Arakanese Nationalism and the Struggle for National self- determination
(An overview of Arakanese political history up to 1988)
By: Khaing Aung Win
Introduction
Arakan had been an independent kingdom before it was invaded by the Burmans in 1784. The invasion of the Burmans into Arakan in 1784 led the Burmans into conflict with the British in British-India . The Arakanese people took refuge in chittagong Hill Tracts of British- India and repulsed the Burman invaders to restore their home land .The resistance wars launched by the Arakanese people were misjudged by the Burmans as to be the encouragement of the British . This gave rise to conflict between the British and the Burmans .
After the first Anglo-Burman war in 1826 , Arakan was ceded to the British by the Burmans. Instead of ceding Arakan to Arakanese people ,the British colonized it and incorporated it into British–India .The British’s rule in Arakan in the 19th century faced numerous pro- independence revolts staged by the Arakanese people .The imposition of the
British’s control in Arakan took long time , some areas not being pacified until the early
20th century .In 1852 , a second Anglo- Burman war resulted the Burmans to surrender to the British and the remainder of the Burmans territories were incorporated into British -India .
Up to the earliest 20th century , the national liberation movement of Arakan was carried out in isolation having no relation with the neighbouring nationalist movements .
The Burman’s nationalism was faded away under the oppressive British colonial rule .In
1917 , the emergence of saradaw U Ottama , an Arakanese Buddhist monk ,woke up the Burman’s nationalism .
Being aware of impossibility for freedom for the Burmans without co-operation
of non-Burman ethnic nationalities in British-Burma, the Burman political leaders persuaded the non-Burman ethnic nationalities to be united in struggle against the British colonial rule giving a sham promise for establishment of Federal Union of all ethnic nationalities equal in every respect .The Arakanese political leaders hopefully believed the sham promise given by the Burman political leaders and co-operated with the Burmans to achieve independence of British -Burma instead of setting up definite political position to gain the right to self-determination of Arakanese people .
When Burma gained independence from the British in 1948 by the collective efforts of the Burman and non–Burman ethnic nationalities including Arakanese people , Arakanese people found themselves that they were a colony of the Burmans and were deceived by the Burmans , who transformed their nationalism into the form of military dictatorship to dominate the non-Burman ethnic nationalities : Chin, Kachin, Karen ,Kayah,
Mon ,Rakhaing ( Arakanese people ) and Shan .However , the Arakanese people did not give up their struggle for the right to self-determination .They continued their struggle and they are
still struggling for their right to self-determination by various means sacrificing a lot of their lives .After forty years of Burma’s independence, the Burman nationalism in the form of military dictatorship became a detriment even to the interest of the majority Burman people . In this paper , I attempt to define the Arakanese nationalism and examine the general condition of their struggle for national self-determination.
