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Muslims in Burmese history
The first Muslim recorded in Burmese history
The first Muslim documented in Burmese history (recorded in Hmannan Yazawin or
Glass Palace Chronicle) was Byat Wi during the reign of Mon, a Thaton King,
circa 1050 AD. He was killed not because he was a Muslim but because the king
was concerned about his strength.
Shwe Byin brothers executed
The two sons of Byat Wi's brother Byat Ta, known as Shwe Byin
brothers, were children executed because they refused to obey the forced labour
order of the king, maybe because of their religious belief.
But it is sure that they were killed not because they were Muslims nor because
they failed to contribute to the building of the pagoda but because the king or
people walking in the corridors of power in the royal court were worried about
their popularity and skills. It was clearly recorded in the Glass Palace
Chronicle of the Kings of Burma that they were no longer trusted.
Assassination of Nga Yaman Kan
Rahman Khan (Nga Yaman Kan)
was another Muslim killed for political reasons, because of treason to his own
king and clearly not as a religious persecution. During a time of war, the
famous national hero King Kyansittha sent a hunter as a sniper to assassinate
him.
Massacre in Arakan
Another mass killing of Muslims in Arakan was probably not for religious
reasons but likely due to politics and greed only. Shah Shuja was the second
son of the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan who built the famous Taj Mahal of India.
Shah Shuja lost to his brother and fled with his family and army to Arakan. The
Arakan King Sandathudama (1652-1687 AD), allowed him to settle there. He wanted
to buy ships to go to Mecca
and was willing to pay with silver and gold. But the Arakan king asked for his
daughter and also became greedy for his wealth. At last after an alleged
unsuccessful attempt at rebellion the sultan and all his followers were killed.
Those men seen to have a beard, the symbol of Islam, were beheaded, not because
they were Muslims but because they were easily identified from others by this
feature. Women were put into prison and let them die with hunger. Therefore,
the massacre was targeted at Muslim refugees from India not because of their religion,
Islam, but for an economic or political reason.
Muslims under Bayintnaung
Muslims served under Burmese king Bayintnaung (1550-1589 AD). In 1559 AD after
conquering Bago (Pegu) he prohibited the Muslims from having halal meals of
goats and chickens by not allowing them to kill these animals in the name of
God. He showed some religious intolerance and had forced some of his subjects
to listen to Buddhist sermons and some were even said to be converted by force.
He also disallowed the Edil Adha, Kurbani sacrifice of cattle.
Muslims under Alaungpaya
King Alaungpaya (1752-1760) prohibited Muslims to do halal on cattle.
Bodawpaya
King Bodawpaya (1782-1819) arrested four famous Burma Muslim Moulvis (Imams)
from Myedu and killed them in Ava, the capital, after they refused to eat pork.
According to the Myedu Muslim and Burma Muslim version there were seven dark
days after that execution and the king later apologized and recognized them as
saints.
Anti-Muslim and anti-Indian Riots under British rule
British Official White Paper
This paragraph's basic facts are taken from Maurice Collis' "Trials in Burma". He
was the judge in Rangoon,
eyewitness to the riots, who wrote his book based on the British Official White
Paper given by The Simon Commission (The Royal Statutory Commission, appointed
according to the Law of the Government of India 1919, The Montague-Chelmsford
Law.)
Anti-Indian and anti-Muslim sentiments started during British rule
Anti-Indian sentiments started after the First World War during the British
rule. In Burma
there were a half million Muslims in 1921. More than half of Indians were
Indian Muslims.Although Burma Muslims are different from Indian Muslims and
Indian Burma Muslims, Burmese Buddhists put them together, even with Hindu Indians,
and called them Kala (blackman).
The root of this hatred was:
1. Earlier Muslim persecution of Buddhists and Hindus during the Mughal wars of
conquest, where many Buddhists and Hindus were forcibly converted.
2. Low standard of living of the recent migrants.
3. Recent migrants' willingness to do, dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs.
4. Indians took over the Burmese lands especially Chittiers.
5. Indians had already filled up and monopolized the government services when
the Burmese were later ready for those jobs.
6. Professional competition.
7. World economic recession of 1930 aggravated the competition for the reduced
economic pie.
1930 Anti-Indian riots
In 1930 there were anti-Indian riots in Burma under British rule.
The problem started in Yangon port, because of
the irresponsible action of a British firm of stevedores which had employed
hundreds of Indian labourers. While those Indians were on strike, that firm had
employed the Burmese workers just to break the strike. So the Indians had to
give in and ended the strike. Next morning when the Burmese workers came and
reported for work they were told by the British firm that their service was no
longer needed. Some Burmese workers were angry and started the fight and
Indians retaliated. It grew rapidly into an anti-Indian (including anti-Muslim)
riot. Even within the first half-hour at least two hundred Indians were
massacred and flung into the river. Authorities ordered the police to fire upon
any assembly of five or more who refused to lay down their arms, under Section
144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. That was a black day of 26 May. Within two
days the riot spread to the whole country and no one knew the exact causality.
1938 Anti-Muslim riots
There was an anti-Muslim riot in 1938, while Burma was still under British rule.
The real agenda was aimed at British government but the Burmese dare not show
this openly. Growing Nationalistic sentiments were fanned by the local media
and disguised as anti-Muslim to avoid early detection and notice. It was
followed by the full blown force of the mighty British Government machinery.
Throughout the Burmese struggles against British rule, all the political
issues, movements, meetings, demonstrations, riots, rebellions and even the
revolutions were instigated, inspired, influenced and led by newspapers.
Burma for Burmese Only
Campaign
The Burmese started the Burma
for Burmese only Campaign and marched to the Muslim (Surti) Bazaar. While the
Indian Police broke the violent demonstration, three monks were hurt. Burmese
newspapers use the pictures of Indian police attacking the Buddhist monks to
further incite the spread of riots. Muslim properties: shops, houses and
mosques were looted, destroyed and burned. They assaulted and even massacred
the Muslims. It spread all over Burma
and a recorded 113 mosques were damaged.
The Inquiry Committee by the British
On September 22, 1938, the British Governor set up the Inquiry Committee. They
found out that the real cause was the discontent in the government regarding
the deterioration in sociopolitical and economic conditions of Burmans. The
book was used as an inciting factor by the irresponsible Burmese newspapers.
They use the anti-Muslim propaganda as a disguise to cover up the political
struggle to gain independence. So the Buddhist used the Muslims as a scapegoat,
for the first time, to fight against the British.
The Simon Commission (The Royal Statutory Commission, appointed according to
the Law of the Government of India in 1919, The Montague-Chelmsford Law) an
inquiry of the effects of Dyarchy system of ruling Burma, had recommended that special
places be assigned to the Burma Muslims in the Legislative Council.
It recommended that full rights of citizenship should be guaranteed to all
minorities: the right of free worship, the right to follow their own customs,
the right to own property and to receive a share of the public revenues for the
maintenance of their own educational and charitable institutions. It
recommended Home Rule or independent government separate from India or the
status of dominion.
But the British Government refused to accept all these recommendations except
for separation, at the round table committee on India
held in London
in 1930.
Muslims under U Nu
AFPFL expelled the Burma
Muslim Congress
The BMC, Burma Muslim Congress was founded almost at the same time with the
AFPFL, Anti-Fascist Peoples’ Freedom Party of General Aung San and U Nu before
World War Two. On December 25, 1945 in Pyin Mana, U Razak was elected President
of BMC and decided to join AFPFL. U Razak was elected AFPFL President in the Mandalay district in
1946. Later the Governor accepted him as the member of constitutional council.
He had very good relations with Buddhists and was even fluent in Pali (Buddhist
scriptures are written in this ancient language of India). He became the Minister of
Education and Planning in Bogoke’s (General Aung San) Government and was later
assassinated with him.[35] But he had supported the main policy of the AFPFL:
that is against the partition along community or religious lines. U Razak and
his few associates objected to the struggle of those demanding specific
constitutional guarantees for the Burma Muslim minority. So, although U Razak
was a very popular, important and prominent Burma Muslim leader who had
successfully organized Burma Muslims to be able to get an official record that
they had participated since the very beginning of the Burmese National struggle
towards independence.
His stand of united Burmese (Burma)
nation sacrificing the long-term interest of guarantee for the rights of
Minority Burma Muslim satisfied not only the Burmese Buddhist leaders of the
AFPFL, but strangely also the British Government. Maybe because of that he got
a lot of personal rewards. U Raschid and more prominently U Khin Maung Lat,
follows the general policy of sacrificing the Rights and Interests of the Burma
Muslim Community for ‘the country and their party’. No wonder most of the Burma
Muslims later refused to regard or recognize these ‘self interested’ seasoned
politicians as their true representatives or saviours. Prime Minister U Nu,
just a few months after the independence of Burma, requested the Burma Muslim
Congress to resign its membership from AFPFL. In response to that U Khin Maung
Lat, the new President of BMC, decided to discontinue the Islamic Religious
activities of the BMC and rejoined the AFPFL. Later he became Minister of
Justice but no longer represented the wishes of the Burma Muslim community. The
newly-formed Burmese Muslim League requested a special government department
for Muslim affairs to determine their own future, the same as for other
minorities, who had Ministries in Yangon and
governments in their states. U Nu removed the Burma Muslim Congress from AFPFL
on September 30, 1956. BMC was asked to dissolve since 1955. Later U Nu decreed
Buddhism as the state religion of Burma against the will of the
ethnic minorities and various religious organizations including Burma Muslims.
U Nu, a devoted Buddhist, was pressured by the wealthy and influential Hindi
merchants who ordered the prohibition of the slaughtering of cattle. Although
he relaxed that during the Kurbani Edd (Hariraya Haji), Muslims had to apply
the permits for each cattle and strictly follow procedures under police supervision.
Although General Ne Win revoked the first order and allowed the slaughter of
cattle for daily consumption, the second order of strict restriction for the
sacrifice remained up to the present. Even a mosque’s official who failed to
adhere to the permitted number of cattle was arrested and punished. Some
Muslims complained that U Nu’s government had made more difficult conditions
and regulations for the Haj pilgrimage than the Buddhists pilgrims going to Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Muslims under General Ne Win
When General Ne Win swept to power on a wave of nationalism in 1962, the status
of Muslims changed for the worse. Muslims were expelled from the army and were
rapidly marginalized. Burma
has a Buddhist majority. Muslims are stereotyped in the society as "cattle
killers" (referring to the cattle sacrifice festival of Eid Al Adha in
Islam). The generic racist slur of "kala" (black) used against
perceived "foreigners" has especially negative connotations when
referring to Burmese Muslims. The more pious Muslim communities who segregate
themselves from the Buddhist majority face greater difficulties than those who
integrate more at the cost of observance to Islamic personal laws.
Muslims in Burma
are affected by the actions of Islamic extremism in other countries. Violence
in Indonesia perpetrated by
Islamists is used as a pretext to commit violence against Muslim minorities in Burma. The
anti-Buddhist actions of the Taliban in Afghanistan
(the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan) was also used as a pretext to
commit violence against Muslims in Burma by Buddhist mobs. Human
Rights Watch reports that there was mounting tension between the Buddhist and
Muslim communities in Taungoo for weeks before it erupted into violence in the
middle of May 2001. Buddhist monks demanded that the Hantha Mosque in Taungoo
be destroyed in "retaliation" for the destruction of the Buddhas of
Bamiyan.[3] Mobs of Buddhists, led by monks, vandalized Muslim-owned businesses
and property and attacked and killed Muslims in Muslim communities. This was
followed by retaliation by Muslims against Buddhists.
The dictatorial government, which operates a pervasive internal security
apparatus, generally infiltrates or monitors the meetings and activities of
virtually all organizations, including religious organizations. Religious
freedom for Muslims is reduced. Monitoring and control of Islam undermines the
free exchange of thoughts and ideas associated with religious activities.
Accusations of "terrorism" are made against Muslim organizations such
as the All Burma Muslim Union.
It is widely feared that persecution of Muslims in Burma could foment Islamic
extremism in the country. Many Muslims have joined armed resistance groups who
are fighting for greater freedoms in Burma.
1997 Anti-Muslim Riots in Mandalay
The racial tension in March 1997 between Buddhists and Muslims and the attack
on Muslim properties began during the renovation of a Buddha statue. The bronze
Buddha statue in the Maha Myatmuni pagoda, originally from the Arakan, brought
to Mandalay by
King Bodawpaya in 1784 AD was renovated by the authorities. The Mahamyat Muni
statue was broken open, leaving a gaping hole in the statue, and it was
generally presumed that the regime was searching for the Padamya Myetshin, a
legendary ruby that ensures victory in war to those who possess it.
On 16 March, 1997 beginning at about 3:30 p.m. a mob of 1,000-1,500 Buddhist
monks and others shouted anti-Muslim slogans. They targeted the mosques first
for attack, followed by Muslim shop-houses and transportation vehicles in the
vicinity of mosques, damaging, destroying, looting, and trampling, burning
religious books, committing acts of sacrilege. The area where the acts of
damage, destruction, and lootings were committed was Kaingdan, Mandalay. The unrest in Mandalay allegedly began after reports of an
attempted rape of a girl by Muslim men. At least three people were killed and
around 100 monks arrested.
2001 Anti-Muslim Riots in Taungoo
In 2001,Myo Pyauk Hmar Soe Kyauk Hla Tai (or) The Fear of Losing One's Race and
many other anti-Muslim pamphlets were widely distributed by monks. Many Muslims
feel that this exacerbated the anti-Muslim feelings that had been provoked by
the destruction in Bamiyan,
Afghanistan. On
May, 15, 2001, anti-Muslim riots broke out in Taungoo, Pegu division, resulting
in the deaths of about 200 Muslims, in the destruction of 11 mosques and the
setting ablaze of over 400 houses. On May 15, the first day of the anti-Muslim
uprisings, about 20 Muslims who were praying in the Han Tha mosque were killed
and some were beaten to death by the pro-junta forces. On May 17, Lt. General
Win Myint, Secretary No.3 of the SPDC and deputy Home and Religious minister,
arrived in Taungoo and curfew was imposed there until July, 12, 2001.[40]
Buddhist monks demanded that the ancient Hantha Mosque in Taungoo be destroyed
in retaliation for the destruction in Bamiyan. On May 18, however, Han Tha
mosque and Taungoo Railway station mosque were razed to the ground by
bulldozers owned by the SPDC junta. The mosques in Taungoo remained closed as
of May 2002. Muslims have been forced to worship in their homes. Local Muslim
leaders complain that they are still harassed. After the violence, many local
Muslims moved away from Taungoo to nearby towns and to as far away as Yangon. After two days of violence the military stepped
in and the violence immediately ended.
Human rights violations against Rohingya minority
According to Amnesty International, the Muslim Rohingya people have
continued to suffer human rights violations under the Burma junta since 1978, and many have fled to
neighbouring Bangladesh
as a result.
"The Rohingyas’ freedom of movement is severely restricted and the vast
majority of them have effectively been denied Burma citizenship. They are also
subjected to various forms of extortion and arbitrary taxation; land
confiscation; forced eviction and house destruction; and financial restrictions
on marriage. Rohingyas continue to be used as forced labourers on roads and at
military camps, although the amount of forced labour in northern Rakhine State has decreased over the last
decade."
"In 1978 over 200,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh,
following the ‘Nagamin’ (‘Dragon King’) operation of the Burma army.
Officially this campaign aimed at "scrutinising each individual living in
the state, designating citizens and foreigners in accordance with the law and
taking actions against foreigners who have filtered into the country
illegally." This military campaign directly targeted civilians, and resulted
in widespread killings, rape and destruction of mosques and further religious
persecution."
"During 1991-92 a new wave of over a quarter of a million Rohingyas fled
to Bangladesh.
They reported widespread forced labour, as well as summary executions, torture,
and rape. Rohingyas were forced to work without pay by the Burma army on
infrastructure and economic projects, often under harsh conditions. Many other
human rights violations occurred in the context of forced labour of Rohingya
civilians by the security forces."
