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The New Light Of Myanmar Sunday, December 12, 1999 Myanmar means all national racesBertil Lintner wrote an article titled, "Cultural Revolution" in 18-11-99 issue of Far Eastern Economic Review. It was stated in the article that national races residing in Myanmar should not be called Myanmar and the term, Myanmar, was the name of the capital Mandalay of the kingdom of ancient Myanmar monarchs. Only Myanmar people know Myanmar history best. In Myanmar history, there was Bagan Period. Language, literature, culture and architecture flourished well in Bagan Period. It was the First Myanmar Empire with sovereign monarchs. Bagan Period lasted from AD 107 to AD 1368. Under the reign of King Anawrahta who ascended the throne in AD 1044, language, literature, culture and architecture reached their zenith. There is ample evidence in Bagan-Nyaung-U area still today to support this. No one can deny this. In AD 1013 in England which was contemporary with Bagan Period, the former was occupied by Danish. The descendants of the Danish kings continued to occupy that country till the arrival of Saxon Edward the Confessor. In 1066, Normans occupied it and ruled it. Till then, the national race to be called and described as English had not emerged yet. Meanwhile, King Anawrahta had already established the First Myanmar Empire and national races known as "Myanmar" were united. It had emerged in dignity in the world as a nation where language, religion and culture flourished. In England afterwards, when Henry, the second son of Norman king William, ascended the throne, his consort was a Saxon and they had been able to unite the Normans and Saxons. From then onwards, a race known as English came into being. When the glory of King Anawrahta was known in the world, no one knew "the empire of unsetting sun". Bertil Lintner does not seem to learn the term "Myanmar" had already come into existence since then. There has been ample evidence. In the stone inscription elected in AD 1190 of Thaingathu, a minister in the time of Bagan Period, found inside Taungguni Pagoda, the term "Myanmar" was vividly inscribed. If Bertil Lintner is interested to study it the stone inscription is kept in the Bagan Archaeological Museum. Bagan Period was about one thousand years earlier than Yadanabon Period, also known as Mandalay Capital. It is not true to say that the term Myanmar had emerged to represent the kingdom of Mandalay ruled by ancient monarchs. It was documented in 737 Myanmar Era (AD 1375) that the people of "Myanmar9' encompassing monks, ponnas, men and women try to gain benefits day and night by doing deeds of charity and morality. Similarly in 847 Myanmar Era (AD 1485), it was inscribed in the stone inscription at Yadana Pagoda in Sagaing in Innwa Period, the country of "Meander" where four rivers Ayeyar, Panyaung, Paung-laung and Chindwin were flowing. Yadana Beikman stone inscription of Innwa Period erected in 871 Myanmar Era (AD 1509) stated that Sasana flourished in the country of "Myanmar" which was located between Kathuna Paranta in the north and Tampadipa in the south. In stone inscriptions erected- during the Sagaing, Pinya and Innwa periods from 730 to about 940 Myanmar Era, it was inscribed as gyimar and in other stone inscriptions and ink inscriptions on stucco of that period it was documented "Myanmar" as jrefrm jrHrm jrrRm variously. According to ancient Pyu, Mon and Myanmar stone inscriptions, it - was found to have inscribed to follow the correct sound of jrefrm jrHrm jrrRm through out Bagan, Pinya and Innwa Periods. During Innwa Period that followed Bagan Period, the term "Myanmar" was put to use clearly. In the literary work Satudhammatha Koe-khan-pyo created in AD 1526 (888 Myanmar Era) by famous monk writer Shin Maha Ratthasara, it was also described "Myanmar way and tradition". Moreover, another monk writer Shin Agga Samadhi in composing Bonkhan in about AD 1542 (904 Myanmar Era), he described "in the land of Myanmar". Again, in the later period of Innwa that followed Bagan Period in about AD 1769 (1131 Myanmar Era), second Kyaw Aung San Hta Sayadaw wrote in his Woharattha Pakathani (vocabulary), according to an old reference the term "Myanmar", signified quickness and solidness, and it should be spelled "jrefrm" using the alphabet "e". Here the words "old reference" were used and it may be assumed that the term "Myanmar" had already been in use since earlier times. The statements above constitute sufficient evidence that the term "Myanmar" was used much earlier than the time of the capital of Mandalay of Yadanabon Kingdom. In the court dictionary compiled by U Maung Maung Tin and published in the later Yadanabon Period; the term "Myanmar" was explained as follows: "It was stated in the Woharattha Pakathani (vocabulary) compiled by Kyaw Aung San Hta Sayadaw revered by King Hanthawady Mintara of Yadanapura Ava Kingdom period that "Myanmar" was so called because of quickness (Myan) and solidness (Mar). The term "Myanmar" was defined in Vol III of the brief Myanmar Lexicon as follows: "Myanmar" means a national race that has been residing in Myanmar continuously for a long time. In accordance with that definition, the term "Myanmar" has been an established word starting from the stone inscriptions of Bagan Period up to this day. In his article, Bertil Lintner wrote that cultural revolution reached the areas of many non-Myanmar minorities and that they had been given the name of Myanmar. Bertil Lintner misused the term cultural revolution without the full knowledge of Myanmar culture. It has already been said that only Myanmar people know Myanmar history very well. Bertil Lintner should have studied Myanmar history thoroughly an^d the fact that Myanmar culture is well known in the world. With no proper knowledge of Myanmar culture, the colonialists took away King Tbibaw after occupying Myanmar in 1885 and ruthlessly put to torch the cultural heritage of Myanmar-such as literature, palm-leaf manuscripts and boxes for storing such manuscripts. It is not that the names of national races residing in Myanmar were and the term "Myanmar" was introduced; all the 135 national races residing in the country have their specific names. "Myanmar" is a common name for all these national races. In other words, all of them are united under the name of "Myanmar". Bertil Lintner's that the term "Myanmar" used for the national races is a cultural revolution is sheerly an attempt to destroy the solidarity of Myanmar national races. He misused the term without proper knowledge of Myanmar culture. It amounts to not only an insult to the entire people of Myanmar national races but also an act to tarnish Myanmar culture. In fact, inherent qualities, characteristics, 'traditions and customs of all the national races residing in the country named "Myanmar" are basically the same although the language they use and the religion they profess may, differ depending on the areas they are living. Myanmar has been in existence as a sovereign nation in glory since many year. I times of far-sighted Myanmar kings they managed to organize the country as a united empire. The country was enslaved in 1885 and it was ruined due to the divide and-rule tactics of the co10nialists. United and able leaders had rebuilt national solidarity. That day had been a day of historical significance In the history of Myanmar to be chronicled as the day of great achievement. That year was remarkable in the history of independence struggle. National solidarity bad been rebuilt with the signing of the Panlong Agreement. The Union of Myanmar in solidarity continues to exist in the world due to realization Of that historic Panlong Agreement. Being national brethren, national races such as Kachin, Kayah, Kayin Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine, Shan and others have been living and working in the Union of Myanmar since yore sharing joys and sorrows. Hence, Myanmar Naing-Ngan is not a nation belonging to one particular national race. The independence struggle was won not just by the efforts of a particular national race alone. Independence was regained due to united and concerted efforts of all the all the national races. Here a clear evidence is to be shown for. information of Bertil Lintner that "Myanmar" represents all the national races. It was made known to the world. "This declaration of Union of Myanmar of ours as a sovereign and independent nation be known to one and all in the world." It is pointed out here that Bertil Lintner should not ignore the independence declaration in which the Union of Myanmar was stated on behalf of all the national races. Hence, Bertil Lintner should not say words to sow discord among Myanmar national races and to insult them without knowing Myanmar culture and Myanmar history. If he is interested in Myanmar, he is urged to work harder to study Myanmar history thoroughly. Author : A university teacher |
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