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Neither Saffron Nor Revolution

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Neither Saffron Nor Revolution Institut für Asien- und Afrikawissenschaften Philosophische Fakultät III der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin NEITHER SAFFRON NOR REVOLUTION A Commentated and Documented Chronology of the Monks’ Demonstrations in Myanmar in 2007 and their Background PART I Hans-Bernd Zöllner Südostasien Working Papers No. 36 Berlin 2009 Hans-Bernd Zöllner NEITHER SAFFRON NOR REVOLUTION A Commentated and Documented Chronology of the Monks’ Demonstrations in Myanmar in 2007 and their Background PART I Südostasien Working Papers No. 36 Berlin 2009 SÜDOSTASIEN Working Papers ISSN: 1432-2811 published by the Department of Southeast Asian Studies Humboldt-University Unter den Linden 6 10999 Berlin, Germany Tel. +49-30-2093 6620 Fax +49-30-2093 6649 Email: [email protected] Cover photograph: Ho. (Picture Alliance / Picture Press) Layout: Eva Streifeneder The Working Papers do not necessarily express the views of the editors or the Institute of Asian and African Studies. Alt- hough the editors are responsible for their selection, responsibility for the opinions expressed in the Papers rests with the aut- hors. Any kind of reproduction without permission is prohibited. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 6 FOREWORD 7 1 INTRODUCTION 9 2 GLIMPSES INTO HISTORY: ECONOMICS, PROTESTS AND STUDENTS 12 2.0 From 1824 to 1988 – In Fast Motion 12 2.1 From 1988 to 2007 16 3 FROM AUGUST 15 TO SEPTEMBER 5 25 3.0 Narration of Events 25 3.1 The Media 28 3.2 Summary and Open Questions 29 4 PAKOKKU 35 4.0 Preliminary Remarks 35 4.1 Undisputed facts 35 4.2 On the Coverage of the Events – Media Reports 36 4.3 Summary and Disputed News 38 3 4.4 Interpretations, contexts and analogies 39 4.5 Open Questions 43 4.6 Conclusions 44 5 THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA 45 5.1 Reflections on the Sources Taken from the Media 45 5.2 The Media 48 5.3 Conclusions 58 6 THE MONKS’ DEMONSTRATIONS – SEPTEMBER 18 TO SEPTEMBER 25 59 6.0 Preliminary Remarks 59 6.1 Undisputed Information 59 6.2 On the Coverage of the Events – Media Reports 63 6.3 Summary and Disputed Information 69 6.4 Interpretations, contexts and analogies 70 6.5 Open Questions 78 6.6 Conclusions 80 7 MONKS, SOCIETY AND THE TURNOVER OF THE ALMS BOWL 81 7.1 The two Sides of the Alms Bowl 81 7.2 From Early Times to the End of the Burmese Kingdom 1885 83 7.3 The Colonial Period 84 7.4 After Independence 87 7.5 Conclusion 91 4 8 CRACKDOWN AND SUPPRESSION 92 8.0 Preliminary Remarks 92 8.1 Undisputed Information 93 8.2 On the Coverage of the Events – Media Reports 95 8.3 Summary and Disputed Information 98 8.4 Interpretations, contexts and analogies 99 8.5 Open Questions 101 8.6 Conclusion: Two Pyrrhic Victories 102 9 EPILOGUE 103 9.1 The Aftermath 103 9.2 Instead of a Conclusion 112 BIBLIOGRAPHY 118 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to many people inside and outside Myanmar who helped me to write and publish this book. It is not possible for the time being to express my gratitude to my friends in Myanmar by men- tioning their names. Therefore, I would like express my sincere gratitude to everybody who helped to bring out this work by just saying: Thank all of you! The Friedrich-Ebert Foundation supported this publication by a grant for the proof reading. 6 FOREWORD The idea to write this chronology was conceived on Friday, October 12, 2007 around 8 p.m. at one of Yangon’s many Thai restaurants. This Thai restaurant had for some time been the regular meeting place of the authors of this book and some of his Burmese friends. He had visited Myanmar twice a year for some years and since the beginning of 2005 with the main task of advancing the Myanmar Literature Project focusing on a famous Book Club named Nagani, Red Dragon.1 He had arrived one day before this particular meeting for another routine visit of 14 days which had been planned long be- fore the protests. The main theme of this particular meeting was not the Book Club but what had happened some weeks before. Information, impressions and assessments collected in Yangon and in Germany were ex- changed and rather spontaneously the idea was conceived to put both perspectives together and write an account of the events by way of a commented chronology. The idea of this book was born. It was that September 18, 2008, one year after the monks’ demonstrations started on the 19th anniversary of the 1988 coup would be the fitting date for the presentation of the material result of the idea i.e. the publication date of such a book. However, the idea could not be implemented as intended. The main reason was that the “insiders” for obvious reasons did not want to be named as co-authors of the publication. Second, it was not easy to find a publisher for the book. These difficulties resulted in a compromise. A short account in German was published before the first anniversary of the beginning of the demonstrations that contained neither footnotes nor documents.2 The “full version” was then accepted by Prof. Vincent Houben of Berlin’s Humboldt University to be published in the series of Working Papers by the Department of Southeast Asian Studies. It is hoped that it helps to carry forward the long tradition of Burma studies The account published here does not and cannot claim to present the “true story” of what happened in August and September 2007 in Myanmar. The time span between the events and the writing about them is too short for an account putting the events into a proper historical perspective. Moreover, the emotional reactions to the events which are a little bit elaborated at the beginning of chapter 8 are on the one hand very appropriate given the dramatic nature of what happened. At the same time, they point to the limits an unbiased evaluation of the episode under review here. The main aim of this account, therefore, is to present some material which allows the reader with some interest in Myanmar to make up his own mind and to preserve some information, impressions and as- sessments which otherwise might get lost. Hopefully, the reader will share the opinion that the mean- ing of the monks’ demonstrations can only be understood if one considers them as part of a global and extremely complex net of interdependencies which defies simple judgements and that the people of Myanmar need not just sympathy but a thorough investigation into the causes of their problems as well which may be related to some of our own troubles. Regarding the controversial question of nomenclature of the country and its geographical parts, this study tries to follow the “middle path”. Since the name “Myanmar”, introduced by the State Law and Order Restoration Council in 1989 for international use was accepted by the United Nations and most 1 For details see http://www.phil.uni-passau.de/die-fakultaet/lehrstuehle-professuren/suedostasien/suedostasien/forschung/| myanmar-literature-project.html 2 Hans-Bernd Zöllner (2008) Weder Safran noch Revolution. Eine kommentierte Chronologie der Demonstrationen von Mönchen in Myanmar/Birma im September 2007. Hamburg, Abera. 7 states except the United States of America, this name – as well as Yangon for the country’s biggest city - will be used here for all events after 1989. Referring to the time before the declaration, the names “Burma”, Rangoon” etc. will be used thus not following the present policy in Myanmar to change all these denominations retroactively. Before introducing this project in some more detail, the text of the Metta Sutta shall be reproduced that was chanted by the monks on many occasions – not only on the critical days accounted and analysed here. It can only be hoped that the message of this Sutta will materialise one day for all those who took part in the events described and analysed here and for all people outside Myanmar who are concerned about what happened and happens in this beautiful country. This Sutta’s translation by Acharya Buddharakkhita, a monk from Sri Lanka, preserves the poetic tone of the Sutta.3 Metta Sutta The Hymn of Universal Love Let none deceive or decry Who seeks to promote his welfare, His fellow anywhere; Having glimpsed the state of perfect peace, Let none wish others harm Should be able, honest and upright, In resentment or in hate. Gentle in speech, meek and not proud. Just as with her own life Contented, he ought to be easy to support, A mother shields from hurt Not over-busy, and simple in living. Her own son, her only child, Tranquil his senses, let him be prudent, Let all-embracing thoughts And not brazen, nor fawning on families. For all beings be yours. Also, he must refrain from any action Cultivate an all-embracing mind of love That gives the wise reason to reprove him. For all throughout the universe, (Then let him cultivate the thought:) In all its height, depth and breadth – May all be well and secure, Love that is untroubled May all beings be happy! And beyond hatred or enmity. Whatever living creatures there be, As you stand, walk, sit or lie, Without exception, weak or strong, So long as you are awake, Long, huge or middle-sized, Pursue this awareness with your might: Or short, minute or bulky, It is deemed the Divine State here. Whether visible or invisible, Holding no more to wrong beliefs, And those living far or near, With virtue and vision of the ultimate, The born and those seeking birth, And having overcome all sensual desire, May all beings be happy! Never in a womb is one born again.
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