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Memorable of 214 anniversary of los
- Subject: Memorable of 214 anniversary of los
- From: arklife@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 19:38:00
Subject: Memorable of 214 anniversary of lost Independence, Arakan, and 51
anniversary of
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Memorable of 214 anniversary of lost Independence, Arakan, and 51
anniversary of Burma Independence Day.
Introduction
The background history of Arakan includes not only honorable events, but
also a study of bitter lessons. When talking about honorable historic
events, we include Arakanese history, culture, literature, architecture,
handicrafts, and currency system. Respectfully, some of these legacies
had come close to disappearing, while others had totally disappeared.
By the time independence was gained from the British colonial rulers,
Arakanese culture and literature had almost disappeared. Under the
Burmese colonialists, the situation of the Arakanese nationalities had
worsened under the military dictator?s ruling era. Ruling military
dictators have been oppressing inhumanely the national spirit of the
Arakan nation.
Throughout the years, historians have viewed different opinions about
Arakanese nationalities. Nevertheless, the Arakan community can find
reminders of their history in actual records such as sculptures, stone
slabs, old bells, old coins, and old records written by foreigners.
According to research historians, Arakanese communities had settle in
their nation since 6000 B.C. The history of Arakan is recorded by
historians since the ruling era of Arakanese monarchies.
Age of monarchies
Monarchies had ruled Arakan for 5000 years. Historians have divided this
period into seven gaes. Of these seven ages, the age of Vesali Stone
stairs and Maruk-U were very famous because at the time, Arakanese
communities had strong communication internationally, especially with
the Mogal Empire, the Japanese, and Portugal. These relationships
covered different aspects of life, such as politics, diplomacy, economy,
and religion.
In those days, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia were occupied by European
colonialists, however the Arakanese kingdom managed to maintain its
independence through persistent defiance. After the 18th century A.D,
following a national unity collapse, Burmese invaders intruded and
occupied the Arakanese kingdom in 1784 A.D.
Although the Arakanese drove out the Burmese intruders, it was done
along with British army, who later took charge of the entire Arakan
State, to become British colonial rulers for 118 years. Since then, the
Arakanese had been resisting and struggling against British colonialists
and Japanese fascists in order to regain their independence.
After Burma gained independence in 1948, the Arakan sovereignty, even as
a federal State, was ignored by the Burmese rulers. Therefore still,
Arakan in struggling to regain its independence.
Geographical factors of Arakan
Geographical descriptions of Arakan are divided into three periods of
time:
1. The Monarchy days,
2. 1948 and early days of independence and
3. After the 1974 constitution was drafted.
During the monarchy days, the Arakan State stretched up to Dakha river,
Bangladesh, in the west, up to Arsam State, India, in the north, and
down to Irrawaddy river in the east. The southern border was the cape of
Negrat and Cocoa island.
During the early days of independence, 1948, Arakan State consisted of
16,000 square miles.
After the 1974 constitution, came the reign of a one-party dictatorship,
led by notorious Gen. Ne Win, leader of the Burma Socialist Programme
Party. Due to the 1974 constitution, Palawa township, part of Arakan,
was added to Chin State. This was done as opposed to the will of the
Arakanese people, however their objection was lost in their air.
According to the Greek historian Ptolmy, Arakan was called ?Argyre?, and
a Tibetian historian (Touranala) had also wrote about Arakan in his
hstorical book in 1608 A.D.
** Remark: It is described in the city states of (KAWKY) included in
Oritha State, India.
Arakanese and ethnic nationalities of Arakan
The first people to settle in Arakan were the NEGRITOS, they were black
shinned and of short height, according to historians. There were called
CANNIBAL, as in giant, and NEOLITHIC- stone age man. This information
may be imaginary only. Some settles, that may be ARYAN ethnicity, had
migrated into Arakan by foot, crossing the hill of Cocasia, located on
west Myitzima in Pali, India, as well as the Parmian hill, invariably
crossing mountain ranges, valleys, and rivers. At about the same time,
the Mongolian people from north-east Margatha region, Arsan, India, came
down through the Rakhaing ranges and settled in Arakan. The second batch
of settlers were the INDOARYAN, and they drove out the first settlers,
the NEORITOS. As a result, they were called ?People who protected
nationality?. This concept was kept and passed on from generation to
generation, according to historians.
The Arakanese nationalities are:
Arakanese, Mros, Thet (a) Charkhamar, Kha Hme, Chin, Dynet, Bomin, and
Phalan. Some historians believe that the first settlers in Arakan
integrated with the ARYAN race. In old history of Thailand it is said
that some MONGOLIAN races settled not only in Arakan but also in
Chittagong, Cox-baza, and Bangladesh. Burmese researchers also agree
with this account.
Nowadays, Arakan population is four million, excluding ex-patriots
living in various places such as Rangoon, Mandalay, Pegu division,
Irrawaddy division, Chin State, Bangladesh, India, and other overseas
countries.
During the first ruling era of Dynnawaddy, Mrauk-U dynasty, 57 kings
ruled Arakan for 1818 years, from 3325 to 1507, B.C. relatives of
Mrauk-U dynasty crowned Kan Ra Za Gri as king, and established the first
Dyannawaddy era. The Kan Raza Gri dynasty ruled Arakan for 927 years
until 580 B.C. After that, the founders of the second Dynnawaddy era
ruled till the third Dynnawaddy era. Of these kings, king Sanda Suriya
was very famous for introducing Buddhism to Arakan, and building the
Mahamuni Buddha image, so he was admired by Arakanese Buddhists.
According to historical records, he was born on the same day as Buddha
Gottama who toured Arakan. The dynasty of Sanda Suriya reigned in Arakan
for 906 years, until 327 A.D.
Analysis of Arakanese nationalities before 4th century, A.D
Before 4th century A.D, the Arakanese community was under the control of
the feudalistic. In those days, the people worshipped jungle, water,
earth, trees, rock-hills, huge stones, spirits, elders, etc. however,
Buddhism was worshipped after 580 B.C, according to historical
researchers. The materials available and those days were soil, wood, and
bamboo, so building and houses could be easily damaged. Nevertheless, we
can still see remainders of these early days. Traces can be found of
royal palaces, stone pillar inscriptions, moats, shines, pagodas, Buddha
images, and the wall of the royal city. At present, the great Buddha
image of Mahamuni, serves as a historical landmark for Arakanese
culture. Other architectural symbols, such as many Buddha images, were
made of stone and bronze. It is also found, that architectural traces,
especially handicraft, from before 4th century A.D, are similar to
designs found in north-eastern territories mainly in India, historians
claim. During this era, spiritualism had greater influence on Arakanese,
than materialism.
Although the Arakanese lived close to the India sub-continent, where the
people were of Hindu religion, this didn?t influence communities in
Arakan. This historical record proves how the Arakanese managed to
defend their national dignity, their nation, and their nationality.
The nation?s situation continued to deteriorate, and the last king to
rule before loss of independence was king Maha Thamadaraza (1728-84
A.D). He didn?t have enough time to save the Arakan nation given 2 or 3
more years of ruling, it is believed by historians, he would have saved
the kingdom from ?Bodaw Maung Wyne?, who invaded and occupied the
nation. In reality, the Burmese king who occupied Arakan had not done it
with strong military power. There are numerous reasons for his success
in occupation, among them- disunity among the Arakanese nationalities,
carelessness in awareness of the coming crisis, some Arakanese assisting
the Burmese, fighting the Burmese armed forces with only the Arakan
royal army. For these reasons, the result was loss of independence, on
December 31, 1784. The loss of independence had serve effects on the
nation: the Mahamuni Buddha Image, the most respected Buddha image for
Arakanese Buddhists- intellectuals, monks, and men-was destroyed, as
well as precious gold and jewels. Also lost were military equipment
shipped over from Europe, and the royal palace, built with great
architectural shill, was also burnt down. Arakan, to this day, feels the
bitter lesson of the loss of independence.
Situation of Arakan and its nationalities after loss of Independence
The Arakanese, who lived as a sovereign nation for over 5000 years, had
ceased their sovereignty on December 31, 1874, and therefore have been
resisting the Burmese colonialists ever since, to this day- in order to
regain their independence, their freedom. Burmese colonialists have been
oppressing and killing nationalities of Arakan in humanely. Although
Burmese intruders had invaded the whole of the Arakan, they have been
facing resistance by Arakanese patriots. Among the famous revolutions of
the old days, are Rwe Ban, senior prince, Aung Kyaw Zan, governor, and
Chin Byan, commander of Arakanese revolutionary groups. These Arakanese
revolutionary leaders attempted to drive out the Burmese invaders with
the help of European nations especially the British. When Arakan did
drive out the Burmese expansionists, it was done together with the
British, who later betrayed Arakan by colonializing it under the British
Empire. Until 1907, during the reign of the British colonialists, Arakan
didn?t revolt against them as a major insurrection- however, patriotic
feeling reawake in late 1907.
The first person to provoke patriotic feeling, was U Oattama. He visited
Japan in 1907 to work as a professor at Tokyo university?s Burmese
department, and studies about the Japanese nation. In 1910 he returned
to Burma, and provoked all the Burmese nationalities, including the
Arakanese, to oppose the British colonial rulers. His method was a
non-violent one. People of Arakan revolted against the British
colonialists in 1942, the result being the retreat of the British army
and civil servants into India, in March of year.
The Japanese army invaded Arakan in the first week of April, 1942, and
occupied the whole nation on June 8, 1942, records say. After ruling
Arakan for three years, the Japanese army retreated out of Arakan in the
last week of February, 1945, after Arakanese freedom-fighter drive them
out in opposition to their cruel fascism. After the Japanese retreated
from Arakan, the British army reentered, however this time treaded
Arakanese people ruthlessly- especially those who supported the Japanese
by methods of torture, killing, and burning down of villages known to
have supported the Japanese. Therefor, Arakanese people began to revolt
against the British army. In April 1947, a conference was held in Mray
Bon town, and this was a significant landmark for the Arakanese
political movement. Under the British rulers, the Burmese ethnic
majority tried to implement their superiority over the other ethnic
minorities by creating a division among the various groups, specially
Arakanese, Chin, Kachin, and Shan. The Burmese majority signed the Pin
Long agreement, ensuring their independence, along with three ethnic
nationality groups: Chin, Kachin, and Shan. In those days, Arakanese
freedom fighters were isolated from other ethnic freedom fighters,
focusing their efforts only on the Arakan State. The Arakanese freedom
fighters managed to occupy some of the Arakan State'? territory,
therefor antagonizing the British rules who in response supported to
Burmese in their efforts to suppress the revolting Arakanese. The
Burmese wisely used the British support in order to suppress the
Arakanese revolutionists, which succeeded in the Arakanese not managing
to gain their sovereignty. In mid 1947, the Burmese army led an
operation called ?Kyaw Zaw Operation?, and it?s aim was to defeat the
Arakanese revolutionists. After this operation, Arakan state neared
extinction. The Burmese politicians would not accept any resistant
movements fighting for independence, and wanted to control all of the
ethnic groups within the nation. At the time, the Burmese politicians
made international relationships, however the ethnic minorities did not
have that opportunity. On January 27, 1947, the Burmese signed a treaty
with the British called ?Aung San-Attalee?, and another treaty with the
British called ?Nu-Attalee?. After these agreements, the nation gained
independence, on January 4, 1948. After the Arakanese revolution failed,
people of Arakan lost not only their sovereignty and political rights,
but some territory as well that went to the Burmese. In addition, when
the British left the country after the independence agreement, they
annexed a bit of Arakan land to both India and Pakistan, where they were
still ruling. Despite this failure to revolt, Arakanese freedom fighters
still continue to struggle for their independence.
The generation that revolted against the British colonialists and the
Japanese Fascists, have been continuing their task of rebellion against
the Burmese rulers who took the place of the British and the Japanese.
Of the Arakanese resistance groups, the following are still struggling
to gain their independence. They are:
- Arakan Communist Party (ACP)
- Rakhine National Liberation Party (RNLP)
- Arakan Independence Army (AIA)
- Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)
- National United Front of Arakan (NUFA)
- National Unity Party of Arakan (NUPA)
Their goal is to create independence or a federal state, based on ethnic
of equality, liberty, and self-determination.
Conclusion.
Arakan was a sovereign nation in world history for 5000 years, however
the new generations of Arakanese, after the loss of independence, are
not quite familiar with their nation?s history, hence the developing
days of the Arakan State. A sorrowful example can found in an incident
that occurred 15 years ago, when an Arakanese university student at the
Rangoon Institute of Technology, refused to accept an Arakanese
archeological symbol in the shaped of a silver coin. This is sorrowful
for the Arakanese, since it shows that even educated intellectuals do
not recognize and feel for their nation?s glorious post days, and even
more so regarding the uneducated nationalities of Arakan.
Arakan independence has been lost for over 200 years, and so national
dignity has deteriorated due to the oppression of the Burmese rulers. In
world history, some nations who had been dominated by another nation had
come close to disappearing, but on the other hand, some had managed to
later on establish their own sovereign nation. This is human nature.
Oh, dear Arakan! Would you like your beloved nation to disappear from
the face of the earth?
This question should guide and lead the Arakanese nation in their
attempt to gain their independence.
---END----
- The Arakan Life -
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