COMMENTARY
Half a Century Later, War on Students Continues
Since Burma began its political opening last year, the peacock symbol has made something of a comeback. But the “fighting peacock” is not just a figure on the flag of the opposition National League for Democracy—it is also, and more importantly, an emblem of Burma’s student unions, which have historically played a leading role in resisting military rule.
Long after leaving their campuses, Burma’s student activists remain a potent political force. Many become national leaders, either in the government or in the the opposition. But despite their influence, the peacock’s wings remain clipped.
Aung Zaw is founder and editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at aungzaw@irrawaddy.org.
It was 50 years ago tomorrow that Burma—or at least its military rulers—declared war on students. On July 7, 1962, the newly installed dictatorship of Gen Ne Win dynamited the Student Union building at the University of Rangoon, which had become a hotbed of dissent against army rule. It was the beginning of an ignominious chapter in Burmese history that continues to this day.
Even now, Burma’s quasi-civilian government is wary of any attempt to revive memories of that day. Students have been warned not to hold ceremonies or gatherings to mark the occasion, lest they “open old wounds,” as one official put it.
True to the spirit of their struggle to restore democracy, however, some activists have decided to go ahead with their plans to mark this infamous anniversary anyway. Indeed, since last year, there has been a campaign, spearheaded by a new generation of student leaders such as Kyaw Ko Ko and De Nyein Linn, to reestablish long-banned student unions.
Despite harassment and pressure from the authorities, these efforts continue. This semi-underground movement has even begun to get the notice it deserves in local journals, several which have published articles about the Student Union building and the former glory of Rangoon University, which remains largely off-limits more than two decades after it was closed by Ne Win’s successors in 1988.
Dozens of unarmed students were killed when the Student Union building—which was at the forefront of the Burma’s independence struggle a generation earlier—was destroyed. At the time, Ne Win infamously declared that this was not the end of his campaign to bring students to heel. “I have no alternative but to meet knife with knife and spear with spear,” he said, warning that worse was to come if the students didn’t back off.
Twenty-six years later, however, when his regime was tottering under the weight of the massive student-led pro-democracy uprising of 1988, Ne Win denied that it was his decision to mount a massacre on the campus of Burma’s most prestigious university. In an emotional televised speech, he put the blame squarely on the shoulders of his former deputy, Aung Gyi.
But Hla Shwe, a veteran student leader in the 1960s, told me that Ne Win, Aung Gyi and several other senior leaders all had full knowledge of plans to use lethal force against the students. He said they even had a temporary command center at the nearby Burma Broadcasting Station on Pyay Road, from which they issued the orders to shoot the students and dynamite the union building.
Despite this, however, Ne Win’s immediate successor, Lt-Col Sein Lwin—known as the “Butcher of Rangoon” for his role in gunning down peaceful protesters in 1988—kept up the pretense that there were doubts about who was responsible for the 1962 incident. “We first need an independent commission to investigate the matter,” he said.
Nearly 24 years after those remarks, and a full half-century since the mass murders of July 7, 1962, no one has yet been held accountable for the crime of killing unarmed students. None of the student leaders I met in Rangoon recently said anything about seeking revenge, but they said they wanted to see the student union restored and the perpetrators held publicly accountable.
This is not merely a matter of setting the historical record set straight. The assault on students that began in 1962 has claimed many victims since, including prominent student leaders such as Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, who have spent much of their lives behind bars for speaking out against military rule. Even now, another crackdown is not unthinkable.
Of course, the casualties of this ongoing offensive against students include not only activists, but two whole generations of young people who have been deprived of a decent education. Universities have been starved of funding and shut repeatedly over the past five decades because of the perceived threat that students represent to Burma’s paranoid generals.
In a rare sign that Burma’s rulers may be beginning to lose their fear of students, presidential adviser Dr U Myint wrote a letter of appeal to President Thein Sein earlier this year urging him to reopen Rangoon University to undergraduates and rebuild the Student Union through public donations. He said that reopening the university would be “an important landmark in national reconciliation and a memorable way to start a new chapter in our history.”
But during my second trip to Burma this year, I saw only reminders of the sad state of Burmese education when I visited the Rangoon University campus. Dormitories and other building lay empty and neglected. A emaciated stray dog that approached me when I walked past a canteen I had used in the 1980s was probably one of the only full-time residents still there.
Even more disturbing than this evidence of disdain for learning, however, were rumors that some prominent local businessmen had their eye on the campus. In his open letter to Thein Sein, U Myint also raised this concern, writing that sky-rocketing real estate prices in Rangoon “have provided massive incentives to big private firms to pursue lucrative business ventures on university property. This gives another urgent reason to get the students and faculty back on the campus to prevent further encroachment.”
When I met U Myint during my visit to Rangoon, he told me that a businessman had indeed expressed a strong interest in acquiring the campus. However, thanks to the strong public support that his letter enjoyed, Rangoon University appears to be safe from the predations of profit-seeking developers—for now.
For most of Burma’s ruling generals and ex-generals, the fate of Rangoon University is much less of an issue than it is to U Myint, who studied there. But if the new government wants to revive the country’s fortunes, it will have to do more than just let investors run free—it will also have to liberate the minds of its young people. And there can be no better way to do that than to face the past and tell Burma’s students that they are no longer seen as the enemy.
12 Responses to Half a Century Later, War on Students Continues
Thanks very much for posting this. I know a bit about Burma after 1988, but not much at all about Burma pre-1988. It’s important to print the truth like this.
I hope the students of today are not dynamited again by the Burma Army for keeping alive the memory of students who gave their lives for a more democratic Burma in the past, and for not forgetting the crimes of the Burmese Army against them.
The crimes of the Burma Army have obviously not ended yet.
The union building was dynamited the next day on 8 July, not on the day of the peaceful protest brutally crushed by bursts of G3s directed at the students some of whom were chased into their halls of residence.
Disciplined democracy cuts no ice if the fighting peacock gets its wings clipped. Ne Win was never forgiven by the people who rightly regard students as their collective offspring and the future of the nation.
U Myint’s open letter was timely and welcomed by all students past and present. If the govt fails to see this as a good start for national reconciliation, they had better prepare for something far more momentous than an anniversary commemoration, the importance of this particular one they inadvertently acknowledged by trying to suppress. Extremely unwise.
Let me be a bit picky again:
The Student Union building was actually demolished on July 8th, 1962 with I believe, a number of students still inside the building, a day after the main demonstration, where hundreds of students were killed, occurred the day before on 7.7.62. (I was living in Rangoon then). After that the University was closed for about a year, but then reopened with a new name “Rangoon Arts & Science University” (RASU). I know because I was a student there from 1963 to 1967.
I would say that ultimately, Ne Win was responsible for the massacre. You have to remember that this all happened just a few months after Ne Win’s coup d’etat in March 2nd, 1962.
The Burmese people never ever forget the the History of 7th July.It will remain the black day in the History.We salute the HERO of 7th July.
Are most of heroic Burmese people falling under the boots of Military to day?
Why are you not coming out to show your respect to 7th July
Why are you silent the arrest of dozens student activists regarding 7th July ?
Do you forget Salai Ko Tin Maung Oo’s last words (I MUST NOT GIVE UP MY BELIEF AND FALL UNDER YOUR MILITARY BOOTS) just seconds before going to be hanged ??
The Burmese people specially democratic activists must have to follow Ko Salai Tin Maung Oo,Ko Aung San,Ko Ba Hin and Ko Aung Gyaw’s way of revolution to wipe out Ne Win’s pet dogs from the politics.
Do you think that FREEDOM can buy from the market ??
With out blood shed ,you can’t get freedom and restore rule of law ??
Are you not feel shy to hug the army generals who hanged Salai Ko Tin Maung Oo and killed many activists ,raped many students ??
What do you mean change ?
Why are you silent genocide in Arakan and Kachin?
Now the regime turn their guns to student activists.
Wait another 50 years for Democracy.
How do you enter 2008 Nargis Parliament.
Are you not dishonoring and betraying Salai Ko Tin Maung Oo ,Ko Aung San ,Ko Ba Hin and Ko Aung Gyaw ??
Are you not betraying 7th July ,74 ,75 ,76 ,8888 ,2007 ??
Think of yourselves ,what are you doing in the name of democratic movement ??
Are you guys not indirectly helping killer groups Military regime ??
Urgent release all detained activists before sun set !Ur gent stop killing innocent people in Arakan and Kachin!
What are words they fly through the air and hurt not a stone.
stop the insane talk about the student plight.
Students are supposed to study.
they have nothing to do with politics.
Let alone taking over the country.
they are spoilt. thats whats it is.
They can’t distinguish right from wrong.
A little knowledge is the most dangerous thing.
Come on the Thatmadaw is the only hope we have to develope the country.
Don’t cripple the Thatmadaw with outdated stupid thinking.
I say this again. Let’s wakl hand in hand with the Thatmadaw.
Beware of the wolf in sheep clothing.
‘Thatmadaw’ – is that a Freudian slip? Sadly it is the killing machine, only directed at those they were supposed to protect.
What do you expect when the students get shortchanged by a substandard education, with no prospects, not relevant to jobs that do not even exist in any case, nothing to aspire to, neither higher academic learning nor any realization of their creative potential, what with poorly stocked libraries and lack of proper teaching tools and aids even at university level?
How do you walk hand in hand with the ‘Thatmadaw’ with 25% of the budget spent on the armed forces and only 1.3% on education? On top of that, relentless repression, learning institutions scattered and fragmented, under-resourced with poor substandard facilities, banished out of town, let alone freedom of thought, far worse than the colonial education their forebears had fought against.
If in colonial Burma students hadn’t bothered to engage in politics but slavishly studied to become govt servants and senior administrators, we would never have gained independence from the British. And today we can continue to be very proud of our students for their selfless and tireless struggle, hand in hand with the people, for freedom from the military yoke.
Cliched and reactionary your disgraceful stance,
Convincing no one, not even a dunce.
So easy to see through a stooge on their payroll,
Their hellish sins in the end will take their toll.
Maha Wizaya, Uppatasanti, atonement they seek on the karma tree,
No way from Avici will they flee.
Power and dollars however they seek,
Who inherits finally this earth, if not the meek?
As rightly pointed out by Moe Aung and Tocharain the Union buliding was dynamited at dawn on 8 July 1962 not on 7 July 1962. The broadcast of Ne Win ‘sword with sword and spear with spear’ speech was made on 8 July 1962. As far as I can recall, that speech was not reprouced in the two-volume ‘Collection of Speeches of the Grear Party Chairman U Ne Win’ publishedin 1985 by the Burma Socialist Programme Party. The Burmese transcripts of the speech can be read in all Burmese language newspapers of eitheer 9 or 10 July 1962 and the different English translations in the 9 July 1962 issue of THE GUARDIAN and THE NATION. Any one has any idea as to where the audio file of Ne Win’s speech on 8 July 1962 is on ‘file’ or is open to public access?
Thank you very much for printing my comments.
I am doing this because I so very much want my Myanmart to progress.
The Nation is so full of talented people from various walks of life.
To have survived so much trauma and hardship through these very long years.
Only the people of Myanmar could have done this.
Let’s all take this as a accomplishment.
A solid foundation to build the future.
Let go of the past. Look into the future.
Goodwill, legality, discipline, fitness, smart work and delivery are paramount.
Start anew and don’t give up.
For record and fact, the STUDENTS UNION BUILDING was DYNAMITED to RUBBLE on the early morning (6:00 AM) of JULY 8, 1962.
Unknown number of students, mostly wounded and their friends looking after them, helping and keeping company in the upper floor of the building were BLOWN TO BITS. No one survived to tell the tale as well.
Of course hundreds of students demonstrating in the premises of the Rangoon University (the main gate was closed by the students as well) were killed when gunned down in cold blood by fully armed soldiers in the afternoon of July 7, 1962.
I ESCAPED DEATH as I was behind the students manning the gate and shouting slogans and verses and demonstrating behind the main gate of the Rangoon University.
When the soldiers opened fire and students at the front fell, the rest including me as well rushed along the Chancellor Road (main road leading to the Convocation Hall from the main gate, entrance of the Rangoon University) toward the Convocation Hall.
Then I made my way onto Insein Road via the back lanes and alleys of Shwe Bo Hall and past Benton Hall (Marlar Hall later)to safety and back home.
Thus, I SURVIVED TO TELL this TALE of that FATEFUL DAY (July 7, 1962).
At that time I was a student studying at the Medical College (1) Lan-ma-daw, the main campus – medical faculty – at that time.
Dr. Ba Than (father of Khin May Than Ne Win’s second wife) was the RECTOR at that time as well.
Being a SATURDAY (July 7, 1962) I went to the Main Campus (Rangoon University) and JOINED the students in their demonstration of course.
After my escape I dropped into the Medical College (1) on my way home in 50th St. Rangoon.
On SEEING the shot/wounded/injured students taken to the emergency department of the Rangoon General Hospital on police trucks (blue conveyances) I rushed to the hospital very close to MC (1) and helped the wounded students in the company of my colleagues from MC (1) as well.
The soldiers were seen taking positions in the premises and also on all floors of the Rangoon General Hospital when I arrived at the hospital.
Dr. Sein Myint, Head Surgeon, and professor of surgery at Medical College (1) yelled at an army officer in charge to clear the hospital of soldiers as they had nobody much less reason to shoot in the premises.
And we medical students helping the wounded were also ORDERED OUT of the PREMISES of the Rangoon General Hospital at around or near midnight by the military officers.
On the next day (July 8, 1962)a LOUD BOOM was heard all over the city early in the morning (6:00 AM ).
I arrived at the Rangoon University main campus around 11: 00 AM.
My heart SANK and was FILLED with ANGER/WRATH on Ne Win led Burma Army when I saw our STUDENTS UNION BUILDING REDUCED TO RUBBLE and LAID WASTE in front of my eyes. And I saw many other students weeping and looking for their friends among the rubble as well.
The GYM where I used to exercise with weights and other sporting paraphernalia located at the rear of the building as well was no more in sight, covered under the broken bricks and went into oblivion until today.
I STILL REMEMBERED the CARNAGE/DESTRUCTION and LOSS of MATERIAL and LIVES AS WELL, WROUGHT UPON BY NE WIN LED BURMA ARMY during those DAYS OF INFAMY (July 7-8, 1962)UNTIL TODAY.
Of course WAR with the STUDENTS WILL NOT END UNTIL the BURMA ARMY REFORMS – from armed band of killers protecting a group of military elites stealing Burma’s natural resources, bullying and killing the people like today to a professional armed contingent protecting the people and defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Burma – and AFFECTS NATIONAL RECONCILIATION – among students, ethnic minorities and all people in the country – WARRANTED and LONG OVERDUE as well.
No one will benefit dwelling on the past.
Anger, bitterness, revenge don’t make things right.
In fact they make a bad situation even worse.
Don’t fall into the trap of becoming instigators.
If you really are patriotic help develop the county.
Now is the chance.
Daw Aung San Su Kyi is the perfect example.
Compromise and adapt.
After all the fate of a Nation is at stake.
We can only pay lip service.
So let that lip service be positive.
The Thatmadaw is the one that’s doing all the work.
They are put in this position for a reason.
We need the Thatmadaw. Don’t let other foolish notions into your heads.
We must do our best to bring out the positive side even if we have to swallow our pride.
All the best.
You ain’t fooling no one, mate.
They are put in this position for a reason. Yes, murder, torture, rape, arson.
“Thatmadaw”? Do you really mean “that” (kill)? Funny!