ARAKAN JULY 2011 - Online Burma Library

16 Pages·2011·1.48 MB·English

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL : 64 TH. ANNIVERSARY OF THE
2
MARTYARS’ DAY

COVER STORY : FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
3 NINE YEARS DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI 64 TH. ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARTYARS’ DAY
ATTENDS MARTYRS’ CEREMONY

Sayko July mamay naing (We can not forget 19 July). This is an
DAW SUU AND HER PARTY NLD LED
5
idiom which was in the minds of all people of Burma. Arzarni day or
MORE THAN 3,000 PEOPLE TO

Martyr’s Day is held on 19th July annually in Burma. It is held to mark the
COMMEMORATE 64 TH. ANNIVERSARY

assassination of its founding father and independence leader along with
OF MARTYR’S DAY

his cabinet on this day in 1947 at 10:37 AM. This year marks the 64 th

FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY : THE anniversary of this martyrs’ day. While working for the country Bogyoke
6
ROHINGYAS : A SHORT ACCOUNT OF Aung San and other leaders of Interim Cabinet members namely U Ba
THEIR HISTORY AND CULTURE Win (Elder brother of Aung San), Mann Ba Khaing, Sayagyi U Razak, Mai
Pun Saw-Bwar Gyi Sao San Tun, Dedoke U Ba Cho, Takhin Mya and
12 NEWS ANALYSIS : PROTECTION OF
Permanent Cabinet Secretary U Ohn Maung and body guard of U Razak,
ROHINGYA REFUGEES IS BADLY IN NEED
Ye Baw Ko Twe were brutally assassinated by a group of thugs and

terrorists. As U Razzak and U Htwe were Muslims, the bloods of the
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR MUSLIMS
13
Muslims were saturated for the independence of Burma.
LOOSENED IN SOUTHERN ARAKAN

They were gunned down by power-mad men and believers of the rule
STATE

of might. It was an event that has not been forgotten to date. The people

ROHINGYA REFUGEE CAMP are still sorrowing, bleeding and weeping over similar events till this day
13
WASHED OUT is ironically perpetrated by the Myanmar Tatmadaw, which is originally

supposed to protect the people from all the dangers.
14 MASTER MASIUDDIN AHMED Usually top government officials, foreign diplomats, local dignitaries and
EXPIRED families of the eight comrades assassinated along with Aung San laid

wreaths in a solemn ceremony. But for last 9 years, Burma’s annual
MALAYSIA SIGNED THE ARRANGEMENT commemoration is downgraded to be attended by one minister and
14 ON TRANSFER AND RESETTLEMENT without his daughter, imprisoned opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. For
AGREEMENT WITH AUSTRALIA
the first time in nine years, Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu

Kyi attended an official ceremony for Martyrs' Day.
14 MEIKTILA MUSLIMS STOP BULLDOZING
The year 1945-47 saw the emergence of Aung San as a strong
OF SUNNI MUSLIM CEMETERY

leader and an able statesman who had the confidence and love of the

people. In January 1946, Aung San was elected President of the AFPFL.
CANADIAN AMBASSADOR PRESENTED
15
HONORARY DOCTORATE LAW DEGREES He formed the People`s Volunteer Organisation (PVO), as the military

TO DAW SUU wing of the AFPFL, which made the British Government highly uneasy. He

made it evident he would not refrain from violence should it be necessary
15
ROHINGYAS WELCOME OIC RESOLU- for the freedom of Burma. The old Governor's Council was dissolved, and
TION ON BURMESE MUSLIMS in September 1946 Aung San was appointed Deputy Chairman of the
new Executive Council with the portfolios of defense and external affairs.
15 BURMA DEMOCRACY LEADER URGES
He warned the people not to imagine that his acceptance of office meant

TALKS TO END ETHNIC CONFLICTS
the end of all problems.

Aung San felt imperative and went straight into negotiations with
HUMANITY GONE AMUCK IN ROHINGYA
16 ethnic minority groups within the country. The agreement reached with
REFUGEE CAMPS

the British had left the future of the frontier areas to the decisions of its

people. To settle the issue a conference was held at Panglong on 12
READ ARAKAN ONLINE KNOW MORE
February 1947. Five national groups achieved autonomous states, out of
ABOUT ROHINGYA PEOPLE
www.rohingya.org them Shan and Kaya obtained secession right. The AFPFL laid down the
independence policy at a convention in May. Cont. P. 3
Email : info @ rohingya.org
ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 2
EDITORIAL www.rohingya.org I info@ rohingya.org

FROM P. 2 A committee was formed to draft the constitution of the independent Union of Burma. On 19th July at a
meeting of the Executive Council, together with other six councellors, including his elder brother, U Ba Win, U Razak and his
aide Ko Htwe ( a Muslim), were assassinated by uniformed men who burst into the guarded conference chamber with machine
guns.
The assassins escaped, but they were quickly trailed up to the home of Galon U Saw. Shortly before U Saw had joined
the Burmese delegation to London, he had been shot at and wounded in the eye by men dressed in Khaki. There are those
summerising that U Saw had believed Aung San's PVO members were responsible for the shooting and therefore sought
revenge. But the trial held that the instructions had been for the whole Executive Council to be destroyed, and it seemed that
Galon U Saw had sought the death of Aung San and his colleagues in the odd belief that once they had been killed, he would
become the head of the Burmese government. He was found guilty of abetment and sentenced to death.
Although Aung San was killed, the independence for which he had sacrificed his life came to his country. U Nu, the most
senior member of the AFPFL, completed the final negotiations under the Nu-Atlee agreement. On 4th January 1948 the
Independent Union of Burma was born. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should copy her father to compel her opposition to come to the
negotiated settlement. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD should follow the foot steps of General Aung San and the AFPFL to
achieve the cherish goal of democracy, human right and rule of law in the country. ##
COVER STORY : 64 TH. MARTYARS’ DAY
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS DAW AUNG SAN

SUU KYI ATTENDS MARTYRS’ CEREMONY
By M. A. ALAM
For the first time in nine years, Burma's morning the government officials picked Representing the People's Parliament and
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi up Daw Suu Kyi at her home at 8:30 am the NLD's youth network.
attended an official ceremony for Martyrs' and attended the 64 th anniversary of Some 2,000 people led by Suu Kyi
Day, a national holiday in Burma that com- martyrs’ day ceremony at Rangoon w e r e reported to have joined the
memorates the assassination in 1947 of her Martyrs' Mausoleum. procession. The short march from the
father Gen Aung San and eight colleagues Daw Suu Kyi revisited the Martyrs' headquarters of NLD to the Martyrs’
from the country's independence move- Mausoleum again on Tuesday afternoon Mausoleum was the biggest public
ment. The new Government officials sent alongside Central Executive Committee demonstration since 2007, when the mili-
an invitation to Suu Kyi last week, and the members of her party, the National tary junta launched a bloody crackdown
Nobel Peace Prize laureate agreed to attend League for Democracy (NLD), as well as on pro-democracy protesters. Cont. P. 4
the ceremony. On 19 July 2011 Tuesday leading members of the Committee
ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 3
F ROM P. 3 Suu Kyi and her youngest son, Htein www.rohingya.org I info@ rohingya.org

L in (aka Kim Aris), previously visited the Martyrs’

M ausoleum earlier this month to pay respect to her

f ather and his fallen colleagues. Meanwhile nearly 200
y ouths in Rangoon marked the occasion by staging a
march on Tuesday morning from Tamwe Township to the

Martyrs' Mausoleum in Banhan Township to pay tribute to

those assassinated.

“The security forces are walking alongside us, because

they want to ensure that the public do not join in,” said
N aw Ohn Hla, a women activist who took part in the com-
m emorative march.
“We are following in the steps of 88 Generation
s tudents' leader Min Ko Naing,” said participant Tin Min
N aing. “Ever since Min Ko Naing was arrested, we have
paid tribute to the martyrs every year,” he said, adding

that locals lined the road and cheered the marchers.

Martyrs Day commemorates the anniversary of the

assassination of nine heroes of Burma’s independence

movement—including Gen Aung San—on July 19, 1947,
j ust six months before Burma regained its independence
f rom Britain.
Aung San is considered the father of Burmese inde-
p endence, and led the fight for colonial liberation from
B ritain, which had ruled Burma since 1885. Just six
months before Burma achieved independence, he and

eight colleagues were assassinated by political opponent

U Saw and his group on July 19, 1947.

A separate photo taken of the Nobel laureate during

the Martyrs’ Day ceremony in Rangoon was published on
t he marks front page of the Popular News Journal. It
s omething of a change from the military-controlled
g overnment’s historic attempts to sideline Suu Kyi, whom
i t has keep under house arrest for more than 15 of the
p ast 20 years.
Following her release in November last year, nine

news journals were suspended for publishing photos of

her on theirfront pages, although several others carried

the images in supplements. Kyaw Yin Myint, a prominent

Burmese writer, said that the appearance of Suu Kyi’s
i mage on front pages was “delightful”, but to be consid-
e red noteworthy must be a permanent policy of the
g overnment. ##

National League for Democracy (NLD) General-Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi, Vice Chairman Tin Oo, right, and NLD members in front
of NLD headquarters on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 prepare to go to the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Rangoon to honour fallen
Independence heroes on the 64th Martyrs’ Day anniversary . Photo: Mizzima

ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 4
D A W S U U AND HER PARTY NLD LED MORE THAN 3,000 PEOPLE TO

COMMEMORATE 64 TH. ANNIVERSARY OF MARTYR’S DAY

JULY 21, 2011: Burmese opposition "I saw more than 10 trucks of armed
police were on stand-by with full riot
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her
gear," he said. "There were around 300
party National League for
police."
Democracy (NLD) led more than 3,000

Agence France-Presse reported that
people on Tuesday 19 July 2011 to
plainclothes police took pictures of the
commemorate in the capital Yangon to
crowds, but allowed hundreds to pass
mark the 64th anniversary of Martyr's Day,
through checkpoints and continue to the
the death of her father, a national inde-
pendence hero, eye witnesses said. memorial. Wearing a white blouse and a
The event, known as Martyr's Day, is traditional black wrapped skirt, known as
a longyi, it was the first time in nine years
held every year to mark the assassination
that Suu Kyi had attended the ceremony --
on July 19, 1947 of General Aung San and
the pro-democracy leader had been under
several other independence leaders. Aung
house arrest for most of the last 20 years.
San remains a hugely popular figure in

Suu Kyi's elder brother, U Aung San
Myanmar for his role in winning independ-
Oo, also laid a wreath at his father's
ence from Britain.
mausoleum, while a guard of honor paid
Gatherings of such large crowds in
tribute to the "Martyrs" by sounding their
Myanmar are rare and usually prohibited,
so this is being seen as a test of public bugles, state-run newspaper, New Light of
freedom after the self-proclaimed civilian Myanmar, reported.
This year, sparked by Daw Aung San
government took power after last year's
Suu Kyi’s presence, the National League
election, according to one local journalist
for Democracy (NLD) and other pro
who spoke to CNN and asked not to be
democracy and ethnic rights organiza-
named because of fears for his safety in

tions rallied over3,000 people in a march
the tightly controlled country.
towards the Martyrs’ Mausoleum, the
November's elections drew fire from
largest public gathering in the country
critics who said the voting was aimed at
since the Saffron Revolution in 2007. The
creating the facade of democracy, rather
than a truly open and democratic d e m o c r acy leader visited the Martyrs’
system as military leaders claimed. Mausoleum twice; once in the regime
  The ruling military junta -- a totalitarian organized ceremony, and the second as
the leader of the public procession.
regime -- refused to allow international
Ceremonies were held around the
monitors to oversee the race and would
country by NLD branches in Shan, Kachin
not allow international journalists to cover

and Arakan States, and Mandalay, Magwe,
the voting from inside the
Tennasserim, and Pegu Divisions. As laws
country. Meanwhile, one witness at the
restrict public gatherings of more than five
martyr's day event, who asked for his
people, this year’s large-scale public
name not to be disclosed because he
f ears for his safety, said the authorities participation in the commemorations is a
m onitored the events from a distance. strong sign that the spirit of resistance.
Source: CNN ##

NLD General-Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech to commemorate the anniversary of the 64th Martyrs’ Day

at NLD headquarters on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. Photo: Mizzima

ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 5
FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY

THE ROHINGYAS: A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THEIR HISTORY AND CULTURE

World Renowned Historian Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim, M.A. Ph.D. ( Dhaka ), Ph.D. ( London ), FASB.

and right of franchise. Even their basic his own right.

human rights, i.e. right to live with dignity The present work

and honour has been taken away. “THE ROHINGYAS :

The Rohingyas have been facing A SHORT ACCOUNT
inhuman torture, in so much as they had OF THEIR HISTORY
to leave their hearth and home leaving all AND CULTURE ” is
their properties. But how could such a
the result of his
huge number of people suddenly enter
strenuous re-
into Arakan, so that the government of search work dedi-
Burma (Myanmar) could claim that they
cated to the cause
are not nationals of Burma? In the follow-
of unearthing that
ing pages we have sought to
glorious chapter
examine these and such other
of Rohingya na-
questions, in our study, we have found
tional history. In
that the Rohingyas have got a history,
this work of historic importance, he not
they are descendants of those who have
only gave a complete account of the com-
been settling there in Arakan from a
ing or growth of Muslims in Arakan along
thousand years before. The Rohingyas
with its socio-political and cultural back-
have got a language, a culture and a g r o u nd but also the impact that it created
heritage, and above all the 18 lakh
on the subsequent history of the Rohingya
Rohingyas from a homogeneous group.
nation.
INTRODUCTION This is eyesore to the ruling junta of COMING OF THE ARAB MUSLIMS
Myanmar and this is the reason why they
Arakan is now a part of the Union of The Muslim infiltration into Arakan has
have been trying to expel the Rohingyas,
Burma (renamed Myanmar) but in the past men, women and children. Ours is just a started earlier in history. The oft-quoted
she was independent. In ancient times, preliminary study; it is felt that more inten- statements of the Arab geographers and
Arakan was divided into two kingdoms, sive investigations have to be undertaken traders are important sources to recon-
south Arakan or Sandoway and north struct the history of the coming of the
to get a total picture of the whole issue.
Arakan or Arakan proper. The two parts Muslims. Referring to early geographers
were united into one in the last part of the The first Muslim settlers in Arakan Harvey writes as follows: 1
were the Arabs; they were the ship-

13th century and this position of Arakan wrecked people coming to the east for “Ptolemy, the Greek geographer,
lasted till 1785 A. D. when the kingdom purpose of trade. Now we will discussed writing in A.D. 140 even mentions a Tugma
was merged with Burma (Myanmar). the different phases of the entry of the Metropolis, in a spot curiously like Upper
The Rohingya problem has of late Muslims into Arakan. In our study we have Burma, as if it were Tagaung. But it is to
become a matter of great concern to the seen that initially the Muslims did not P r o m e that the Chinese pilgrims chiefly
government and the people of e n t e r i n t o Arakan in their own interest, refer when, in their travels, they speak from
Bangladesh. Several Lakh of uprooted r a t h e r t h e y were invited by the rulers of hearsay of Burma; and to the Arabs, whose
Rohingyas, men, women and children, Arakan. In fact one of the outset king of shipping predominated in the eastern seas
came out of their homeland Arakan and Arakan Naramikhla (Min Sawmun) was from the eighth to the sixteenth century,
took shelter in Bangladesh. This r e s t o r e d t o h is throne by the Muslim B u r m a was Arakan and Lower Burma: -

happened not once but twice, in 1978-79 armies of Bengal. He and his successors “They say that the king of Rahma
and 1991-92; the problem is not yet over; invited the Muslims to exploit their ( L o w e r B urma) has fifty thousand
the reverse movement, i.e. the repatriation economic resources because their own elephants. His country produces cloth
of the Rohingyas had started already, but people could not do it or did not know to made of velvety cotton and aloe wood of
is not yet complete. Such a big number of do it. The economic development of t h e s o rt called Kindi. (Ibn Khordadzbeh
refugees have given rise to many A r a k a n h as come to its present position years 844 — 8, Persian traveller from Basra,
problems in Bangladesh-problem of food, due to the toil and labour of the i n F e r r a n d . )
shelter, sanitation and law and order. This Rohingyas. Even when Arakan was “ T h e king of Rahma enjoys no great
is a man-made problem, created by the occupied by the king Bodawpaya of repute … His troops are more numerous
government of Burma (now called Myan- Burma, one third of the total population than those of Ballahra, Gudjra and Tekin.

mar); their deliberate policy to denational- of Arakan were Muslims. They say that when he marches to battle he
ise the Rohingyas and their oppression The Rohingya Muslims of Arakan is accompanied by about fifty thousand
over and suppression of the Rohingyas, played a glorious role in the establishment elephants. He campaigns only in winter
compelled the latter to leave the country and consolidation of the great Arakanese indeed his elephants cannot stand thirst
and take shelter across the river Naf in Empire known as Maruk-U Empire. Unfor- and so they can go forth only in
Bangladesh. Who are the Rohingyas and tunately for us this part of history has winter. They say that in his army the wash-
why is this problem? been subjected to utter negligence. As a ermen amount to between ten to fifteen
There are about 18 lakh Rohingya result, the glorious chapter of the history thousand. In his states are found cloths not
Muslims in Arakan, a little less than half of of the Rohingya Muslims of Arakan has found elsewhere; a dress made of such
the total population. By the new Citizen- uptill now remains unwritten. cloth is so fine and light that it can pass

ship Act of the ruling military junta in The author of the following pages, Dr. through a signet ring. It is of cotton. We
Myanmar, the Rohingya Muslims are de- Abdul Karim, is a great scholar and h a v e s een a sample. For barter the people
nied of their rights, right to own property, reputed historian of this Sub-Continent in use cowries, which form their Cont. P. 7

ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 6
F r o m P . 6 c u r r e n c y . B ut gold, silver, www.rohingya.org I info@ rohingya.org
aloes are also found and a stuff called
camtara (yak hair) whereof fly-flaps are
found. The same country produces … the during the hey-day of European trade with religion. i.e. Islam and Islamic social
rhinoceros, an animal which has on his East Indies, European scholars and trad- customs. Though they used Burmese lan-
forehead a single horn, and in this horn is ers also did the same kind of research for guage and also adopted other local cus-
a human figure…. We have eaten the flesh. the benefit of their traders. toms, they have retained the language of
He is found in other parts of Ind. but here These Arab Geographers refer to their ancestors (probably with mixture of

the horn is more beautiful, often contain- various trade centres on the cost of the local words) in dealing among themselves.

ing the image of a man, peacock, fish or Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, al- Another point to be noted is that the Arab
anything else. The Chinese make girdles though unfortunately most of these places shipwrecked Muslims have retained their
of this horn and pay high price among can not be identified at present with the religion, language and social customs for
themselves, up to three or four thousand knowledge at our disposal. The modern more than a thousand years. Later on, of
dinar and even more according to the fig- scholars have tried to identify two places- course other Arabs also come in the trad-
ure’s beauty. These horns are bought with S a m a n d ar and Ruhmi. The first is identi- ing and other pursuits and some of them
cowries. (Sulayman, Year 851 …….). fied with Chittagong 3 and the second is have stayed on in Arakan and in this way
There are some of the extracts from identified with both Bengal and lower people of Arab blood increased as time
the writings of old Arab and Persian writ- Burma as we have seen above. Whether or passed by. So the Rohingyas have been

ers, all of whom mentions a place or king- not, the kingdom of Rahma is to be identi- staying in Arakan for more than a thousand

dom which they called Rahma and which fied with Bengal or Lower Burma, these years.
Harvey identifies with lower Burma. Other accounts of the Arab geographers leave SECOND PHASE OF THE COMING OF

Arab geographers, al-Masudi, no doubt that the Arabs were acquainted THE MUSLIMS
al-Idrisi also refer to the kingdom of with and the Arab traders frequented the
The fifteenth century is a great turning
Rahma and historians of early Bengal ports of Bengal, Arakan, Burma and
point in the history of Arakan; during this
have much speculated about the identify other coastal kingdoms.
time a large contingent of Muslim entered
Rahma with the kingdom of I f t he Arabs visited the Chittagong
into Arakan from Bengal and they went
Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty in Bengal port, they were also acquainted with t h e r e by invitation of the ruling prince. The
or in other words they identify Rahma with Arakan and came into contact with the
cause was political. In the beginning of the
Bengal. 2 Arakanese kings. So the identification of
15th century, the Arakanese king Min-Saw-
In the golden age of the trading activi- Rahma is immaterial for the purpose of
Mun attacked some area of Burma, but was
ties of the Arabs, their merchant-vessels our present study, there is no doubt that
defeated. The Burmese king retaliated by
used to ply all over the sea-coast from the the Arabs had contact with Arakan during
attacking and taking possession of Laung-
Red Sea to the Chinese coast, and this the 8th to 10th centuries of the Christian
gyet, the capital and the king was expelled
golden age of the Arabs continued at least era. A part from the general statements of
from his kingdom. The story is given below
up to the 17th century. With the coming of the Arab geographers, there is positive
in the words of A.P Phayre:
the Europeans with their superior vessels local evidence of the early Arab contact
“The war between the Burman
and huge capital, the Arabs began to lose with Arakan. In the Arakanese traditional monarch, Meng-tshewl (Minkong) and the
hold on their eastern trade. It develop history, it is stated that in the reign of A rakanese king Min Saw Mun 6 resulted in
upon the geographers and scholars to do Mahatoing Tsandaya (788-810 A.D) several
the latter’s defeat and expulsion from his
researches on all matters connected with Arab ships wrecked off the coast of Rambi
kingdom in the local era 768 (=1406 A.D).
trade and commerce, the location and Island (Ramree), the Muslim sailors some-
Min Saw Mum fled to Bengal, the governor
nature of the sea-ports, availability of how escaped and swam into the shore. In
commodities, their places of origin, price the Arakanese history they are called o f Chittagong took from him his queen,
Tsan-mwe-sheng, on which the fugitive
and facts of other nature. In later time, i.e. kulas or foreigners. When they were taken
king went to Thura-tan where the king
and produced before the king, the latter
received him with distinction, ….. For
allotted a piece of land for them and they
several years the Talaings (a hilly tribe who
were allowed to settle there. 4
were fighting for the Arakanese) and the
This is the first evidence of the Muslim Burmans struggled for the possession of
settlement in Arakan. R.B. Smart writes in
Arakan, and the letter were finally expelled
the British Burma Gazetteer as follows:5
in the year 788 (i.e. 1426 A.D) by the efforts
“The local histories relate that in the ninth of the Arakanese and Talaings.
century several ships were wrecked on “During this period, the dethroned
Ramree Island and the Mussalman crews king was residing at the king of Thu-ra-tan,

sent to Arakan and placed in villages who being engaged in war could not afford

there. They differ but little from the h i m a n y assistance, while there the Delhi
Arakanese except in their religion and in king came to attack Thu-ra-tan, with a huge
the social customs which their religion army consisting of elephants, horses,
directs, in the writing they use Burmese, chariots and foot soldiers, also dogs are
but amongst themselves employ colloqui- large as bullocks, trained to war. By the
ally the language of their ancestors.” advise of Min-Saw-Mun, the dog were dis-
This is a very important piece of abled by means of iron-hooks baited with
evidence regarding the origin of the r a w flesh, seizing which they were caught
Rohingyas. These shipwrecked Arab Mus- by the mouth and easily overpowered. The

ARAKAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: THE lims became the nucleus of the Muslim elephants and horses fell into pits dug for
population of Arakan; later other Muslims them, and covered over with straw and
GREEN AREAS ARE MARK AS ISLAMIC from Arabia, Persia and other countries earth, at the bottom of which were iron
STATES IN 1500 AD. The Times Atlas of entered into Arakan. The important point spikes; thus the Thu-ra-tan king obtained a
World History Edited by Geoffrey, t o b e noticed about these shipwrecked complete victory. The Arakanese exiled
Barrowclough, London 1985, P.133 Muslims is that they have stuck to their king taught the king’s subjects Cont. P. 8

ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 7
F r o m P . 7 t h e a r t o f e n t r a pping a herd of www.rohingya.org I info@ rohingya.org

wild e lephants by driving them into a
space enclosed by a stockade and ditch; In the above quotation Phayre states other words combatant and no-combatant
he also instructed them in the art of train-
that the Arakanese king taught the Bengali people taken together, several thousand
ing elephants. army as to how to face foreign invasion and Muslims entered into Arakan in 1430 AD.
“Out of gratitude for these services,
deal with invading elephants, horses and while reinstating the ousted king Min-Saw-

the king determined to assist the exiled dogs. Similarly, the Arakanese who accom- Mun. It is almost certain that the first
prince in the recovery of his kingdom. He
panied the king must have also learnt many expeditionary force did not return to Ben-
appointed a general called in the Ara- things from Bengali Muslim hosts. gal because they rebelled and they knew
kanese U-lu-Kheng (Wali Khan) to com- When the Arakanese king Min-Saw- what could be their fate if they returned to
mand the army of restoration. This person Mun took shelter in Bengal in 1406 AD. Bengal. So it is very probable that they
however betrayed his trust, and joining Sultan Ghiasud-din Azam Shah was on the remained in Arakan hiding, and settled in
with a Rakhine Chief, named Tse-u-Ka, throne, but he was restored by Sultan Jalal- villages and out of the way places. It is
they established a government and im-
ud-din Muhammad Shah in 1430 AD. During also doubtful if all soldiers of the second
prisoned Min-Saw-Mun. He escaped and the interval, Bengal witnessed several pal- expeditionary force returned home,
again fled to Bengal.7 “The king of Thu-ra- ace intrigues, several kings were killed by because their services were needed by the

tan now appointed two nobles; named kingmakers and several occupied the reinstated king. So these soldiers also

Dan-ba-tsu and Ban-ba-tsu, to carry out throne through their blessings. Thus the helped in swelling the Muslim

his intentions together with a large army family of Ghias-ud-din Azam Shah was p opulation as found in later times.
u nder the command of Tshat-ya-Khat exterminated and a line of kings under their In the previous pages it has been
( Sandi Khan). They arrived with orders to slave Shihab-ud-din Bayazid Shah s t a t e d that the king of one country was
p lace Min-Saw-Mun on the throne and occupied the throne, the latters were also reinstated in his kingdom by that of
b ring back the head skin of U-lu-Kheng. removed, and Hindu king Raja Ganesh a n other, but the enterprise was not so
T he expedition was successful. U-lu- occupied the throne. A prince of his family easy. It involved not two but three king-
K heng suffered the fate his crime J a d u b e c ame a Muslim and occupied the doms, Bengal, Arakan and Burma. So it
deserved and the historian records in throne under the title of Jalal-ud-din m a y reasonably be assumed that much

glowing terms the joy of the people, from Muhammad Shah. This man restored the diplomatic exercises preceded the

the inhabitants of the kingly city to those Arakanese king to his throne. So the king actual restoration of the Arakanese king,

of the smallest village in the empire that Min-Saw-Mun and his family and retinue and actually it took long twenty-five years
t he descendant of their ancient line of experienced all these events and happen- to accomplish the task. The Bengali king
k ings was restored to them. “The restored ings in the Bengal Court. The changes did did not certainly undertake such
k ing, however, was forced to submit to the not take place easily as we have stated in a hazardous and expensive enterprise
d egradation of being tributary to the king few sentences. There were movements and for no ultimate gain for himself. It is not
o f Thu-ra-tan, from his time the coins of counter movements, fightings, killings, possible to say for want of positive
t he Arakan kings bore on the reverse, their political groupings and regroupings; at one events, what was the agreement arrived at
names and titles in Persian Character. 7 stage the guardian saint of Pandua, Shaikh between the two parties, thought it may be

This event had far reaching effects Nur Qutb Alam interfered and invited Sultan reasonably surmised that the king of

on the history of Arakan and spread of I b r a h im Sharqi of Jaunpur to intervene and Arakan bound himself to be loyal to his

Muslim influence there. The Arakanese save the Muslim kingdom. The Sharqi b e n e f a ctor, the king of Bengal. Events and
k ing Min-Saw-Mun passed his exiled life in Sultan came and invaded with a large army, facts prove that the Arakanese king not
B engal for a quarter of a century and he but had to return when by tricks, Raja o n ly bound himself to bear the cost of the
m ust have been accompanied by his fam- Ganesh got his son Jadu converted to e x pedition but also to pay tribute to the
i ly and retinue. During this twenty-five Islam and feigned to relinquish the King- king of Bengal.
y ears the Arakanese people came in con- ship to his converted son. The Arakanese M.A Tahir Ba Tha in his Short His-
t act with the local people and became con- king returned to his kingdom with all these t o r y of Rohingyas and Kamans of Burma
v ersant with local language and local cus- experiences. Arakan had no proper ( t r a n s l a t ed by A.F.K Jilani, edited by
toms and culture. coinage, they became now acquainted with Mohd. Ashraf Alam) says, “Narameikhla

minted coins; Arakan used Burmese script, agreed to the following conditions:-

literature was not developed, but in Bengal 1) To return the twelve towns of Bengal.
they found Bengali, Arabic and Persian 2) The kings of Arakan must use Muslim
languages and literature. So the Arakanese titles. 3) The court emblem must be
returned to their country with much i n s c r i b ed with Kalima Tayuba in
commitment to a civilised life and a better Persian. 4) The coins, medallions must be
living. inscribed with Kalima Tayuba in Persian
The next important point to be noted and to mint them in Bengal. 5) To use the
is the arrival of large Muslim population in P e r s i a n a s court language of Arakan. 6) To

Arakan. In those days Arakan’s fighting pay taxes and presents annually.

force was predominantly navy and T h e terms of agreement must have

elephant corps, but Bengal was weak in been favourable to the Bengal king. When
both, Bengal was strong in army, or land the king Min Saw-Mun reached the capital,
force. And, in fact, not one but two expedi- he was widely acclaimed by his people.
tions were sent to Arakan by the Bengal The first thing he did was to transfer the
king. The first expedition was sent under capital from Launggyet to Mrauk-U, which
Wali Khan who proved a traitor, but the in the hands of Bengali poets and people
second expedition succeeded in seating became Roshango (Rohang). Min Saw-
Min-Saw-Mun to his throne. In both the M un probably received the idea of

expeditions, many people belonging to the transferring the capital from his

auxiliary forces, like carriers, tent bearers, benefactor, the Bengal Sultan Jalal

cooks and butlers, washer-men etc. U d d i n Muhammad Shah. The Bengal
accompanied the actual fighting force, or in Sultan transferred the capital Cont. P. 9

ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 8
F r o m P . 8 F r o m P a ndua to Guar 8 www.rohingya.org I info@ rohingya.org

because the former place saw many

killings, including the killing of several
Both Arakan and Bengal
kings as a result of the palace intrigues. Name of Kings Reigning Period Muslim Names
fought between themselves on
The boy king Jalal Uddin did not like to
1. Min Saw Mum or 1430-1434 Sulaiman Shah or the possession of Chittagong in
reign from that cursed city. For Min Saw-
M un also the city of Laungggyet was a Narameikhla Sawmun Shah the Husain Shahi period (1493-
1538) and Afghan period (1538-
c ursed city from where he was ousted and 2. Naranu or 1434-1459 Ali Shah or
1576). Those kings of Arakan who
w hich city also saw the rise and fall of Min Khari Ali Khan fought against the Sultans of
m any kings, Harvey writes: 9. “The turmoil 3. Basawpyu 1459-1482 Kalima Shah Bengal also adopted Muslim
of foreign inroads showed that Launggyet names and inscribed these names
was ill-fated and the omen indicated 4 . M in Dawlya 1482-1492 Mu-Khu-Shah in their coins. To cite a few exam-
Mrohaung as a lucky site, so he decided to 5. Basawnyo 1492-1494 Muhammad Shah ples two Arakanese kings Minya-
move there; though the astrologers said 6. Yanaung 1494 Nuri Shah zagyi (Salim Shah-I 1593-1612)
that if he moved the capital he would die and Min Khamaung (Hussain
within a year, he insisted, saying that the 7. Salingathu 1494-1501 Shiek Abddullah Shah Shah 1612-1622) were contempo-

move would benefit the people and his 8. Minyaza 1501-1513 Ilyas Shah-I rary of Jahangir, both invaded

own death would matter little. In 1433 he Bengal several times, but they
founded Mrohaung and in the next year he 9. Kasabadi 1513-1515 Ilylas Shah-II also adopted Muslim names, Thiri
died. A populous sea-port, built on hill- 10. Mim Saw O 1515 Jallal Shah Thudama (Salim Shah-II 1622-
ocks amid the rice-plain, and intersected 11. Thatasa 1515-1521 Ali Shah 1638) was a contemporary of both
by canals which served as streets, Jahangir and Shah Jahan; he
Mrohaung remained the capital for the 12. Min Khaung Raza1521-1531 El-Shah Azad invaded Bengal in the later part of
next four centuries.” The Muslims who 13. Min Bin 1531-1553 Zabuk Shah the reign of Jahangir, and actually
went to Arakan from Bengal built the 14. Min Dikha 1553-1555 Daud Khan looted the city of Dhaka, but he
Sandi Khan mosque at Mrohaung and thus also adopted a Muslim name. Why

the Muslims settled at the capital city in 15. Min Palaung 1571-1593 Sikandar Shah then the Arakanese kings adopted

large number. In fact these were the 1 6 . M inyazagyi 1593-1612 Salim Shah-I Muslims names? There is no
people who followed the king to reinstate proof that any of them accepted
him there. Seated on the throne, the king 17. Min Khamaung 1612-1622 Husain Shah Islam, they remained Buddhists
had to pay attention to the payment of 18.Thiri Thudamma 1622-1638 Salim Shah-II although. Min Saw-Mun and a few
cost of the expedition and pay the tribute of his successors were tributary,
as stipulated. pay the tribute to Bengal, but he died in but later kings ruled and maintained their
The payment must have continued 1434 A.D. Sultan Jalal Uddin Muhammad sovereignty without any let or hindrance.
for several years. This payment, however, Shah of Bengal had also died in the mean- That is why, the question is why did they
posed a problem, because Arakan had no time, he died in 1432 A.D. So it is doubtful inscribe Muslim names in their coins.

regular coinage, unstamped silver pieces whether the pact or agreement reached

of various sizes were used in their trans- between the two monarchs remained
action. But in Bengal, they used minted valid. As there is no written record, noth-
and stamped coins of superior dies and ing definite can be said, but facts show
exquisite finishing. The Bengal coins were that the practice of adopting a Muslim
of standard size, weight and shape n a m e by the Arakanese kings continued
bearing inscriptions in Arabic characters f o r m ore than two hundred years. The
giving the names and pedigree of kings, Arakanese kings who are known to have
dates of issue and the name of mint. So if taken Muslim names are as follows:
the Arakanese had to pay and they did so, Col. A.P. Phayre who first discovered
in the coins of the same fashion. For this some of those coins and studied them
reason, they had to provide for minting says: 10 “The restored king (Meng Yoan
coins in the Bengal fashion, i.e. with
Mwyn - Min Saw-Mun), however was
standard weight, size and shape. It
forced to submit to the degradation of
is in this connection that the
being tributary to the king of Thuratan
Arakanese king had to invite
(Bengal) and from this time the coins of
experts, mint masters, die staff, and
the Arakan kings bore on the reverse their
artisans for minting the coins. The names and titles in the Persian character. With the restoration of Min Saw-Mun to
Arakanese coins that they produced This custom was probably first made h i s t h r o ne, a big contingent of Muslims
reveal much more information than obligatory upon them as vassals, but they entered into Arakan. The contingent
only the minting of coins. Their afterwards continued it when they had included the army, not one army but two, of
coins bore the name of the king and recovered their independence and ruled which the members of the first expedition-
date, but the most important point to the country as far as the Brahmaputra ary force spread over the country and
be noted is that though the kings river.” mixed with the people. The second army
were all Buddhists, they took a The Arakanese kings used to take the also must have been a big one,
Muslim name along with their t i t l e “Dhavala Gajeshwara” (Lord of the because they had to fight against both
Buddhist name, the Muslim names Red elephant) and they inscribed this title Arakanese and the first contingent of
were written in Arabic characters, in their coins.11 As stated above Min Saw- Bengal army. Next, the contingent included
sometimes both in Arabic and M u n made the pact with the Bengal Sultan the administrators, officers and intellectual
Bengali characters. This suggests to pay for the cost of the expedition and to persons. Though we have no knowledge
that Arabic and Bengali calligra- pay tribute, but how long the Arakanese about the administration in Arakan in the
phers were also appointed along kings were obliged to honour the pact 15th – 16th century, we find that not only
with mint experts. made by Min Saw-Mun with Sultan Jalal- soldiers and members of the subordinate
Min Saw-Mun bound himself to ud-din is not known. staff but also the ministers Cont. P. 10
ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 9
From P. 9 and judges came from the Mus- www.rohingya.org I info@ rohingya.org
lim community. The seventeenth century

Bengali Muslim poets give in their writings
THIRD PHASE OF THE C OMING This raiding was pronounced by the
a n i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e capital city of Provincial Council at Goa to be just, since
Roshang (Mrohaung or Mrauk-U) thronged OF THE MUSLIMS
the Mogors (Maghuls) were not only invad-
with the Muslim population, so that the
Muslim ministers maintained courts, i.e. There was yet another group of ers and tyrannical usurpers but also ene-
Muslims to enter into Arakan. They were mies of Christianity…….. They usually
religious, social and cultural assemblies of
the people of the coastal areas of Bengal, made there general attacks three or four
their own. Then in the third category came
but kidnapped and sold to slavery by the times in the year, irrespective of minor
the Muslim artisan and craftsmen, the offi- pirates. They belonged to both Hindu and raids which went on most of the year, so
cers and men connected with the mint and
Muslim community, but both became t hat during the five years I spent in the
other state establishments. Last but not the
unfortunate victims. The pirates were the kingdom of Arracan, some eighteen thou-
least came the traders and businessmen in
Portuguese and Maghs of Arakan. When sand people came to the ports of Dianga
the hitherto terra incognita abounding in
the Portuguese first came to Bengal they and Angarcale.”
agricultural and natural resources. Later,
in the essay, we shall give an idea of the came for trade and commerce, they were Of these eighteen-thousand
Muslims who entered into Arakan in large f ollowed by missionaries whose purpose captives Manrique and other Portuguese
was evangelisation. But the Portuguese in priests baptised eleven thousand four
number. We shall also see that when the
course of their establishment of trade hundred seven. Before Manrique, his
king of Arakan picked up quarrel with Shah
relations with Bengal often took recourse predecessor priests baptised sixteen
Shuja, the former did not take action to violence and piracy. So from the begin- thousand ninety captives from Bengal.
against the latter openly for fear of estrang-
ning their religious and commercial M a n r i que gives other examples of carrying
ing his relations with the Muslim subjects.
motives were hampered by their wanton away of captives from Bengal by the pi-
So it is possible that initially the Arakanese
acts of piracy and their involvement in the rates. Manrique and other priests wel-
king accepted Muslim name and inscribed
slave trade. There are various examples of comed the piratical activities, because the
legend in coins in Arabic just to satisfy his
overlord, the Bengal king, but later the Portuguese piracies in the ocean as well more people the pirates enslaved, the
practice continued. The kings found it ex- as in the coastal districts, and men, better for them to baptise them. The
women and children, and valuable i.e. Maghs also joined the Portuguese in
pedient to continue the practice to keep his
whatever came before them were lifted piracy and they jointly carried on piratical
Muslim subjects in good humour.
and carried away, so that the whole attacks to the coastal districts of Bengal.
We have seen above that the Muslims coastal area of Jessore, Khulna, Baker- Shihab-ud-din Talish, the famous 17th
entered into Arakan in a body twice; first
ganj were desolated and no habituation century historian gives a horrible picture
the shipwrecked Arabs and second with the
was to be founded there. The Magh king of as to how the Magh and Portuguese pi-
restoration of Min Saw-Mun. The Arabs
Arakan employed the Portuguese to r a tes carried away people from Bengal,
trade with the east continued up to the 16th
perpetrate their piratical activities into oppressed them and sold them as slaves.
centuries the Arabs traders visited the Ara-
kanese ports quite often, may be once a Bengal and later the Magh were also He says: 13
year during trading season. Some traders joined with the Portuguese, so that they “As these (piratical) raids continued
jointly raided the coastal districts. Manri- for along time, Bengal became day by day
must have remained there either voluntarily
que, a Portuguese priest who visited Ben- more desolated. Not a house was left in-
or out of necessity. In this way the Arab
gal and Arakan and who spent six year in habited on either side of the river lying on
Muslims became familiar with the land of the Angustinian Church at Dianga (Deang, the pirates’ track from Chatgaon to Dacca.
Arakan. But with the restoration of Min
opposite Chittagong town) was himself a The prosperous district of Bakla
Saw-Mun, a large number of Muslims en-
witness to such piratical raids. He gives a ( B a kergung) was swept clean with the
tered into Arakan and taken together, the
picture as to how the Magh kings b r o o m of plunder and kidnapping, so that
Muslims in Arakan became a force in the
employed the Portuguese to loot and plun- none was left to occupy any house or
body-politic of Arakan.
der the coastal districts of Ben- kindle a light in that region.
gal. He writes: 12 “When they came from Chatgaon to

“…… the Magh kings decided ravage Bengal they skirted the imperial

to always retain Portuguese in frontier post of Bhulua (Noakhali) on their

their service, granting the best right and the island of Sondip on their left,
of them the rank of Captain and and reached the village of Sangramarh at
conferring on them Bilatas, or the southern apex of the Delta of Dacca
revenue-producing lands, on (some 30 miles from Dacca) and then
the understanding that they point of junction of the Brahmaputra and
maintained a certain force of the Ganges. From this place they sailed up
their country men and also Geli the Ganges if they wished to plunder Jes-
as …… Beside the annual in- sore, Hughli and Bhushna, or up the Brah-
come they were authorised to maputra if Vikrampur, Sonargaon and

take their vessels into the prin- Dacca were their objectives.

cipality of Bengala, which be- “The Arakan pirates both Magh and
longed to the great Mogul. Here Feringi used constantly to plunder Bengal.
they would sack and destroy all They carried off the Hindus and Muslims
the villages and settlements on they could seize, pierced the palms of
the banks of the Ganges, to a their hands passed thin strips of cane
distance two or three leagues through the holes, and threw the men hud-
up-stream, and besides remov- dled together under the decks of their
ing all the most valuable things ships. Every morning they flung down
they found, would also take some uncooked rice to the captives from

captive any people with whom above as people fling grain to fowl. They

they came in contact. sold their captives to the Cont. P. 11
SLAVES MARKET OF MRAUK U By SCHOUTEN 1676

ARAKAN MAGAZINE I JULY ISSUE 2011 10