Oral histories of Myanmar - life stories; some starting as far back as the late 1920’s. From my years of involvement in Myanmar I have become aware of the increasing scarcity of the generation of Myanma citizens who were born during the colonial period and have lived through the tumultuous years sin…
Sithu (similar to an MBE) Colonel Raymond Campagnac was born in August 1921 and passed away in November, 1989. He was Anglo Burmese. His father was Anglo Burmese and his mother Anglo Indian. His daughter Sandra Campagnac - Carney has written a biography of his life entitled Burma's Son (published in 2020 by Blue Mist Publication and available in several ebook shops). I was made aware of his remarkable life by another of my podcast subjects, Sithu Captain Kyaw Thein Lwin - see Episodes 31 to 34. He believes the enormous contribution of the Anglo Burmese to Burma in general and specifically to the success of the Allied Forces in Burma during WW2 and in fighting for Burma's independence have largely been overlooked or forgotten. Sandra's biography of her father goes some way in remedying that.Please feel free to contact me with suggested interviewees at church.peter@gmail.com.Thank you for listening .Peter Church
With significant assistance from Professor John Ingleson and Dr Ian Black (then both at the University of New South Wales) I published the first edition of A Short History of South East Asia in the late 1990s. The current 6th edition was published in 2017 by Wiley and, if you are interested, is available for purchase on all the major ebook sites.The catalyst for writing the book was a 1980 speech by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore to the People's Action Party (the political party he founded) and in which he said "to understand the present and anticipate the future, one must know enough of the past, enough to have a sense of the history of a people". In my opinion these few words are profound and apply to every country in the world, including Myanmar.I propose to read the Myanmar chapter from the book over a few podcasts and hope by the end we will know enough of Myanmar's history to "understand the present and anticipate the future"?This reading covers the period from the early 2000s to the publication of the 6th edition of the book in 2017.My conclusion as to why Myanmar is where it is today is a combination of a number of factors:The abolition of the monarchy in 1885 (including the physical removal of King Thibaw to Calcutta) leaving the Burmese without a social and religious structure and then being subject to direct rule by the British. This compared to the ethnic minorities whose social and leadership structures were left in place with them being subject to indirect rule by the British.The entering into of the Panglong Agreement on 12 February 1947 by the Burmese, Shan, Chin and Kachin (but not the Karen) and which provided for a Federal Government following independence which took place on 4 January, 1948. There were provisions for the ethnic groups to be able to withdraw from the Federation after 10 years if they were not satisfied with the situation. General Aung San was instrumental in persuading the ethnic groups to sign the Panglong Agreement. He had their trust. Sadly he and some of his key colleagues were assassinated in April 1947 and there was no one of his stature or influence to ensure the terms of the Agreement were followed.General Ne Win was concerned that the ethnic groups were going to withdraw from the Union pursuant to the Panglong Agreement and launched a coup on 2 March 1962. Not only did he effectively "tear up" the Agreement but he ordered the killing and jailing of many hereditary ethnic leaders.Needless to say, since the 1962 coup, most ethnic groups have not trusted the military and some like the Karen have never trusted them. The 1 February 2021 coup reinforces their multi decade lack of trust in the military.A key difference between the 1962 and 2021 coups is that the Burmese population by and large went along submissively with the 1962 as they hoped it would bring stability and improve the economy - although General Ne Win failed spectacularly with the economy- whereas most Burmese (and particularly young Burmese) having tasted quasi democracy, have solidly rejected the 2021 coup.Those listening to my podcast may well have other reasons as to why Myanmar is where it is today. However, looking forward, the most important question to answer is how we get from where the country is today to a bright, prosperous and peaceful future for the country and its diverse ethnicities.
With significant assistance from Professor John Ingleson and Dr Ian Black (then both at the University of New South Wales) I published the first edition of A Short History of South East Asia in the late 1990s. The current 6th edition was published in 2017 by Wiley and, if you are interested, is available for purchase on all the major ebook sites.The catalyst for writing the book was a 1980 speech by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore to the People's Action Party (the political party he founded) and in which he said "to understand the present and anticipate the future, one must know enough of the past, enough to have a sense of the history of a people". In my opinion these few words are profound and apply to every country in the world, including Myanmar.I propose to read the Myanmar chapter from the book over a few podcasts and hope by the end we will know enough of Myanmar's history to "understand the present and anticipate the future"?This reading covers the period from the 1970s to the early 2000s.
With significant assistance from Professor John Ingleson and Dr Ian Black (then both at the University of New South Wales) I published the first edition of A Short History of South East Asia in the late 1990s. The current 6th edition was published in 2017 by Wiley and, if you are interested, is available for purchase on all the major ebook sites.The catalyst for writing the book was a 1980 speech by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore to the People's Action Party (the political party he founded) and in which he said "to understand the present and anticipate the future, one must know enough of the past, enough to have a sense of the history of a people". In my opinion these few words are profound and apply to every country in the world, including Myanmar.I propose to read the Myanmar chapter from the book over a few podcasts and hope by the end we will know enough of Myanmar's history to "understand the present and anticipate the future"?This reading covers the period of Japanese occupation during WW2 and the early years of independence to the late 1960s.
With significant assistance from Professor John Ingleson and Dr Ian Black (then both at the University of New South Wales) I published the first edition of A Short History of South East Asia in the late 1990s. The current 6th edition was published in 2017 by Wiley and, if you are interested, is available for purchase on all the major ebook sites.The catalyst for writing the book was a 1980 speech by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore to the People's Action Party (the political party he founded) and in which he said "to understand the present and anticipate the future, one must know enough of the past, enough to have a sense of the history of a people". In my opinion these few words are profound and apply to every country in the world, including Myanmar.I propose to read the Myanmar chapter from the book over a few podcasts and hope by the end we will know enough of Myanmar's history to "understand the present and anticipate the future"?This reading covers the period of English colonisation up to WW2.
With significant assistance from Professor John Ingleson and Dr Ian Black (then both at the University of New South Wales) I published the first edition of A Short History of South East Asia in the late 1990s. The current 6th edition was published in 2017 by Wiley and, if you are interested, is available for purchase on all the major ebook sites.The catalyst for writing the book was a 1980 speech by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore to the People's Action Party (the political party he founded) and in which he said "to understand the present and anticipate the future, one must know enough of the past, enough to have a sense of the history of a people". In my opinion these few words are profound and apply to every country in the world, including Myanmar.I propose to read the Myanmar chapter from the book over a few podcasts and hope by the end we will know enough of Myanmar's history to "understand the present and anticipate the future"?This reading covers the period from the area's early history up to English colonisation.
Maurice Collis was born in Dublin in 1889, the son of an Irish solicitor, and went to Rugby in 1903 and then in 1907 to Oxford. He was posted to Burma in 1912. He had postings at Sagaing and elsewhere in Burma. In 1917, the British army raised a Burmese brigade with which Collis went to Palestine. In 1919, he went on leave and travelled in Europe. In the 1920s he was district commissioner in Arakan State. In 1929–1930, a period when relations between Burmese, Indians and British became particularly difficult, he was district magistrate in Rangoon and much of the book deals with that period and three particular cases; the political trial of J.M Sen Gupta, the mayor Calcutta and two criminal trials. My particular interest however is in the sections dealing with the Peasants' Rebellion in 1930 and Collis' deep understanding of the Burmese and the failings on the British Government. He left Burma in 1931 and wrote a number of books on the country and died in 1973.The book can be purchased as an ebook from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com.au/Trials-Burma-Maurice-Collis-ebook/dp/B00Z4M9N3E - and possibly other ebook sellers.The photo of Collis is from the National Portrait Gallery, London
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474.This chapter deals with the disastrous long term consequences for the Shan people following what has become known as Martyrs Day when, on 19 July 1947, a number leading Burmese and ethnic leaders in pre independent Burma were assassinated. This included U Aung San (the father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) and a Shan leader, Sao Sam Htun, the Sawbwa of Mongpawn.
U Win Htein is an elder politician of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's right hand man, a former parliamentarian, army captain and businessman.U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.It is extremely hard to believe that at the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February, 2021 U Win Htein was sentenced in late October 2021 for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay.This Episode deals with Martyrs' Day which occurred 75 years ago today on 19 July 1947 when assassins entered a room in the Secretariat where the Governor's Executive Council was meeting and shot dead 9 prominent men, including U Aung San and a number of ethnic leaders, who would all have played a prominent role in an independent Burma. The modern history of Burma might well have been a very different if these assassinations had not taken place. 19 July has been called "Martyrs' Day" ever since.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474.Nel firmly believes the fate of the Shan as an independent country was sealed by the signing of the Panglong Agreement on 14 February, 1947. According to the Agreement the Shan State was bound to be part of the Union of Myanmar but would have the right to secede after 10 years if the Union failed. This right was also embedded in the 1948 Constitution but which was effectively "torn up" following the 1962 coup by General Ne Win.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474In the episodes covering her life, various sections of My Vanished World will be read. We are honoured that three episodes 4, 5 and 6 covering excerpts from Chapter 10 dealing with the escape from the Japanese have been read by Daw Tin Htar Swe OBE, the former Head of the Burmese Section of the BBC World Service and whose voice is possibly well known to many of you. She also took the initiative, for which I am very thankful, of adding some delightful music which has certainly added to the experience.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474In the episodes covering her life, various sections of My Vanished World will be read. We are honoured that three episodes 4, 5 and 6 covering excerpts from Chapter 10 dealing with the escape from the Japanese have been read by Daw Tin Htar Swe OBE, the former Head of the Burmese Section of the BBC World Service and whose voice is possibly well known to many of you. She also took the initiative, for which I am very thankful, of adding some delightful music which has certainly added to the experience.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474In the episodes covering her life, various sections of My Vanished World will be read. We are honoured that three episodes 4, 5 and 6 covering excerpts from Chapter 10 dealing with the escape from the Japanese have been read by Daw Tin Htar Swe OBE, the former Head of the Burmese Section of the BBC World Service and whose voice is possibly well known to many of you. She also took the initiative, for which I am very thankful, of adding some delightful music which has certainly added to the experience.
U Win Htein is an elder politician of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's right hand man, a former parliamentarian, army captain and businessman.U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.It is extremely hard to believe that at the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February, 2021 U Win Htein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay.
U Win Htein is an elder politician of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's right hand man, a former parliamentarian, army captain and businessman.U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.It is extremely hard to believe that at the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February, 2021 U Win Htein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay.
U Win Htein is an elder politician of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's right hand man, a former parliamentarian, army captain and businessman.U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.It is extremely hard to believe that at the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February, 2021 U Win Htein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474In the episodes covering her life, various sections of My Vanished World will be read. In this third episode I will read the eighth chapter of her book where Nel talks about her school days at St Agnes' Convent in Kalaw.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families after that coup she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is now known by most people as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474In the episodes covering her life, various sections of My Vanished World will be read. In this second episode I will read the second chapter where Nel talks about her parents and grandparents. I hope in subsequent episodes Nel and others will read key parts of her book.
U Hpone Thant (commonly known as Harry) born 1945 talks about what it was like to own a car in the 60s and 70s in Myanmar.For those who are interested in stories like this, there is a Old Burma Hands group on Facebook
U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.At the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February 2021, U Win Thein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay. In this third episode U Win Htein's daughter, Chit Suu reads the chapter of her father's autobiography - Fuze which deals with the three demonitizations brought in by U Ne Win during his 26 year reign.
U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.At the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February 2021, U Win Thein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay. In this third episode U Win Htein's daughter, Chit Suu reads the chapter of her father's autobiography - Eaglet.
Sao Noan Oo was born in 1931 in Shan State as a princess, being the daughter of the Sawbwa or Sao Hpa of Lawksawk, a state in the Federated Shan States or Mong Tai ; an area of approximately 62,000 square miles occupying a quarter of Burma, Before the military coup in 1962, the Shan State was divided into thirty-three and each area (also called a state or mong), had a number of towns and villages; the main town in each state carrying the same name. The Sawbwas were hereditary princes, one of whom ruled each of the thirty-three states. The Burmans, and later the British used this title which was a corrupt pronunciation of the Shan title, 'Sao Hpa', meaning ' Lord of the Sky'. When the British had advanced into Burma in 1886, the Sawbwas, not only willingly accepted the British administration, but some of them, like her grand-father who was then heir to the sawbwaship, joined the British army to overthrow the last of the Burmese Kings. Once in complete control, the British Government applied direct rule over Central Burma, where the majority of the population were Burmans. The Shan State and the other 'Hill States' Kachin, Chin and Karenni were allowed to remain autonomous. Thus, although geographically in Burma, the Shan State was politically independent of Burma until 1948. The situation for the Shan changed dramatically after the coup by General Ne Win in 1962 and many Shan princes and leaders were killed, jailed or fled abroad.Sao Noan Oo was studying in England at the time of the 1962 coup and her scholarship was cancelled. Given what happened to her family and other Shan families she has never returned to Myanmar but has tirelessly fought for the rights of the Shan people. She married an Englishman and is known by most people these days as Nel Adams.Nel has written her life story entitled "My Vanished World". The book is currently out of print but some second hand copies can be found in ebook sites like Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/My-Vanished-World-Story-Princess/dp/189931024XShe has also written a history of the Tai (or Shan) people which is available at Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-History-Tai-Yai-Noan/dp/1527209474In the episodes covering her life, various sections of My Vanished World will be read. In this first episode I will read the first chapter explaining the history and social customs of the Shan and I hope in subsequent episodes Nel and others will read key parts of her book.
U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.At the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February 2021, U Win Thein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay. In this second episode U Win Htein's daughter, Chit Suu reads two chapters of her father's autobiography - Elephant and Caged Bird.
TT has had a stellar career and even at the age of 91 he continues to chair the wood processing company, Greengold Industrial Company Limited he co-founded in 1997.TT talks about how the country was run by foreigners during his childhood - not just the British - and the years during WW2 when the Japanese were in Myanmar. For me, one of the most interesting stories from those years is that, when the British left, there were very few technically trained people in the country - the Scottish engineers dealt with the engines on the river craft and at the equipment at the oil producing areas, Indians ran the railways and Bengali ran the river craft. In TT's view Burma immediately on independence became one of the least developed countries in Asia!He went to high school where the father of one of our other subjects, K T Lwin was the principal. He takes us through his career since then which involved a scholarship to the Naval College at Dartmouth in England in 1949 to study mechanical engineering. These scholarships flowed out of the Burma Defence Agreement under which the UK agreed to provide training to young citizens post independence. He returned to Rangoon in 1953 as the only mechanical engineer in the country (!) and spent the next four years training naval servicemen on the basic elements of mechanical engineering - he was, of course, only 22 and far younger than his students. In 1958 the U Nu civilian government handed power to General Ne Win for 1 1/2 years. During that time TT was assigned to work in the office of Ne Win but ,when Ne Win handed power back to U Nu in 1960, he returned to his naval responsibilities and by 1961 had been appointed a Chief Engineer, which role he continued until 1965 when he was appointed to develop a shipyard . TT's late wife, Daw Mya Aye (Polly) joined the Burmese Navy in 1958 and was one of the first six female officers. She spent time being trained at Maryland in the US but was required to resign when she married TT in 1963. She then worked in the Trade Department. In 1970 General Ne Win asked him to leave the Navy and take over running the shipyard as a commercial operation. As he was only 39 TT felt it was too early to retire from the Navy and Ne Win allowed him to remain in the navy and for the next 8 years TT was of Commander rank responsible for repairing and building new naval vessels. There were many issues facing the country at that time and in 1980 Ne Win persuaded TT to take over as MD of the shipyard (which was by then a commercial business ) whilst maintaining his Commander rank. In accordance with the rules after 3 years in a commercial role he was required to retire from the armed forces. In 1983 he was called to a meeting with Ne Win, the heads of the Armed Forces and a number of Ministers. This led to an exciting new role for TT.He mentions how he played golf with Ne Win a number of times and how early in his career the strange occasions when he made up the fourth so Ne Win could play bridge when he was traveling to visit naval operations.The uprising of 1988 and the takeover by General Saw Maung and General Than Shwe led to all foreign loans to be suspended or terminated. This brought to an end his Phase 3 project to build ocean going vessels. This first of two interviews with U Thein Tun finishes at that point.
TT advises that the expansion work on the shipyard and building of ships came to a halt in 1988 following the take over by General Saw Maung and General Than Shwe, but TT continued his role as Managing Director until 1991 when he turned 60 and was required to retire. He then worked as an advisor to the Shipyard Corporation for another two years before moving to Singapore and elsewhere to work in the private sector. In 1997 General Than Shwe asked him to come back with the freedom to become involved in the private sector. TT set up two 50% wood processing joint ventures; one with the Ministry of Construction and the other with the Ministry of Transport and Communication. TT remains as Chairman to this day of the company, Greengold Industrial Company Limited. It was not a smooth path as, following the "yellow robe" demonstrations in 2007, the company was amongst 100 companies sanctioned by the US. This led to TT's group taking over the Government's 50%.From 1984 to 2000 he was on the Board of the War Veterans' Association.He has over the years provided his expert mechanical engineering advice on major projects such as the restoration of the Shwedagon Pagoda following the 1979 earthquake.TT talks about his sporting career, including his time as a champion rower (stroke) and sailor and his many years chairing the Rowing and Yachting Federations. He mentions his experiences of rowing internationally and in the Golden Jubilee of the Rangoon Rowing Club in 1955.TT discusses Government and military pensions and the impossibility to survive on these.Towards the end he gives his views on General Ne Win and why he feels Myanmar is where it is today.
U Win Htein has spent 20 years of his life in prison for his belief in democracy.He has written his autobiography entitled "Win Htein's story for posterity: Burma's odyssey from tyranny to quasi-democracy" which can be purchased as a ebook from many online booksellers such as https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/win-hteins-story-for-posterity-win-htein/1140822639.This first short episode is an interview with his youngest daughter, Chit Suu with her thoughts on her father. In subsequent episodes Chit Suu and I will read extracts from the book which Chit Suu feels her father would like to be told.It is extremely hard to believe that at the age of 79 for speaking out against the coup of 1 February, 2021 U Win Thein was sentenced in late October last year for sedition and received a 20 year prison sentence. He is currently serving this sentence at a jail in Mandalay.
Harry talks about his life story which includes his early education at Lady Paw Tun kindergarten before going on to Methodist English High School (also Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's school). On graduating, as schools and universities were closed after the 1962 coup by General Ne Win, he applied for and won a scholarship to attend Lomonosov Moscow State University and graduated with a Master in Political Economy. He spent from 1963 to 1968 in Moscow and describes his experiences there. On return to Rangoon he joined the Burma Socialist Programme Party, the sole political party at that time and worked there for 20 years until the party was disbanded after the 1988 unrest. During that time he performed many roles, ending as Chief of Staff of the International Affairs and Foreign Relations Affairs Committee. Following this, until he left for Australia in 2009 he worked as a private tuition teacher, started a travel agency (Swiftwinds) and was a founder and General Secretary of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association.Harry has a keen interest in the history of Yangon and talks about the popularity of horse racing and the Rangoon Turf Club until racing was banned by General Ne Win in 1963 and also discusses the unsafe security situation in Rangoon immediately following independence in 1948.Harry has also been closely involved with Dr Brian Smith in the study of cooperative fishing by fishermen north of Mandalay where they work with Irrawaddy dolphins - https://global.wcs.org/Resources/Publications/Publications-Search-II/ctl/view/mid/13340/pubid/PUB22844.aspx. Related to this is Harry's work as a consultant to Hsithe Village Based Tourism which has been funded by the Harrison Institute of the UK and which has won a number of awards - https://www.destination-ayeyarwady.com/.
Padoh Saw David Tharckabaw has been an active member of the Karen National Union (KNU) since joining the organisation full time as a young teenager in 1949; only two years after the KNU was established in 1947. David has spent the rest of his long life supporting the key aims of the KNU which include the establishment of a Karen State with the right to self determination and the setting up of a genuine Federal Union in Myanmar with each State having equal rights.David rose through the ranks from a raw recruit to being an officer in the KNU armed resistance before moving to the political headquarters where he was firstly assistant to the General Secretary and then, as his final role from which he retired at the age of 79, Vice President from 2010 to 2014. David is now 87 living in Mae Sot in Thailand but continues to be a passionate supporter of the Karen. In this interview David provides a Karen perspective of the history of the relationship between the Bamar and Karen peoples and how and why mistrust developed between many Karen and the Tatmadaw (military).With thanks to the Karen Information Center and to Daw Tin Htar Swe OBE for introducing me to Padoh Saw David Tharckabaw .
The family of U Aung Soe Lwin (or who is more commonly known as Sammy Samuels) has had a long presence in Myanmar. His grandfather arrived from Iraq in the 1890s and the family has lived in Yangon since that time. Sammy's father, Moses, died in 2015 and the family is now headed by Sammy. It is thought the first Jew of record in Burma was Solomon Gabirol who in 1755 was a commissar to King Alaungpaya. During the British colonial times the Jewish population grew to around 3000, but since then has continued to shrink, such that now there are only a handful of Jews with Myanmar citizenship.Sammy's family has had a close relationship with the sole synagogue in the country over three generations - see episode photo. The cost of upkeep of the synagogue has largely fallen to Sammy's family business, Myanmar Shalom (https://www.myanmarshalom.com/).With thanks to Julie L. Kessler (https://www.vagabondlawyer.com/) who introduced me to Sammy and for the photo of the synagogue used for this podcast.
We left the third interview with Captain KT Lwin in Rotterdam in 1952 taking delivery of the steamship Pyidawtha (see https://i.pinimg.com/originals/63/49/7d/63497db1c18bd22337ad2a8c6bf6b4be.jpg) , Burma's first commercial steamship to be owned by the Government post independence. He sailed on this vessel for a couple of years before becoming the country's first Burmese Harbour Pilot. He then became Harbour Master, then Marine Superintendent of Burma's Five Star Line (the nation's commercial shipping line est 1959 with Israeli management - https://www.facebook.com/Myanma-Five-Star-Line-102752987844185/), then the founding Managing Director of the Institute of Marine Technology. He retired from this role in 1974 having served the Government for 30 years from the time he joined the Navy as a seventeen year old in 1944.He then started his private sector career which included time in Singapore and Thailand where he had several roles including working for a Singapore company chartering and crewing vessels, for Duta Marine (a Thai company) and for SeaTran (another Thai company) before retiring due to ill health in 1984 and moving to Australia. He kept himself busy importing orchids from Thailand but gave that up after 6 months as the business was beset with problems. With his health recovered he focused on building up his own family company, Mariner Shipping Services, which provides Burmese crew to many different shipping companies. Whilst at the time of my interview he remains its largest shareholder he handed over the "reins" to other family members many years ago.The interview ends with 94 year old KT providing some life and health advice and, in particular, to those listeners over 50.
This interview covers his three meetings with Aung Sun - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San, the assassinated father of Aung San Suu Kyi which took place between 1945 and 1947, his time in the War Office post independence and his posting to Dartmouth in the UK for training before being recalled by General Ne Win - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne_Win - as he was wrongly accused of being too close to the Karens at a time when the first independence Government led by Burmese U Nu was suspicious of those who were not Burmese. It also covers how General Ne Win used the same politics to remove his competitor for head of the Armed Forces. KT believes WW2 war hero, Lt General Smith Dun, a Karen should, on merit, have kept the role - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Dun
This episode continues the extraordinary life of now 94 year old KT Lwin. It covers his meeting with Lord Mountbatten in Colombo, the involvement of General William Slim in the recapture of Burma (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Slim,_1st_Viscount_Slim), Operation Dracula (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dracula) in the retaking of Rangoon and the highjacking of his river gunboat, jailing and eventual escape to the safety of UBS Mayu (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBS_Mayu) which was the first flagship of the Burma Navy
Sithu (similar to an MBE) Kyaw Thein Lwin has been involved in the maritime sector since he was a teenager. Now 94 this interview covers his childhood, including his time in India as a cadet, how his failure to pay Rs 500 in order to pursue a merchant marine career changed his life, his time with the Burma Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and how his possession of a Bofors gun in 1949 saved Rangoon from being overrun by the Karen National Defence Union who were opposed to the U Nu Government which had only obtained independence from the British the year before.
U Maung Nyi (commonly known as David) was born in Kyaukse on 15 April, 1936. He was educated in Kyaukse, Mandalay, Yangon and Otago (New Zealand). As a mining engineer he spent many years working at Bawdwin, Myanmar's famous lead, silver and zinc mine which during colonial times was the largest such mine in the world. Herbert Hoover, the 31st US President, made his fortune investing in Bawdwin. David eventually became its Mine Superintendent from 1983 to 1986 and was then promoted to become General Manager of a new copper mine at Monya (known as No. 1 Copper Mine). His resignation from this role after the 1988 riots and coup had far reaching consequences on the lives of all his family.
U K Ba Thaung - interesting stories of his relationship with General Ne Win, including observations regarding the death of General Aung San and the involvement U Saw and more personal first hand observations of General Ne Win's many unusual superstitions and remedies such as bathing in buffalo blood and his methods to increase his virility
Dr Khin Maung Nyunt, born 1929, PhD from LSE, former DG of Fine Arts and Archeology, Emeritus Professor at Yangon Uni, life of a student in London in 1950's, history of Myanmar from end of colonial period, time with Princess Anne in Bagan
Dr Aung Khin, born 1932, former MD Myanma Oil Corporation, life and career including international travel and study during the 1950's, geologist responsible for a number of Myanmar's big oil and gas discoveries in 1970's, experiences with General Ne Win
U Tin Kyaw Hliang, born 1933, career diplomat, his life and career including his views on the Rohingya, history and politics from independence up to today, life on a Government pension and Burmese interest in astrology
U Kenneth Ba Thaung born 1931, his life and career as a military officer including discussing his relationship with General Ne Win and his career running the Pearl and Fishery corporation, as Commissioner of Salt, the establishment of Polo 9 cigarette company and the 7 1/2 years he spent in Insein Prison
Professor Aung Tun Thet, born 1945, economist, PhD Manchester, post doctoral Humboldt Institute, Chair Peace Commission, Member Independent Comm on Rakhine, UN Global Compact, writer, columnist and professor at University of Yangon
U Jimmy Aye Lwin, born 1937, educated in India, career as a diplomat, Worldview International, Rotary, English Myanmar dictionary
U Kyaw Myaing, born 1945, diplomat, student uprising of 1988, Editorial Consultant and translator of speeches for senior political leaders, impact of "fake news" and Face Book
U Khin Maung Lynn, born 1951, diplomat, school days at Methodist English High School and Yangon University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs during 1988 student uprising
U Nay Oke, owner of well known English language school and adviser to Government on education, born 1943 with short postscript on U Nay Oke selecting movies for General Ne Win
Daw Patricia White, born 1929,Kandawgalay Catholic Home for the Aged, Yangon with history of her family
U Win Kyaw, Kandawgalay Catholic Home for the Aged, Yangon born 1937
U Ye Dway, master puppeteer, born 1936, author of Marionettes of Myanmar, the life and times of a puppeteer before and after tv and movies
Lahpai Zau Goone, born 1947, ethnic Kachin, Kachin history and culture, former diplomat and member of the Human Rights Commission
U Ngwe Win, born 1933, diplomat, comments on life and customs and on the life of a civil servant during military rule
Dr Tha Moe, born 1934, life of a medical practitioner with a speciality of sports medicine
Dr Than Oo, born 1928, prominent educator, former DG of Basic Education, the key player in raising the literacy rate in Burma in the 1960's and for the re-establishing of the teaching of English to primary school children after a gap of many years, former Chairman of the Academy of Arts and Science
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