April 30, 2009
National High School of Akyab(Sittway)
In 1920.University students boycotted the British colonial education system in Burma (Myanmar).All schools were closed across the country. Therefore , patriots established National schools and students had to study at those schools. Arakan students discussed with Akyab’s people and patriots and founded National high School in 1921.
U Tun Paw, U A Doe , U Zaw Gauh , U Mra Tun, U Saw Hla Aung and youth from akyab collected money to build National High School buildings. With funds donated by people, the school was built at the corner of Satyone Street and Kyaungtatlan Street(now-U Ottama Street). The construction was led by U Zaw Gauh without taking any charges. At first, the school was built of bamboo. Later, it was built of wood. It was a L-shaped school.
The first principal of National High school was U Tun Aung. The successor was Mr.Zaunuddin who was a Muslim. Students were taught by voluntary teachers. It is said that there were about 30 teachers.U Mg Mra Oo,U Aye Cham, U Thar Noe Aung, U Shwe Tun, U Boe Mra Sein , U Aung Tun Oo, U Aung Kyaw Oo, U Tun San Aung and U Aung Thar Oo were teachers since the school was started to establish. It is known that there were about 700 students from Grade 1 to 11 in this school. Both teachers and students in this school hated English colony. The coming anti-colony force were born from this school.
In the World War II , the National High School was completely destroyed. During the Japanese occupation, fascist Japan named it “VASINCHOKO” and used it as a food store. When the Allied got that message, the school was gutted under allied bombardment on 28 August , 1943. When the world war was over, it could not be reopened. The location of this school was now replaced by “Taungtantharthanapru” monastery .
October 24, 2008
A Sojourn to Dynyawady by Lord Buddha
In 97 Maha Era(580 B.C),king Sanda Thuriya was heir to the throne in Dynyawady- one of the ancient kingdoms of Arakan(Rakhine State,Myanmar).
One day after ruling of 26 years, he heard that Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment in Mijimadesa(central India). He was eager to pay homage to the Enlightened one out of piety. So, he discused with his ministers how to invite the Blessed one to make a sojourn to his kingdom.According to ministers’ advice, he offered donations and invited him in spiritual terms to pay a visit to his country.
At that time, the Buddha was residing at Way-Lu-Wan monestry in Rajagriha in India. He knew in his great mind that king Sanda Thuriya was inviting him and realized that they had relationship in past lives.
Therefore, Lord Buddha accompanied with his five hundred disciples came by levitation to the Dynyawady kingdom in 123 Maha Era (554 B.C). They first landed on the top of Thaylargri (Kyauktaw) mountain located in the eastern bank of Gissapanadi (Kaladen) river.
After hearing their arrival. the king and his retinue went to see them then. The king paid his respects to Lord Buddha and invited him and his followers to stay at the palace. The great teacher and five hundred noble monks were offered with special food and soft drinks for complete seven days.The Buddha delivered sermon for the sake of the king and his people’s liberation from all sufferings. After listening to the Buddha’s doctrine, the king , the queen and noble people became “Ariyas”-holy ones.
Before the Buddha take leave of king Sanda Thuriya and his people, the king pleaded te leave the replica of him in the form of casted image for worship. The Buddha allowed to cast an image of exact likeness of him under the supervision of “Sakka” and “Withakrone”- celestial architects. The ceremony of casting the image was held in the evening of full moon day of Kason, the second month in Arakan Calender, Wednesday, 123 Maha Era. The image was casted in nine precious metals and completed in the morning of the first waning day of Kason,Thursday,123 Maha Era.
So,the people of Dynyawady and their posterity could pay worship in absence of Lord Buddha. The Buddha left Dynyawady kingdom for further destination – DawRaWady(Thandwe) by levitation.
References:
Arakan Razawon Thait Kyam by Ashin Sanda Malar Lunkara(the abbot of Taung Kyaung
monestry)
Famous Monuments Of Mrauk-U by Myar Aung
March 31, 2008
Forgotten Patriot “Ashin U Ottama”
On 28th December,1879, Ashin U Ottama was born at Rupa Quarter, Sittwe, Rakihne State. His parents are Mr.Mra and Mrs.Aung Krwa Pru. He joined the monastic order as a novice under the tutelage of abbot of Shwe Zedi Monastry in sittwe. His childhood name is Paul Tun Aung and U Ottama was his religious name.
As a Buddhist monk, he traveled to India, France, Japan, Korea, Manchuria and China. In Japan, he served as the professor of Buddhism in the university teaching Pali and Sanskrit Languages. He authored and editiored editorials and articles in “Thuriya” daily portraying nationalism. He wrote “Craddock, Get Out”, Craddock being the then governor of Burma(Myanmar) that was colonized by British.
Due to political speeches against British colonialism, he was imprisoned many times by British authorities. But he continued delivering speeches against British colonialism at the front of Burma Independence movement from 1911 to 1936. Moreover, he accelerated the Burma people’s patriotism. Suffering hardships and difficulties in the struggle for Independence, the patriot Buddhist monk passed away at the age of sixty in 1939.
At one time, the Kandawmin Park in the southern part of the Shwedagon Pagoda was named U Ottama park honoring the contributions of Ashin U Ottama .In his native town, sittwe, the park with the bronze statue of Ashin U Ottama as a memorial monument honors the contributions and achievement of the Saradaw (more formal than monk) for his unrelenting fight against British imperialism.
Unfortunately, the U Ottama Park in the southern part of Shwedagon Pagoda was renamed by the military regime after seizing power. People could not pay homage to the statue of Ashin U Ottama in the U Ottama Park in sittwe. The ruling junta are making the people forget about the contributions and gratitude of the patriot monk for the Myanmar Independence.
A State under the Suppression in Myanmar
Rakhine is one of the states of Myanmar (Burma) now and formerly known as Arakan. It was a kingdom of 16 dynasties, 234 kings and monarchical period of 5108 years. In 1784, Burmese king-Boe Daw colonized it. After ruling for about 40 years by Burma, it was occupied by English Company from India in 1824 and became a colony of Britain. Rakhine co-obtained the Independence from Britain on 4 January 1948 with other ethnic groups and was becoming one of the states of Burma.
In 1988, the military coup seized power and cracked down on the people. Over 3000 people lost their lives across the country. General Than Shwe, the successor to general Saw Maung , is ruling the country and oppressing the people. Therefore, lots of people are suffering and so do the Rakhinese people.
Rakhine state is enriched by marine products and other natural resources. The main livelihoods of the people in this state are fishing, fish farming, rice growing, etc. But, the majority people are not sufficient to live with their earnings because of inflation and sky-rocketing of commodity prices. People are not allowed to do businesses freely and they are completely controlled by local authorities. Transportation is also inconvenience and most people depend on risky and poor voyage.
Insufficient Electricity is as well another problem. Most people rely on Candle-light every night. Only Sittwe, the Capital of the Rakhine State has 2 hours electricity from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm and the rest are blackout. With this time of electricity, you can imagine how they live. Electrical appliances are given a rest. Moreover, it costs about 200 kyats per unit as 25 kyats in Yangon and this is the highest charge in Myanmar.
In fact, Rakhine State has a lot of natural gas reserves. Several gas fields have found its off-shore. Shwe Gas is one of those and experts said that it has about 4 trillion cubic feet (TCF) to 6 TCF and is worth at least 52 billions US dollars. Energy-starved neighboring countries –China, India are cooperating in this gas field to extract gas and import to their own countries. But, local people especially Rakhinese people have no chances to benefit from this. Besides, they are suffering a lot and getting poorer than poorer day after day.
Waters are restricted to search for gas, so fishermen are facing difficulties to catch fish. Although the regime can supply electricity with some gas or other means such as building hydroelectric plant, they have not done yet. There are so many rivers, creeks and “Sai Daung ” waterfall in Rakhine State.
So, it is cleared that Military Juntas will be using the profits from this gas exploitation for strengthening their power and self-interests. In my opinion, they should be kept as they are for the moment. If the military government were over, we- all the people in Myanmar would share them for our development.
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