movement

 

 

1876- The Government High School began to offer higher studies courses. Students from the government High School in Rangoon were able to sit for the entrance examination of Calcutta University for the first time.

1878- College-level instruction was offered for the first time at the Government High School, Rangoon.

1880- Rangoon College students were able to sit for the F.A (first Arts) examination of Calcutta University for the first time.

1883- Rangoon College became affiliated with Calcutta University.

1903- The first Burmese student movement occurred.

1904- The Rangoon College Buddhist Association was founded.

1906- The Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA) was founded.

1910- Rangoon’s citizens expressed their desire to establish a university in Burma at a meeting held to discuss the form the King Edward memorial would take.

1918- A committee of experts chaired by Mr. Mark Hunter was formed to draw up the course of study and to formulate a plan for establishing Rangoon University.

1919- U Chit Hlaing sent a memorandum to the authorities responsible for introducing the University Act outlining the various defects in it. U Tun Shein, U Ba Pe, U Pu, U Thein Maung and U Ba Htaw submitted a similar memorial pointing out the defects of the University Draft Bill.

1920- The first Burmese university student strike occurred in December 1920, when the British authorities issued a new University Act which included many restrictions on Burmese students studying at the university.

1921- A mass meeting was held at the Cautdisa Zayat at the foot of the Shwedagon Pagoda to discuss how to raise funds for national education. The National College was founded at Bahan. National Day was celebrated for the first time.

1924- The National College was closed down.

1926- U Nyo donated Rs. 17,000 to the university for the construction of a union building.

1930- The Dobama Asiayone (We Burmese Association) was founded. The Student Union Building was completed. The British government gave permission to form a student union, and the following year, the Rangoon University Students’ Union (RUSU) was established. The first elected chairman of RUSU was Ko Tun Sein. Nationalism was flourishing among the university students, and RUSU became the center of Burmese politics.

1936- The third university boycott occurred. In 1936, the British government granted Burma permission to form a new administration. Most of the legislative members were elected. however, the governor had veto power, and authority to appoint cabinet member. RUSU’s chairman Ko Nu gave an anti-British speech encouraging students to fight not only for student rights but also for independence. One of the articles from the Oway Magazine that was published by RUSU made universities authorities angry. They said the articles criticized the British administration and the authorities of the university at that time. British authorities gave an order to Rangoon University administrator D.J Sloss to take action against the writer. Sloss demanded that Aung San, the chief editor of the magazine, reveal the name of the writer. Aung San refused to comply claiming that it did not agree with his editorial ethics. Ko Nu was expelled from the university. 

             The university students went on strike. After three months a second university boycott occured on May 8 1936. There was an all Burma students conference held at the Jubilee Hall, Rangoon. Student representatives from thirty-five towns, university boycotters and many observers enthusiastically attended the conference. Ma Khin Mya of the university moved to establish branches in the schools. This motion was seconded by Ma Thoung Shin of Gyobingauk Township (lower Burma) and Ma Thein Kyi of Bassein Township (Delta Area of Burma) and was unanimously passed.

                 According to Ma Khin Mya, unions needed to be organized at the schools since a network of unions would provide the best organizational framework to safeguard the students’ interests and work in the interest of Burma’s progress towards independence. This proposal marked the first time a woman had initiated a major organizational resolution. During the conference, All Burma Students’ Union (ABSU) was established. Ko Raschit was the first chairman and Ko Aung San became the vice chairman. After ABSU was established, student unions were formed in secondary schools (Grade 7 to Grade 10) throughout the country. ABSU members promoted awareness of the adverse impact of colonial rule in Burma, the socioeconomic situation and the longing for independence from the British. They effectively organized people and were able to work together with other organizations as well as political organizations struggling for independence. The National University was reopened.

1937- The National University was closed down. The Student Union condemned the Mya Bu report.

1938- Ba Hein and Ba Swe, the president and general secretary of the ABSU and RUSU, respectively, were arrested. Students protested these arrests and condemned the Ba Maw government. Aung Kyaw, a student leader who took part in the demonstration, was killed by Rangoon police.

1939-41- Students participated in the independent movement from the British and Japanese. Three of ABFSU members joined in the Thirty Comrades which was constituted the embryo of the modern Burmese army called the Burma Independence Army (BIA) and was formed to fight for independence from Britain. Many students joined in the BIA and the Burma Defense Army (BDA).

1951- The historic student Union, the All Burma Student Unions (ABSU) changed its name to the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU).

1953- There were small-scale student demonstrations from 1948 to 1952 demanding students’ rights. However, in 1953 the government declared a reduction of the October university holiday from 30 days to 15 days, and students bitterly reacted against the government’s plan, assuming that it was designed to violate student rights and that it was not in accordance with democratic practices.

1956- In October the AFPFL government announced that student unions would be abolished within thirty days. This was the highest form of oppression against the democratic rights of the students, and the students promptly went on strike. During the strike, twenty six students from all over Burma were imprisoned and 256 students were expelled. Eventually, the government decided to reverse its decision to abolish the students unions.

1958- On 28 September, the U Nu led civilian government transferred power to General Ne Win who set up a military government, calling itself a caretaker government. ABFSU held a swearing-in ceremony, and released a statement on the power transfer. Although both U Nu and Ne Win claimed that the decision was in accordance with the constitution, the student union stated that it was a military coup, and warned that it would become a president in Burmese politics that would undermine democratic rights and practice. 

                 ABFSU also asked the caretaker government not to derogate freedom of assembly and basic democratic rights. On 28 September, students led by ABFSU protested against the military coup, declaring that it was a set back in the democratization process. In return, General Ne Win’s military government ceased the collection of membership fees for student unions as a way of trying to constrain student activism. The financial power of the RUSU was broken.

1959- On 17 January, the University Council proposed a university reform act. Usually, two representatives from students unions were members of the university hostel council. According to the new act, students were not allowed to be members. Students objected to the reform act, but it was passed. Later, ABFSU reacted bitterly against the unjust act, and as a result, the chairman of ABFSU Ko Khin Maung Ohn, secretary Ko Aung Ban and executive member Ko Pho Than Be were arrested and sent to the infamous Coco island. Many students were also arrested.

1962- On 2 March, military General Ne Win staged a coup that ousted the civilian government led by U Nu. A Revolutionary Council (RC) was formed, led by General Ne Win. General Ne Win tried to control the student activists, tightening the university regulations. There was widespread resentment amongst the students. On 9 May, the University Act was abolished by the Revolutionary Council, the university council was eliminated and all university affairs were taken over by the Revolutionary Council.

1962- July 7, students called a meeting to protest the Revolutionary Council’s unjust rules and regulations at the RUSU building. After the meeting, students launched a demonstration, and the RUSU union building was renamed a “Democratic Fort”. After the demonstration, student leaders were arrested by military intelligence. As soon as students knew their leaders were arrested, they gathered in front of the student union building and shouted anti-coup slogans, and occupied the campus. 

               The military surrounded the campus, throwing tear gas into the gathered crowds. That night, the revolutionary council announced martial law. Early on the morning of 8 July, the historic RUSU building was demolished by dynamite, and many students in the building were killed. It became known as the 7 July Affair. The general defended the actions of his government on that occasion by declaring that the students had been prompted in their actions by certain political organizations (CPB) and General Ne Win said “I have no alternative but too meet dah (knife) with dah (knife) and spear with spear.”

1963- The Students’ Right Protection Committee (SRPC) was formed and later its leaders were invited to a meeting by Brigadier General Than Sein, where he explained the Revolutionary Council’s policy. At this meeting, the students asked him to reconstruct the original union building, and he promised to construct a student union building, saying they would consider the reconstruction of the original one.

1963- On 11 June, the RC offered peace to the rebellion, and an opportunity to discuss politics through dialogue. As the students always desired internal peace and wished to solve Burma’s political crisis through democratic means, they supported the political development. They resumed their activities, particularly in forming student unions and they were very interested and enthusiastic about opening a dialogue between the Revolutionary Council and the anti-government armed groups. But soon, they came to realize that the opportunity for a dialogue was stagnating and they decided to press for talks between government and rebellion groups through a demonstration which showed their desire for internal peace. As many as 200,000 people joined the demonstration. However, the dialogue was washed-out on 14 November, 1963. As a result, universities were closed down and many people, including students, were arrested.

1969- The South East Asia Peninsular (S.E.A.P) Games were held in Rangoon, and university students took advantage of this event to launch a strike calling for the restoration of democracy and an end to the military dictatorship. Because of their efforts, some students were imprisoned and expelled from the university.

1970- The Golden Jubilee of the Rangoon University was celebrated. Students took advantage of the ceremony, organized study groups and discussed the history of Rangoon University, its historic student unions and the union building that had been demolished by the BSPP regime. Some students knew the story very well and shared a great nostalgia towards student unions, which had defended the student’s rights and preserved democracy. At that time, they decided it was important to tell the new generations what had happened on 7 July, 1962. The events of that historical day in July were written and published. Before the Golden Jubilee Celebrations, all the universities were closed down. Many students were imprisoned and some were expelled.

1974- Even though Burma adopted socialism as a state ideology, workers suffered economic dislocation and their salaries did not meet living costs. Particularly, they faced a shortage of rice. In Rangoon workers protested at the Insein railway yard, Thamaing textile mill and Simmalaik dockyard. Troops opened fire on workers at the Thaming mill and Simmalaik dockyard. Ironically, BSSP called itself a socialist government, even while it brutally cracked down on the workers’ strike. The students, always forefront of democratization in Burma, joined and supported the workers’ strike.

1974- On 25 November, the former United Nations Secretary General U Thant died in New York; his corpse was brought to Rangoon. As a Secretary General of the UN, he was very famous for his achievements, and he was believed to have enhanced the national dignity of Burma. However, because of long-standing hostility between Ne Win and U Thant, who once was a personal assistant of ousted prime minister U Nu, the government made no special effort to receive the body or to give it an appropriate burial at a distinguished site, also denying U Thant a state funeral. On 5 December, thousands of students marched into Rangoon Horse Racing ground where U Thant’s corpse was placed so that the public could pay their respects to his dead body. 

                  When they arrived there, they addressed the public, stating that it was inappropriate to bury U Thant’s corpse as a lay person, and instead of accepting the military government’s arrangement, they wished to bring the corpse to Rangoon University, put it into the convocation and bury him at the site of the former student union building that had been demolished in July 1962. U Thant’s funeral become politicized; a struggle between the government and students. On 10 December, U Thant’s corpse was buried at the former location of the union building. In the early morning hours of December 11, soldiers’ raided the campus, killed some of the students guarding the make-shift mausoleum. Many students and monks were arrested. 

                The military removed U Thant’s coffin, and reburied it at the foot of the Shwedagon Pagoda, where it has continued to lie. In response to the government’s actions, people marched into downtown, destroyed and set fire to government buildings and BSPP offices. The government used force to crackdown on the demonstrations, and many people including students were killed. Many others, including monks and students, were sentenced from 3 years to 7 years in prison, and schools were closed down for four months.

1975- On 6 January, there was a significant demonstration in which students and workers cooperated and protested against the military-backed BSPP. On that day, students walked out from the Rangoon University and marched to Insein Prison where students and workers were detained, shouting for the release of students who were arrested during the U Thant affair and demanding the release of workers who were arrested during the workers strike. When they returned to Rangoon University’s main campus, they opened a strike centre. However, following the normal procedure, the government closed down universities nationwide, so students moved their strike center to Shwedagon pagoda. The next day there was a police crackdown, and many students were arrested.

1976- 23 March, was the centenary birthday of the famous Burmese nationalist Thakin Kodaw Hmaing (1876-1964), who had long tried to foster reconciliation between the successive Burmese governments and rebel groups as a peace activist. He was well known as the “Father of Burmese Peace Activists” in Burma. When university students pleaded to hold his centenary birthday and wanted to march to the cemetery to pay respect him, the BSPP government refused to allow it. Their decision annoyed the students. Despite the refusal of the government to grant permission, the students bravely decided to march to the cemetery as a tribute to him, and against the will of the BSPP. 

                  Students marched towards Thakin Kodaw Hmaing’s cemetery, in order to pay their respects. Downtown Rangoon and the area around his mausoleum were full of soldiers in full battle dress. When the students gathered in front of his cemetery, a military vehicle went head to head with the students as a means of provoking the peaceful crowd. Student’s were overcome with emotion, and felt that they were being intimidated by the military government in a gross display of military force, which was indicative of the lack of democracy and lack of student unions which should defend their rights. They chanted slogans, demanding democracy, permission to reestablish student unions, and the release of students who were arrested in past student strikes. Following their usual procedures, on 24 March 1976, the BSPP government closed down the universities nationwide, and then they arrested student leaders and sentenced in long term from 5 years 15 years.

1987- On September 5, the BSPP government demonetized 25, 35 and 75 Kyat bank notes without any plans to compensate the holders of those notes. This occurred as university students were sitting final examinations. Because of demonetization, students faced financial hardship, fueling their resentment of the government and its irresponsible actions. The next day, the government closed down all universities and colleges.

On November, 7 - Students from the local Ye Zin agricultural college and veterinary students in Pyinmana (now the capital of Burma), Mandalay Division, demonstrate against the government and burned portraits of Ne Win.

1988- On 12 March, some students from Rangoon Institute of Technology quarreled with some ordinary men near the university at a tea shop. The students were beaten, and returned to the university, informing the police. The ordinary men were arrested. On 13 March, the students heard that the offenders were released because they were relatives of high ranking local BSPP members. This led to additional frustration amongst the students and a strike that was brutally cracked down on by riot police. Phone Maw, a chemical engineering student, was killed on the spot.

1988- On March 14, RIT students distributed leaflets on another campus in Rangoon condemning the brutality of the Riot Police (Lon Htein). The next day troops entered the RIT campus and arrested score of students. On March 16, students from the main campus( RU) marched down Prome Road towards the Hlaing Campus and RIT. They were blocked by the Lon Htein as well as regular army units near Inya Lak. Many students were killed.

1988- On June 15, Demonstrations and meetings began again, mainly at RU’s main campus.

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1988- On June 23, students defying the ban on public gathering set up a student strike center at the historic Shewdagon pagoda. Most people claim that these events let to the beginning of the 8888, a pro-democracy peoples uprising. During the uprising, students called for democracy, the reestablishment of student unions, and for the formation of a provisional government, among other things.

1988- On 28 August, students convened a conference and established the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (temporary). Min Ko Naing, a third year zoological student, was elected as a chairperson, Moe Thee Zun acted as a general secretary.

1988- On 18 September, the Burmese army took over from the BSPP. While barely mentioning that there had been a coup, they formed a new government, calling itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).

1988- ABSDF : On 18 September, the military staged a coup against the military-backed government, the BSPP, and formed a new junta, calling itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). After assuming power, troops of the newly declared (SLORC) arrested and detained thousands of students and supporters who participated in the 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations. As many of the participants, particularly students, began to realize that so long as the SLORC remained in power they would never be able to perform their duty to serve the country and their fellow citizens, and would instead be arrested and tortured. As a result, as many as 10,000 students and political activists from the cities, including lawyers, doctors, soldiers, monks and teachers fled to liberated zones controlled by the country’s diverse rebel armies; some into CPB controlled territory in the Shan State and Tenasserin Division but the great majority into areas held by the ethnic minority NDF (Smith, M 1999 p 17). 

               They sought refuge while resolving among them how best to resist the military dictatorship. These students soon realized that in order to pursue democracy for the people and for the motherland they must organize their numbers then scattered along the isolated areas of the 2,000-mile-long border. To this end, with the help of the NDF on 1 November, 50 representatives from some 18 groups were finally able to get together to form an umbrella organization, the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF). Chaired by a veteran student activist from 1970s, Tun Aung Kyaw, the ABSDF operated with a 21-person Central Committee, at the base of Kawmoorah on the Thai border.

1989- On 23, March, Min Ko Naing, the president of ABFSU was arrested. The leadership was handed over to the second line student leaders, and ABFSU remained still active. 

1991- In December, students held a demonstration recognizing the Nobel peace prize award of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, calling for the Military to release her, hand over the power to the civilian government and to reestablish student unions as a form of legal civil society.

1995- On 10 July, the junta released Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, and she began to hold weekend political meetings that were aimed at raising political awareness among the students.

1996- In December there was a clash between the police and students at the highway station in Rangoon, similar to 1988 Ko Phone Maw’s affair. This clash led to a student demonstration in Rangoon which then extended to Mandalay and nationwide. Students called for the right to form Student Unions and for national reconciliation. However, the SPDC arrested many students and closed down the universities nation wide.

1998- The NLD called for the convening of parliament according to the results of the 1990 general elections. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave an ultimatum to the SPDC to assemble the parliament, but the military regime did not respond. ABFSU core members came to realize that supporting the NLD ultimatum was the best opportunities to restore democracy in Burma.

2007- During the “Saffron Revolution”, a new generation of Burmese students announced their organization and reestablished the ABFSU on 28 August. ABFSU claims that they will be fighting against the suffering of people under the current regime.

                                     Compiled by Myint Zaw (ABFSU-FAC)