Back to Burma for action.
- From: "mogyothwar" <zizawar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 1 Aug 2006 23:13:34 -0700
Dear Patriots,
You are not obliged to read this. That is your right, to read it or not
to read it.
Some may think these are old stories, the past, they might like to say.
But how many of them know this past of Bama Thamaing. There are
millions of young people today who may have never heard of it, never
had the opportunity.
Let them know a little bit of Bama Thamaing and to adjust themselves.,
to help Burma which is their country and their people , if they wish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AYE WUN MAY THU TAN.
On mid October, date fixed for military administration to hand over ,
the Civil Government moved from Simla to Rangoon. The long exile was at
an end. Restoring Burma would be a lengthy task with the best help the
Burmese could give. But would they give? The Military Administration
had succeeded in disbanding Leagues' army, large stocks of arms
remain undisclosed, enough to arm a new and larger army. There was
nothing to show since the speech on the Cumberland Aung San and Than
Tun had abated their claims. In deed there was definite evidence to the
contrary, for the League at the public meeting had made an
uncompromising statement. It was possible , of course, that the
Moderate would prevail. But not very likely.
Motor Launch 391 which proudly plough through muddy waters of Rangoon
River towards the Naval Jetty. At half past ten Dorman - Smith stepped
ashore by his former Ministers , Paw Tun, and Htoon Aung Gyaw, by the
action Chief Justice and by Wise and Pearce, inspected the Guards of
Honour and shook hands withe the notabilities who had come to welcome
him . Aung San and Than Tun were not among them.
Next day Dorman - Smith was civic reception at City Hall. He read out
the King's message , referred to the people's sufferings and
rejoiced at their liberation from the Japanese. Complete self
government within the Commonwealth was promised as soon as it could be
arranged after an orderly and free election. The Governor's early
concern would be to appoint an Executive Council to assist him.
Dorman - Smith said that he had not come back with old ideas, but with
a definite programme, " Burma will - no longer " may " take her
place among the fully self-governing nations. Burma 's battle for
freedom is over . Let us get on with this election job as quickly as we
can".
Though there could be no parliament and ministers till after the
election, he would be able to exercise the emergency power given to him
by His Majesty's Government without the help of an advisory Council.
Such a Council would,
admittedly , be answerable to him and not to the people . He bagged his
hearers to believe that this was no more than a temporary expedient.
Its members , if not Ministers , would be in executive charge of all
the departments which Ministers controlled before the war and he would
also consult them on matters formerly not a ministerial responsibility.
They would be asked to carry out the programme of reconstruction on
which he had been working and which had received the sanction of His
Majesty's Government,. Members of council could, of course , protest
and resigned, if they dif not like the policy.
The League however could not take this view. . . The proposed Council
would have no legal power whatever to veto even the smallest item of
the programme. Ots task would be only to co-operate in carrying it out
.. Such a Council would have no resemblance to a national provisional
government. It could advise , no doubt, but would , in fact , be no
more than an autocratic Governor's agent.. . . It would also oblige
him to pack the Council with the opponents of the League. Paw Tun would
stand out as his right hand man, Paw Tun the old enemy of the Thakins
founders of the League , many of whom he had incarcerated during his
premiership.
Dorman - SMith had conversations with amongst others , the
representative of the League. His intention was to have fifteen members
which number he reduced to eleven. Of the eleven , he intended to fill
four himself . Paw Tun would get Home Portfolio, Htoon Aung Gyaw
Finance, while Defence and Frontier areas would go to two British
officials.
League came forward with its conditions and demanded in the first place
all the seven seats , secondly that all its nominees be accepted or
none.; that the League should determined which portfolio s they were to
hold and that one of them must be the Home; that all their seven
members would have to report the proceeding s to the Council to the
Supreme Council of the League. These condition s, if accepted, would
have placed the Council under the League. The Governor despite his
statutory power under section 139, could have got nothing done without
the League's permission. The League would have become, what it
claimed to be , the Provision Government of Burma.
Dorman - Smith reported at once to the Secretary of State who wired
that the demands must certainly be refused. He remembered how Aung San
had said flatly that Paw Tun was unfitted to hold the Home portfolio.,
as he has been out of touch with Burmese for over three years.
Ge recalled how in conversation which he had with the Generals and
Mountbatten at Kendy in September , they did not disguised their
opinions. Aung San must be so handled that he would have no inclination
to up set the country. Aung San must be humoured into reasonableness
They had done their bit pretty well. They had disband ed his army,
collected its arms. True , there were more men, more arms underground .
There were always man and arms underground if one mishandled a
political situation.
They spoke of Burma's distrust of the White Paper and of their
(British) intentions in no unmeasured terms. Burma restored to
prosperity, might reach her goal of self government. That was the
point. Would she reach through Aung San? What sort of man was this
Bogyoke? One could like him. If he returned the liking, that would be
something. His confidence , could one have it, could be valuable, even
though to win him remain impossible. But this little soldier , so
intense, so retiring, what brand of freedom had he in his mind for
Burma?
It was true that the League had published a sketch of democratic
constitution, a sort of socialism as one could judge.
Reghards,
Mogyothwar.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: Back to Burma for action.
- From: Amanda
- Re: Back to Burma for action.
- Prev by Date: Re: mogyothwar and history
- Next by Date: Children used as forced labour for gas pipeline security
- Previous by thread: AUNG SAN & BA MAW.
- Next by thread: Re: Back to Burma for action.
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
