Dr. Nyunt Wai wrote : I’m no painter or a poet. Just occasional excursions to these fields. And I’m not a visiting Professor. Had to apply for this job in Malaysia just like any other expatriate from India or Bangladesh. So I’m no 3 “P”s. This reminds me of “No 3 P policy” of the now extinct Yahoo group Alumni-Myanmar-medical-institutes founded by Saya Johnny Thane Oke Kyaw-Myint, which served well as a lively forum for us until the advent of Facebook.
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote : Yes AMIM was a tight small group of us. Those who became friends then remain now as close friends. On FB, there is short attention as well as being bombarded by posts that we have no interest in.
The following post contains excerpts from my long article (posted on April 15, 2020 and updated daily through April 30, 2020). It also contains some additional material.
U Tin U & FamilyPeter, Win Mar & Min KoPeter & Ye MyintPeter & Win MarU Tin U, Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt & relativesRoyal Berkshire HospitalMin Ko’s weddingPeter, Win Mar & Min KoYoung PeterPeter, Aye Aye, Ye MyintU Tin U & family
The Beginning
January 1958
Peter (Dr. Khin Tun) became the first born child of U Tin U and Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt (Cherry Tin Gyi).
Like his grandfather and father, Peter became the Eldest Son in his family.
Like his grand parents who won Prizes for the Horticulture Show, Peter would also enjoy gardening.
Peter would later have a younger sister Aye Aye Khin and a younger brother Dr. Ye Myint.
Snapshot of Peter’s Life
1973
After finishing 10th standard examination, Peter entered a meditation retreat at Chan Myei monastery.
Matriculated from St. Augustine’s High School with four distinctions. Stood 23rd in the whole of Burma. Received Collegiate Scholarship.
Admitted to the Institute of Medicine (1).
1980s
Received MBBS in 1981.
Worked for Rangoon Children Hospital and Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint (Pediatrician).
Collected and analyzed data for UNICEF projects including Perinatal Survey with his colleagues (e.g. Dr. Pe Thet Khin)
Found Win Mar, a beautiful school teacher, as his love life.
Moved to Mezaligone and did private practice (often receiving little or no money from cash-strapped patients).
1990s
Some friends suggested Peter to study for MRCP in the UK.
Peter hosted nine friends for group study at his parent’s house.
With Ye Myint’s sponsorship, Peter moved to UK in 1994. (See Ye Myint’s speech for details).
2000s
Worked for Royal Berkeley Hospital
Promoted to Associate Specialist for Neuro and Rehabilitation
Served as Associate Dean of Oxford University
September 2017
In September 2017, he and Win Mar hosted us. Both cooked delicious meals every day. They showed us around. They drove us to Wales to see my high school friend Maung Maung Kyi.
2019
U Tin U (Peter’s father) celebrated his 90th Birthday.
Details of Peter’s life is recorded in the Photo Album for his father’s 90th Birthday Celebrations. The URL is provided by his uncle U Tin Htoon
Dr. Daw Khin Nyunt (Peter’s mother) passed away a few months before her 89th Birthday.
February 2020
Peter and family went to New Zealand to celebrate Min Ko’s birthday and wedding.
Ye Myint and family stopped over in Sydney, Australia to have gatherings with the relatives.
Peter skipped the visit to Australia, because he wanted to be back at the hospital and enable his junior staff members to take leave.
March 2020
On March 25, 2020, he said there were COVID-19 cases in London and Birmingham but not much in Reading. He showered twice daily as a precaution.
He said he was elated with his trip to NZ in February 2020. He enjoyed entertaining his aunt (Dr. Ruby) and his uncle (U Tin Htoon). He mentioned that his father (U Tin U) might finally have a Great Grandchild.
April 2020
Peter got infected with COVID-19 from one of his patients.
Five of his patients tested positive.
He was hospitalized.
His health deteriorated.
He passed away on April 13, 2020 (Easter Monday).
His Last Journey took place on April 30, 2020.
Peter’s Parents
U Tin U and Siblings
U Tin U
U Ba Than
Dr. Daw Win Hlaing (Ruby)
Daw Myint Thwe (Betty)
Dr. Myo Tint
U Tin Htoon
U Myo Min
U Thaung Lwin
Daw Cho Cho Hlaing
U Tin U
U Tin U is the eldest of nine siblings. He matriculated from St. John’s Diocesan in 1946 and attended Rangoon University. He joined Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) and became Captain and Gold in 1948.
He studied BSCE at Oregon State University and MSCE at Yale University. Upon his return he worked for Clark and Grieg (eventually becoming a Director) and also taught part-time at the Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University. He later worked as Consultant for InterKiln and “Bogyi Kyu Kyaw’s Group of Architects and Engineers.” He served as Secretary of Burma Civil Engineers Society, and as Captain of Rangoon Golf Club (RGc). He stayed active by playing golf, doing gardening and have a daily dose of whiskey as medicine.
He celebrated his 90th birthday in August 2019. U Tin Htoon compiled U Tin U’s accomplishments and photos into a book as a birthday present. The book also contains photos and information about U Tin U’s children.
U Tin U also gave interviews
about his days as Captain of the Rangoon Golf Club
to Saya U Soe Paing for the HMEE (History of Myanmar Engineering Education) project
to Min Ko (Peter’s elder son) about his early days in Burma and in the US.
Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt (Cherry Tin Gyi) and Siblings
U Sway Tin
Laura
Sarah
Lynn
Icy
Margaret
U Myo Kyaw
Olga
Cherry
Min Ko also interviewed his grandmother, who recounted her early school days in India and the sad loss of her father U Tin Gyi. After the war, she returned to Burma and continued schooling until she graduated from the Medical School.
She worked as Demonstrator at the School, and later joined the Nutrition Research Division of BMRI. She did her postgraduate Diploma in the UK.
Peter inherited the joy of cooking and entertaining relatives and friends with gourmet food. Peter compiled the recipes of my father and several aunts.
She and Peter had birthdays in January. They would jointly offer dana / requisites usually at Chan Myei Monastery (where Peter learned meditation after he finished his 10th standard examination).
She passed away late last year (2019) a few months before she turned 89.
Peter would join her a few months later at the tender age of 62.
Peter and Siblings
Peter Spouse : Win Mar Sons : Min Ko (Michael Tun) and Ye Lay (Will Tun)
Aye Aye Khin Spouse : Tin Tun Daughters : Thin Thiri Tun (Honey) and Khin Sandy Tun
Ye Myint Spouse : San San Aye Daughter : Aye Sanda (Jess Myint)
Win Mar
Our host
During our visit to UK, Win Mar recounted the story of how she and Peter met, their life in Mezaligone, the brief period when Peter moved to study in the UK, and the days when the family reunited in UK.
Mezaligone
Win Mar hails from Mezaligone. She knows Htein Linn (Artist, Prisoner of Conscience) and family. She hosted Htein Linn’s sister Hla Hla Htay at her house in Reading.
Post by Vicky Bowman, former UK Ambassador to Myanmar
Another foreign born NHS worker died of CoViD yesterday, in Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where he worked as a rehab specialist, adding to the toll.
But more importantly, Dr Peter Khin Tun was once the much loved doctor of the cooperative medical clinic in Mezaligon, Htein Lin’s village. He was particularly known for deworming any patient who crossed the threshold of the clinic for whatever reason.
Worms in Myanmar are ‘than’, သန်. Peter became known locally in Mezaligon as the than-amat သန်အမတ် (amat means high official, and than-amat is an Ambassador).
He married local school teacher-cum-nurse Ma Win Mar. We feel so sad for her and their two sons.
In the post I have shared you can see him and Win Mar showing my sister in law Hla Hla Htay, around Windsor. She was doubtless de-wormed at some point by him, before she followed in Win Mar’s footsteps and became a teacher in the village.
Win Mar got infected by COVID-19. She was hospitalized. She recovered and was discharged on April 29, 2020. She attended Peter’s Last Journey on April 30, 2020.
We managed to phone Win Mar before she was hospitalized. She and Peter hosted us during our visit to the UK a few years back. They cooked sumptuous meals daily. Peter drove us to Ogmore-by-the-sea in Wales to see my high school friend Maung Maung Kyi (who also was a Best Man at my wedding).
Min Ko (Michael Tun)
Contributions by Min Ko
Interview of U Tin U
Interview of Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt
Phone conversation with Peter (about the days at Mezaligone)
Several posts about Peter
Providing Peter’s emails to the Media
Interviews with BBC and Newspapers
Caused Royal Berkshire Hospital to launch a formal inquiry about Peter’s demise
Handled legal and financial matters related to Peter
Video conferences for Peter’s final day and the Last Journey
Emotional farewell to Peter
Pru posted a message for Peter
Memories of Min Ko
Min Ko shared Dr. Peter’s wonderful, precious life in Meizaligone, a village in Henzada District, Irrawaddy Division.
Since the clinic was at the house, the family members were woken up early by villagers lining up to get water from the tube well.
Peter’s clinic opened from 6AM to late at night seven days a week.
Peter treated sick villagers with CETANA, some free of charge, and some were given cash assistance to go to Hospital in Big Towns.
Once a month Peter invited neighbors to have meals in the house.
Peter had an old car and learned how to do repairs.
Min Ko then read a letter written to his father and had to pause occasionally to wipe the tears. He promised to take care of the family.
Michael Tun’s sad thoughts (following Peter’s demise)
My dad Dr Peter Tun died from COVID19 because of the lack of PPE.
My hope in writing this is that it will save more doctors and nurses lives and avoid pain for their families. My dad would have wanted to speak up if he thought it would save lives.
I spoke to my dad the day that he found out there was someone who was positive for COVID19 in his ward. My dad told me that he had earlier complained to a manager because they took PPE away from his ward to take somewhere else. He was told that if there was a case, they would bring it back. He had replied that it would be TOO LATE. The last he told me, there were 4 more positive patients with no symptoms. 2 weeks later, my dad passed away and I couldn’t do anything.
Please do everything to protect the doctors and nurses. They go in scared for themselves and their families. They did not get into the profession to die a hero in battle. This is why he was a superhero to us. He was scared and still went in to help strangers completely knowing the risk. The pain for the families is unbearable. He was afraid that he would give this to my mum and now she is in hospital also waiting for her test results. The thought that if only he had had a proper protective mask, he might still have been able to enjoy his hard earned retirement after a lifetime of service just kills me.
I hope this won’t cause distress or take attention away from the need to help people but we need to also protect the people trying to protect us. We couldn’t protect my dad so I want to help protect everyone else who is in the same position that he was. Thank you for everything to all the heroes.
There will never be the right words but thank you for your kindness, good humour and your selfless acts of service. I will remember your great story telling, you telling me the recipes of your favourite dishes, planting flowers in your garden together In Reading and how beloved and respected you were by so many different people. Your spirit is already in both of your sons and it will continue to live on through them.
Here we are 8.5 weeks ago in NZ during our Buddhist wedding ceremony where you stood by our side and celebrated with us and now we will celebrate you and will ensure that your legacy lives on.
Note :
Min Ko and Prudence held their engagement party at Winner Inn in Yangon. Peter invited us to the party.
Their wedding was held in New Zealand.
Memories by Ye Lay (Will Tun)
“Pe Pe Ko Chit Tae“. [ I love you, Dad]
Ye Lay thanked his father Peter for the wonderful things that he had learned. In particular, the chanting “I take refuge in the Triple Gems”. He recited to Peter at the hospital.
He sang an old Scottish ballad “Loch Lomond“. He remembered Peter taking Chan Myei Sayadaw to Loch Lomond.
By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond Where we two have passed so many blithesome days On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
[Refrain] O ye’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye But me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
I mind where we parted on yon shady glen On the steep, steep side o’ Ben Lomond Where in purple hue, the Heiland hills we view And the moon shinin’ out from the gloamin’
Ye Lay studied at St Andrew’s in Scotland for his second Masters. His parents attended his graduation.
He ended by reciting
“Buddham saranam gaccha mi. [I take refuge in the Buddha]. Dhammam saranan gaccha mi. [I take refuge in the Dhamma]. Sangham saranam gaccha mi. [I take refuge in the Sangha].
Contributions by Ye Lay
Posts and Farewell speech
Sang songs / ballads to Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt
Sang “Loch Lomond” at Peter’s Last Journey
Was my guide to Oxford University
Dana by Aye Aye Khin (sister) and Dr. Ye Myint (brother)
On behalf of Peter’s family, Aye Aye Khin (sister) offered requisites to Sayadaw U Thawbita (Chan Myei) in Yangon.
Offerings were also made by U Ba Than (uncle) and Daw Mya Mya (GBNF), Ye Than (cousin) and family, U Myo Myint and Daw Tin Tin Win, Dr. Khin Win Myint, Aung Thu and Khin Myat Naing, Myo Tin and Dr. Khine Zin Oo.
Aye Aye Khin (Peter’s sister) wrote :
Listen to sayardaw u thaw bi ta’s Tayar. You can hear $ donation of Tina / Dr. Win Marla (Aunty Olga’s daughter); Kyi Kyi Han (Aunty Icy’s daughter) & Maung Maung Tin (Aunty Olga’s son).
and also Thingan and Nawkama by Cho Cho Hlaing (aunt) AyeAye Khin (sister), Ko Tin Tun and daughters
5 Thingun donate from (Ko Tin Tun’s cousin) Susi Sein; Ohnmar Sein & Sayarlay Nwe Ni Sein
Contributions by Aye Aye Khin and family
Took care of U Tin U and Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt
Organized dana for Peter Donations by relatives
Thin Thiri posted a video of Peter’s Last Journey
Memories by Dr. Ye Myint (Recording played at Peter’s Last Journey)
Firstly I would like to thank you all for being here.
Thanks to all those who shared their good memories of my beloved brother. The family appreciates your kind thoughts and prayers.
It is a great honour to be able to share my memories, and talk about my big brother Peter, who will forever remain in our hearts.
My kindhearted brother spent his life caring not only for patients, but relatives, friends and acquaintances. He gave up his life in the line of duty. He will be missed by all.
Peter, my sister and I were very privileged to grow up together in one large family estate. We were very close sharing the same room and being together daily.
He set a high bar for us intellectually and socially. Due to his high intellect, he got double promotion twice and skipped 2 years.
He matriculated with four distinctions. He stood 23rd in the whole of Burma and was awarded a University Scholarship. He was admitted to the Rangoon University of Medicine, which I also attended. He supported me to become a good compassionate doctor like himself.
He stayed fit by taking part in many sports : football, badminton, cycling and rowing. He was the university selected athlete for Shot put and Discus throwing.
He started cooking as a teenager and learnt many recipes from our mother and continued this lifelong hobby. He was a very good artist and created large paintings as well as water coloured Christmas cards. He was also a very keen gardener and read various books. He had great general knowledge and many called him a walking encyclopaedia.
After he qualified as a doctor, he worked as a UNICEF research officer for mother and child health in Hlegu where he met his future wife Ma Win Mar. After they fell in love he decided to move to Mezligone. I accompanied him on this trip there and helped to set up a new medical clinic. He worked there daily for 11 years where he was relied upon by his patients even out of hours.
I sponsored him to move to UK in 1994 to help progress his medical career. He lived with us until he got his first job in Burton-on-Trent. He got his second job in Pontefract and arranged for his family to relocate to the UK to join him. We were lucky to live only 20 minutes drive away so had nice weekly reunions which made our families even closer.
He then moved to London for rehabilitation medicine training after he passed his MRCP examinations and then moved to Reading 21 years ago working as an associate specialist. Peter has helped many Doctors coming to the UK for further studies where he gave valuable advice and treated them to his home cooking. He always enjoyed entertaining and cooking for family and friends.
We had regular family reunions and memorable family holidays together in Devon, Italy, Burma and most recently in New Zealand. We will cherish these lovely memories together. He had such a great sense of humour and always made those around him happy with his personality and big smiles. He was remarkable in many different ways. He lived an enjoyable successful life and treated all family members, relatives and friends with loving kindness. He touched so many people as evident by the countless tributes, messages, cards and donations.
I am sure you are in a much better place, Ko Ko, after doing so many good deeds throughout your life. We will miss you greatly and always remember you with love. Thank you so much for being a loving big brother, a great Uncle to Aye Sanda, a best friend, mentor and teacher.
Donations for Peter
We donated £100 to SHEFFIELD Monastery and £50 to Manchester Monastery (fund will be sent to Myanmar to fight against COVID).
Contributions by Ye Myint and family
Liaison with ICU Doctors (during Peter’s hospitalization)
Liasion with Medical Staff (during Win Mar’s hospitalization)
Interview with BBC (Burmese Program)
Interview with BBC (English Program)
Message for Peter’s Funeral
Per suggestion from San San Aye, appealed to relatives to help alleviate the financial burden of Peter’s family members
Jess wrote two posts : one during Peter’s hospitalization and another after Peter’s demise The FB page also has reference to “Remembering Peter Tun” by the Royal Berkshire Hospital (which had 80+ entries)
From Oxford Sayadaw U Dhammasami
Dakagyi Dr Peter Khin Tun,
From now on, it will not be my priority to remember that you lived 62 years, but rather how many thousands of life you have touched and nurtured. People are remembered for what they did for others, not how long they live. Ultimately, it is your exemplary selfless service to the many that will be inscribed in many hearts. Since we came to know each other in London in 1996, you have watched proudly your two boys grow up and achieve some standing of their own. As you always wished, I will take care of them spiritually so they can serve many souls as you have. Have a good rebirth.
With metta,
Oxford Sayadaw
Jess Myint’s post after Peter’s health deteriorated
My Uncle Peter has been on a ventilator for four days after testing positive for COVID-19 2 weeks ago. He seemed to be coping well in the first week and he kept sending me pictures as reassurance. But things rapidly progressed and he was unreachable not replying back or answering calls which was very unlike him for 2 days. He was admitted to ICU and was initially stable on the ventilator but his condition has unfortunately deteriorated last night. There are many pleas but it is scary what this virus has done to people and families worldwide so please everyone take things seriously and do whatever you can to help minimize the spread of this virus any further.
Think of the doctors, nurses and NHS workers, like my Uncle that have put their lives at risk to help others and do their duty of care, even when they have not had the appropriate PPE.
Healthcare workers and anyone showing any symptoms, even mild symptoms, please isolate and do not put others at risk as they may not recover from this.
Feel so sorry and helpless for my Uncle, Aunty and cousins, who are constantly in our thoughts. I’m hoping with everyone’s prayers, Uncle’s kindness, good deeds, and Uncle’s fighting spirit he will pull through. Please come back to us Uncle Peter.
My classmate in Std VIII (A), IX (A) and X (A) at St. Paul’s High School, Rangoon.
Myo San (3rd row, 5th from left)
Stood third in Burma in the Matric of 1963 and won Collegiate Scholarship.
Myo San (Seated right)
Mastered phonetics and read lots of English books.
One would not be surprised that he scored distinctions in English, Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
A little bit older than me and that might have given him an advantage.
Gave me a quiz. “How do you pronounce GHOTI?” I gave an answer which he corrected as “FISH”. He had read George Bernard Shaw, who posed the quiz as a lesson on the eccentricity of English.
GH is phonetically equivalent to F as in ROUGH. O is phonetically equivalent to I as in WOMAN. TI is phonetically equivalent to SH as in ATTENTION. Thus, GHOTI is phonetically equivalent to FISH.
Frank, Freddie, KMU, Amy, TOKM
Became a surgeon
Stress caused him to take early retirement.
He had mini-reunion with SPHS63 classmates. In the photo, the three (seated) — Freddie, Alan and Tin Tun — are now GBNF.
I arrived in Mongton (Different spellings: Mongtong, Mongtung, Mai Tone, Maing Ton) safe and sound, though weary from the long day’s journey at the end of August or in September 1962. MA Mr Mahmood and Warrant Officer Nyunt Maung came to 5th Buregt Officers Mess at Mongton and welcomed me. They said, ”Tat-Hmu (Commanding Officer), your house is ready for you in the hospital compound. We have even spread the bed sheet over the bed and everything is ready. Please move to your house today.” “OK, then. Ask your Yebaws (Soldiers) to carry my suitcases to my house “, I said and saluted Major Tin Shwe saying, “Thank you, Major. I won’t be staying in your Mess, but I’ll come back for the company.” I then followed my two Assistants to my house in the hospital compound. It was just about 5 minutes walk. I was thus settled in No. 7 Field Hospital as the Officer Commanding and General Duty Medical Officer (GDMO) for the Mongton Station, both for the army as well as for the civilians.
Mongton
It was a small Shan town in the Eastern Shan State situated east of the Salween River in the Kengtung District in our times, now part of the Mongsat (Monghsat) District. It was composed of about a few hundred households, maybe about 300 to 500 in the 1960s. It’s about 50 to 60 miles from the Thai-Burma Border Boundary Post No. 1. A fair-weather road led from Mongton to Ponparkyin (Poongparkheng) about 40 or 50 miles away. The latter was only 9 miles away from the border post (Stone Pillar) and a road led directly to Chiang Mai in Thailand. There was a small village called Monghan (Monywang) on the way. There were two or three old Buddhist Cedi (Pagodas) to mark the march of Burmese troops to Siam(Thailand) during the reign of King Sinbyushin in the 18th century.Mongton is situated on flat land beside a stream called Nam Yin Stream. There were water mills on the stream and scores of paddy fields fed by the stream beside it. High mountains walled the city almost on three sides except the southeast. It’s a valley and it was very hot during summer from March to June. It also rained very heavily during the rainy season from June to October. Winter was not so cold.During my time in Mongton, about 200 Thais came to work for the timber mill to build a multimillion-dollar project of military barracks and offices. Brigadier-General Aung Gyi used to visit Mongton to see the development there. A civilian hospital and a primary school were already built-in Mongton for the people of Mongton although no civilian doctor was posted yet. The people were mostly Shan plus a few Lahu. Affordable people from Mongton sent their children to schools in Mongpan, Mongnai and Loilem, mostly to Loilem as there was a Saint Anne Convent High School in Liolem. Captain Ko Lay who welcomed me at Mongsat and escorted me to Mongton married a belle from Mongton. She was a school teacher there.
No. 7 Field Hospital
It was established to look after the health of army personnel in the Mongton, Mongsat region after repulsing the KMT forces from the area in the early 1950s. Captain Maung Thin or Captain Eddie Miller was the first to serve there alone. Maung Thin looked after the army personnel as well as the civilians there for over three years alone away from his family that was left behind in Burmaproper. He asked for transfer back to Burma, but there was no one to take his place. He was so depressed that he shot himself and got injured in the abdomen. Only then he was airlifted to Maymyo BMH and transferred. “Was his wound serious?” I asked Major Kyaw Nyunt who told me about him. “Of course No. It was a self-inflicted wound and I had to replace him”, Major Kyaw Nyunt told me. He was also left for about two years after which he was replaced by Captain Aung Khine who was again replaced after 3 years by Captain Mya Thaw. He was now in Mandalay on temporary duty and I was replacing him. Captain Mya Thaw had been here for more than 3 years. He used to visit his wife in Mandalay once every year on his own order as he was the Officer Commanding the No. 7 Field Hospital. I was to inherit this hospital from him to be transferred to the No. 232 Medical Battalion. I remember he wrote Dr Gordon Seagrave’s words in his office as follows:“In a hospital as in an army, orders must be explained and they must be followed to the letter. Only then would the hospital discipline and functions be properly performed…”(This may not be the exact words, but it carries this sense or meaning.)The No. 7 Field Hospital had a medical Commanding Officer with one medical assistant (MA) under him. There was a Staff Nurse and midwife for women patients attached from the civil hospital. There were male nursing assistants altogether numbering about a dozen or so. On the administrative side there were a Warrant Officer (WO II) and a Sergeant-Clerk (SC), the WO looked after the soldiers guarding the hospital and doing the regimental duties whereas the SC did the office works with a few assistants. There were about 32 or 33 people, sometimes up to 40 for special occasions, serving the whole hospital. It was well equipped for emergency medical and surgical needs in the front line, but there was no provision for women and children’s health. It’s up to the medical officer to decide and deliver. There were about 25 beds for in-patients, an operating theatre, a mortuary, a medical store and a mess or common room for all. It was not bad for a front line hospital to work. I was the boss of everything there; just that I must work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; no company, no colleagues, no club, no girlfriend or wife.
Former medical officers in charge of the No. 7 Field Hospital in Mongton:
(1) Captain, later Major Tin Oo M.B., B.S. (Rgn), DTM&H (London), ZeyakyawHtin, Thiripyanchi, Mentioned in Dispatches under Brigadier Kyaw Zaw
(2) Captain Maung Maung Thin LMP, Movie Actor Maung Thin, National Literary Prize Winner for Short Stories
(3) Captain, later Lt-Colonel Eddie Miller M.B.,B.S.(Rgn), DTCD (Wales)
(4) Captain, later Colonel Kyaw Nyunt M.B.,B.S.(Rgn) Director of Medical Services, Burma Army
(5) Captain later Colonel Aung Khaing M.B., B.S. (Rgn) C No.131 Medical Battalion Mandalay
(6) Captain Mya Thaw later Colonel,M.B.,B.S.(Rgn)
(7) Captain later Major Professor Maung Maung Nyo M.B., B.S.(Rgn), Ph.D.(London), M.A.(Michigan State), M.D., FOMERAD (USA)
My Routines at the Hospital
I always woke up at about 6.00 AM and did the morning exercise mostly skipping and push-ups for about half an hour. Then I took a shower and breakfast prepared by a batman, mostly fried rice or Mohinga and coffee. Sometimes I ate Shan noodle or Htamin-Chin (Shan Sour Rice), but I avoided eating uncooked food like Shan Pickled Pork.(Once, the Thai contractors hosted the Burmese military officers to enjoy Ranong Dance and drinks. They fed us with foods that included Wet-Tha-Chin (Pickled Pork) to be eaten raw. Many people suffered from diarrhea the next day and I had to treat them, some with intravenous drips and chloramphenicol. I was fortunate that I did not eat it.)Then, I changed into military uniform, took my stethoscope and went to the hospital OPD ( Called Medical Inspection Room, MI Room in the Army Parlance). I would see the patients from 8.00 AM to 10.00 AM. I would admit serious cases, mostly high fevers or injuries and gunshot wounds. Then, I would see the patients already admitted to the hospital, mostly medical ones. Only a few surgical cases were there. Then I would go to the adjacent Hospital Office to look after the numbers or accounts- admissions, discharges, rations, pays, expenditure, soldiers’ leaves and so on. I would write necessary report that ranged from daily to yearly reports etc. Or I may have to write emergency report asked by the higher authorities and Eastern Command.From 12.00 noon or so I went back to my house, took lunch prepared by my batman. It included the hospital food to check and my own personal meal cooked by the Hospital Kitchen. We were provided with 4 cooks capable of cooking first-class European Food or Byriani (Dan-Pauk). Then I would walk to the 5th Buregt Officers Mess and had a game of billiards. Sometimes they asked me to join them for lunch if I had not already eaten. At about 2.00 PM I did minor operations in the operating theatre like draining of abscess, setting a fracture, removing the cyst, removing a bullet from the gunshot wounds etc. I also made a detailed examination and history writing of the patients admitted in the morning. New patients were seen at all times.I came back from the hospital at about 4.00 PM, rested for about half an hour, changed for shorts and canvas shoes and then played volleyball with Yebaws in the hospital compound. I usually gave a bottle of lime juice about 2.50 Kyat per bottle to share with all the players after the game. Then, I would take a shower, walked in the town with infantry officers if they were going or rested in my house and had dinner. I did not drink at that time. At night I read or went to the 5th Buregt Officers Mess and played billiards. I would stop my game and went to the hospital for any patient coming as I was on 24 hours duty a day. I was fully occupied throughout the day until I went to sleep at 10.00 PM or later. The hospital had its own generator for electrical supply from 6.00 PM to 10.00 PM every night regularly. The generator started again if there was any patient or operation at night. The whole town had no electrical supply. All the town refrigerators were run by kerosene oil until I left in 1963. But, they made ice creams to sell!Visit to Thai-Burma BorderOne day, Major Tin Shwe asked me,” Saya, do you like to see the Thai-Burma Boundary near Pon Par Kyin? We’re going there.” “Yes, I wish to. But who would look after the hospital?” I answered.” Don’t worry. It’s only for a week. Your MA can look after it very well. He was looking after it before you were here. Captain Mya Thaw used to leave like this. Come along. It’s a rare opportunity.” Thus I happened to visit the Thai-Burma Boundary Marker near Pon Par Kyin. I followed the footsteps of the old Burmese soldiers from Anyar (Upper Burma) marching to Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya in the 18thcentury.It was the end of Monsoon and we’re marching south from Mongton. As usual, we rode the Dodge Jeep that was sturdy and roadworthy. We had a company of troops to escort us. I was wearing the beret cap with bright insignia and my epaulets bore bright copper bars indicating my rank. “Saya, take off your beret cap and wear this one. And remove your brass bars from your epaulets”, so saying Major Tin Shwe gave me a field hat without any bright emblems, and I changed my cap. I loosened the epaulets and let them fall over my shoulders. Suddenly there were no more shining objects visible on me.“That’s better. Those shining objects attract attention from the snipers. We also will disembark from the Dodge and walk on foot for now to prevent ambush. Don’t worry. I have sent scouts ahead of our convoy”, Major Tin Shwe told me. He was a valiant soldier fighting the insurgents in Arakan, Tavoy and Pegu Yoma before being sent here. He was awarded a Thura Title (Military Cross for Valour) for defeating the Karen insurgents in the Tenasserim Division. He led a company of 100 soldiers in attacking the Karen stronghold well protected by big guns and hundreds of soldiers. He conquered them with a loss of one soldier and a few injuries to the dozen deaths and many wounded of the enemy. The KNDO retreated in this battle. He was an Arakanese having joined the Burma Army since the Japanese Occupation of Burma.Near Monghan, we met some UMP (Union Military Police) troops going from Monghan to Mongton. A UMP Captain saluted us and said,” We had a fight with SSA (Shan State Army) troops just now. No one was injured and they fled. That’s why we are walking. Don’t worry Bohmu, we have just cleared the area of Shan rebels. I salute you”. We acknowledged his report by smiling and waving our hands. The UMP troops were an independent paramilitary unit at the time and soon to be absorbed into the Burma Army.We stopped near a Cedi (Pagoda) marking the march of old Burmese troops to Chiang Mai. This cedi was of the Konbaung type and it was ruined, but we could easily discern all its marks, paintings and writings. There was a stream near by and Major Tin Shwe said,” Look! Saya. The old Burmese Army was full of wisdom. They camped near the stream where water was easily available. In our times we camped straddling the stream. See it at Monghan camp.” It’s true the Monghan Army Camp was built over the Monghan stream, fencing a large area on either side of the stream, building necessary bunkers and huts to accommodate about 30 soldiers (a Platoon). The Monghan platoon commander welcomed us warmly by saluting Major Tin Shwe and me. He fed us with steamed glutinous rice, fried vegetables and chicken. I examined his troops and gave the necessary treatment. I injected all of them with TAB vaccine, Tetanus Toxoid or DTPP vaccine. I distributed multivitamin tablets as a morale booster. The BPI’s green multivitamin tablets were sent to me in thousands at the time. I also deliver choloroquine and Pyrimethamine or Fansidar tablets to prevent and treat malaria that was rampant in the region. I incised two soldiers who had septic abscess from hunting. The whole camp was happy with our visit.We moved on after about two hours in Monghan to Pon Par Kyin. Captain Kyin Saing came to us at the half way to welcome us. Major Tin Shwe was well liked by his officers and men in the 5th Buregt having spent his life with the battalion for over a decade. Captain Kyin Saing was a small chap about 55 Kilograms by weight and 5 foot 3 or 4 inches in height. But, he was very brave. He would defend his camp for over 5 to 7 days against the constant firing of the more numerous rebels without seeing any reinforcement or food. Ultimately he broke through the encircling insurgents with ten or fifteen men and attacked them from the camp’s outside while soldiers inside also fired. Only then the insurgents left leaving behind several of them dead. He was awarded a Thura title later.We arrived in the Pon Par Kyin military camp at about 2 or 2.30 PM. Captain Kyin Saing reserved two bunkers for us to sleep safely. Major Tin Shwe and I had two beds (Camp cots) arranged parallel in the bunker with plenty of food and drinks. He and his officers joined us until we slept. Other visitors were also well looked after. We visited the Pon Par Kyin market the next day, as it was the market day. In Shan State, each town or village had a market day on every 5th day. Only then we could see the sellers of all sorts and buyers. There would not be any people in the market on other days of the week.We saw plenty of Thai and local Shan goods and foods in the market. The Shan here could speak Thai. We saw the portrait of the Thai King adoringly kept in Shan houses.We went to the Thai-Burmese borders the next morning. It was only 9 miles away and so we took breakfast only at the border as a kind of picnic. The boundary pillar was well preserved and we took photographs. Captain Kyin Saing talked about with pride how the Burmese Military Attache in Bangkok Colonel Thein Doke saluted the Burmese Flag flying on the pole of the Boundary Pillar and at his camp in Pon Par Kyin when the latter led the Thai delegation into Burma. He led the troop in welcoming the military attaché and delegates into Pon Par Kyin and how they were impressed with his military parade. Captain Kyin Saing was half Chinese having been born and brought up in Lanmadaw in Rangoon, but he joined the Burma Army when it tried to repel the KMT troops in 1955.He was a high school graduate of the Central State High School of Lanmadaw District.I did my medical duties well in Pon Par Kyin too.
Interesting Cases and Events at Mongton
1. One day, a Lahu male about 25 years of age was brought to my OPD with a bloated face covering both eyes. He had a fever and was delirious. It had been for about 3 days now since he fell from his horse about 1 week ago. They ha paid respects to the Spirits and had taken medicine from the indigenous Shan healer without any improvement. They thought he was punished by the earth goddess (Myay Kaing) as he became incoherent and blind. I examined him thoroughly and found him to be suffering from cellulitis of the face and possible septicemia as the face was red, swollen with blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids). I found a few inflamed bruises on the shoulders and back possibly from the fall from the horse. The cervical (neck) lymph glands were also enlarged and tender. His pupils reacted to light and deep tendon reflexes were a bit brisk indicating increased neuronal reaction. I told Maung Lu, interpreter for Lahu and Shan, to tell the patient and his relatives,” It’s due to severe infection, not due to the wrath of earth goddess. I’ll give all necessary treatment now and admit the patient in the hospital for further investigation and treatment. I’ll say tomorrow if he will live that I believe.” I gave him crystalline penicillin injection immediately, applied tetracycline ointment to his eyes, cleaned and dressed the wounds, gave Piriton injection and analgesics. I repeated the treatment every 4 hours and his swelling and fever subsided in about 12 hours. By the next morning he was feeling better, able to see and speak. He was discharged after 5 days. He came back to me after one month, not for any treatment, but to present me with a leg of deer he shot. I said to him” Thank you”, but did not take the leg, I gave it to the hospital kitchen to cook for patients. In Mongton, the antibiotics were very powerful as it was virgin land for those potent drugs. The people had never been exposed to the drugs.2. One day, Captain Ko Lay told me whether I could see his aunt-in-law as she was suffering from Hton-Na Kyin-Na after menopause. I asked him to take her to my hospital and examined her. She was about 40 years of age, very fair, good looking, about 5 foot 4 inches in height and weighed about 100 pounds. She complained of tingling and numbness in all limbs and she was afraid that she might be suffering from leprosy. She was a religious vegetarian and ate only the white glutinous rice and mustard pickle with few soy beans salts. Naturally she was suffering from Vitamin B 1 deficiency and all 4 limbs were showing signs of peripheral neuritis. Her heart might also be affected as it was weak. I therefore told Captain Ko Lay,” It’s not leprosy. It’s due to severe Vitamin B 1 deficiency,. I’ll treat her effectively starting from now. It’ll be cured soon.” Then I gave her Aneurine Injection prepared by the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. I got them as samples. I also gave all other supportive measures like minerals and good nutrition. I dared not use B 1 Injection of BPI as it produced shock and death. Professor U Aye told us not to use it. He wrote it in the Burma Medical Journal that I kept with me. I fed her more soybeans preparation and ground nuts and to eat eggs as it’s still vegetarian. She improved in about a week. I urged her to eat meat and nuts too. She became so attractive again that a bachelor old major visited her frequently (to court her?) before I left.4. Actually, Captain Ko Lay’s first daughter was partly born (Delivered) by me. I gave Khin Than Myint a few prenatal capsules during her pregnancy and I remember doing some prenatal examination, but she did not come to me regularly, She called a traditional midwife to her home for delivery that night, but at about midnight I was informed that the labor was difficult and the baby did not come out, so requested me whether I could help. I went to their home that was only about a few minutes’ walk, found her exhausted and pale. So I gave a drip of glucose saline and examined her. The presentation was normal vertex , cervix was open, but there was no episiostomy (Incision of the birth canal). So, I did episiostomy and managed to deliver. Her first daughter came out nicely.e was the first child of Captain Ko Lay and his wife Teacher Nang Khin Than Myint of Mongton.4. Actually, Captain Ko Lay’s first daughter was partly born (Delivered) by me. I gave Khin Than Myint a few prenatal capsules during her pregnancy and I remember doing some prenatal examination, but she did not come to me regularly, She called a traditional midwife to her home for delivery that night, but at about midnight I was informed that the labour was difficult and the baby did not come out, so requested me whether I could help. I went to their home that was only about a few minutes’ walk, found her exhausted and pale. So I gave a drip of glucose saline and examined her. The presentation was normal vertex , cervix was open, but there was no episiostomy (Incision of the birth canal). So, I did episiostomy and managed to deliver. Her first daughter came out nicely.5. Another woman was not so lucky. It was about 4.00 AM in the morning and the Staff Nurse told me there was a case of difficult labor in the Naung Par Yin village close to Mongton. In fact both are continuous, Mongton was on the south side of our hospital and Naung Par Yin village was on the north side, both on the north bank of the Nang Yin Stream. I told her,” Bring her and admit her.” I then asked the corporal in charge of the generator to start the engine for lights. I examined the pregnant lady on the operating table, but I could not hear any foetal heart sounds. I asked her whether she was really pregnant, her husband vouched for it. So I put an intravenous glucose saline drip and waited. I asked my Staff Nurse to take BP and pulse every 15 minutes and to report me for anything unusual. I was reading about stillbirths and the management of difficult labor. She came to me at about 6.00AM and said, “ Bogyi, this thing came out from her.” It was a desiccated (dry) foetus (Lu Chauk). “Oh, this is a case of stillbirth, a desiccated foetus.” I walked to the operating theatre, called the husband and wife that they had good luck and would be rich as her pregnancy had terminated by delivering a Lu-Chauk to be respected and taken care of. They were happy and went away with that dry foetus. I knew how people were superstitious in Burma and Shan State.6. One afternoon I was playing billiards at the 5thBuregt Officers Mess and my MA came to inform me of the arrival of a severe case of paralysis from the Thai-Burma border, not from Pon Par Kyin, but from Mongyawn or Mekyin (?). It took about 3 days to reach Mongton. I followed him to my hospital and saw the patient on the examining couch in the OPD. He was a sergeant, about 40 years of age, single, 5 foot 8 inches in height, about 150 pounds weight and he could not move both legs. He looked a bit wasted and thin for his body. There was mild fever, the regular pulse at about 80 per minute, pale yellowish skin. He could not move right leg totally but could move left leg a little bit. I found his right buttock warm, tender and full. There were no deep reflexes on the right side. “What happened to you Saya?”, I asked. In the army, non-commissioned officers were addressed as Saya. It may mean Sergeant or Corporal. Sayagyi means a Warrant Officer. “Nothing serious happened to me. I just slipped on climbing back to the barrack one night and then I could not move the whole limbs, both sides. Are the bones broken?” “No, but I’m not sure yet. Have you got weight loss, chronic cough and night sweats before?” I asked. “No, Bogyi”, he replied. “Are you married?” “No, Bogyi.”“We don’t have an X-Ray machine here to determine bone injury. But I’ll try examining you under general anaethesia to determine the exact cause. My hunches include bone fracture, joint dislocation, TB, muscle paralysis, a septic abscess. I’m more in favor of acute abscess becoming subacute due to low-grade fever and fall. Did you take any injection in here?” “ Yes, about a few days before I fell.” I therefore put him under Pentothal (Barbiturate) drip adjusting the dosage by his body weight. I found his right buttock full of pus that I drained. I gave a lot of antibiotics to him, strepto-penicillin injection and EUSOL dressing and drainage daily. He recovered from abscess after a week, but he could not move his right leg. I, therefore, sent him to BMH, Maymyo for physiotherapy treatment and he completely recovered after two or three months. I later found out that he took intramuscular penicillin injection from his platoon medical corporal that was not aseptic. He took it as a preventive measure after visiting the Thai brothel near the Thai-Burma border. He got injection abscess after all. I had a hunch for it as my friend Dr Muriel Yi Yi Myint got it in 2ndMB class after she was injected by a friend in Mandalay.7. Once, a mother from 5th Buregt took her son to me complaining of his falling from her house Veranda while playing and now unable to move his left shoulder. He was about ten years of age, grimacing and holding his left hand with his right hand. “Are you feeling pain?” I asked him. “Yes, Bogyi”, he replied. I examined him gently but thoroughly and found the left clavicle fractured neatly. I told his mother,” He has a fractured left clavicle. There is no X-Ray to confirm it, but I’m sure of it. I can set the fracture in POP (Plaster of Paris) and he must remain in it for two months. I’ll remove the POP and check again then. Do you agree for setting the fracture by me?” She said “Yes” and I applied the POP in the figure of eight fashion after a reduction of the fracture and realignment. He could go on doing daily chores including attending the classes albeit his left upper limb was bent at elbow joint and slung from the neck by a bandaged. I removed the POP after 8 weeks and I found it to be completely healed. I met both the son and mother in DSGH again in 1969 and they said the fracture site did not give any problem and her son had been admitted to the Defence Services Academy. I was sure his clavicle had united well.8. One day a mother from the 5th Buregt took her 7 years old son to me complaining for him of difficulty in breathing and fever. I found him suffering from enlarged tonsils and also saw a white mucous patch on the tonsils. I gave antibiotics, throat gurgle and expectorants to clear his throat. I was suspecting acute tonsillitis with diphtheria, as 2 or 3 school children complained of similar symptoms in a few days. Many followed. I gave them Pencillin injection and DTPP vaccine. But the vaccine ran out and I asked for more from Rangoon Army Medical Store. It did not send more vaccines and fortunately, there was no fatality and the disease took a natural decline. I thought it was diphtheria as I saw the white or bluish membrane covering the tonsils and children cyanotic, I just gave DTPP injection and penicillin. Maybe it was just penicillin-sensitive sever acute tonsillitis. Major Saw Lwin who was in charge of the Army Medical Store at the time said later that they did not have enough DTPP vaccine and that it was the duty of the civilian Health Department to take responsibility. They informed it dutifully.9. Then, after some time in Mongton I came across cases of children having slight fever for 3 or 4 days and later they had paralysis of either upper limb or lower limb. I suspected acute poliomyelitis as it was clean cut motor paralysis involving one or two limbs after a slight fever or malaise. But I was told by Professor Dr U Myint Soe and Public Health teachers that Burmadid not have overt clinical poliomyelitis cases due to constant sub-clinical infections giving permanent immunity to the disease. Any way I treated them as cases of poliomyelitis and referred them as such to Rangoon and Mandalay. Later it was confirmed that acute monoplegic poliomyelitis did occur especially in the Shan State. I thus learned that one must always have an open mind about occurrence of common or rare diseases irrespective of what the textbooks or teachers say.10. One day at about 6.00 PM while I was going to exercise my MA came to me and said,” Bogyi, There is a patient badly injured just now. Would you please come and see?” I said “Yes” and followed him to the OPD. He was the Burmese superintendent of the Thai Timber Mill. He was bleeding profusely from the right hand covered with a blood stained cloth. He was moaning and could not answer me. “Saya Mahmood, put a dextrose saline drip now and I will examine.” So saying, I examined him. He was about 25 years of age, well built and about 5.5 feet in height. He was conscious, but suffering from severe pain. An old man of about 50 said,” Doctor, he went to the lake for fishing. We heard an explosion and he fell unconscious from it. We just carried him here immediately.” I found his blood pressure low, but the bleeding had stopped as we tied a tourniquet above the elbow. He had some blast injury on the chest and face, but not serious. I gave him an injection of Omnapon (Morphine) for pain and examined him.They used dynamite to explode in the lake and this explosion stunned the fish in the water. They caught (Netted) the fish while floating on the water. Now, his explosive compound detonated in his hand and he was injured seriously having partially cut all his five fingers of the right hand. All the fingers were dangling. “What can you do, Doctor?” the Thai-Burmese interpreter from the Thai Timber Mill asked me.” Normally, this type of injury should be treated by a hand surgeon to maintain his hand’s usefulness. For now, I will do the initial treatment by cleaning and dressing, then tying all the torn muscles. Then when they heal we could send him to Sao San Htun Hospital in Taunggyi for further treatment and appraisal. You may take him to Chiang Mai or Bangkok if you like”, I replied. “Please treat here, our company will pay for the cost”, he said. “OK”, I assured him.I cleaned and dressed him under Pentothal anesthetic drip. I tied the torn tendons and muscles taking care to be correct to perform their normal functions. I also stitched the torn blood vessels and nerves. He was given broad-spectrum antibiotic in the saline drip. Blood was given later. He recovered from injury in about two weeks, but he could not move the fingers of his right hand freely. I, therefore, suggested him to go to Sao San Htun Hospital. I wrote a reference letter to it. I asked Drs Thein Nyunt and Zaw Win to tell me what they did. The patient came back after about a month able to use his right hand. He said nothing big was done. When I passed through Taunggyi on leave Dr Thein Nyunt told me the patient’s right hand was well- healed and they just gave physiotherapy hand exercises. Dr Zaw Win congratulated me for tying the torn tendons and muscles immediately as it enhanced healing and normal functions. Dr Win Maung, the Consultant Anaesthetist, however, warned me not to use Pentothal drip for anaesthesia as it may make patient sleep forever. He advised me to use cocktail anaesthesia (A mixture of largactil, pethidine, atropine and ephedrine in dextrose saline drip) or ether in the future that I did. I was glad for the patient and for my self as being able to save a patient’s right hand. I did not take any money for treating him.
Tazaungdaing Lighting Festival
In November at the end of rainy season, people in Mongton celebrated the Tazaungdaing lighting festival. They went to the monastery and pagodas to pay homage to Buddha and submitted Swoon (Meal) to the Sanghas. At night they lighted their homes and streets. There was a public gathering in the town’s square and traditional Shan dances like legendary Keinari Keinara and Toenaya Dances were performed. Many teenagers and young adults sent Mee-Bone-Pyan (Fire balloons) to the sky. A few vendors sold Shan snacks like steamed rice, Shan noodles and fried vegetables to be taken with plain Shan tea. It’s a feast for the local people. The Shan people celebrate Tazaungdaing more than Thadingyut, more so in Taunggyi.
Good Fortune
One day in February or March 1963 Colonels Maung Maung Aung and Kyaw Sein Tun flew into Mongton airstrip that was newly built to take patients to BMH, Maymyo. They were visiting my hospital as they heard that I was doing fine and people were talking about me treating all kinds of patients. They were pleased to see the hospital, outpatients as well as inpatients. They said my hospital was comparable to any good district hospital in Burma with Civil Surgeons and more doctors and nurses. I gave them a good lunch in both English and Burmese dishes cooked by my excellent cooks. They praised the meals too. Colonel Kyaw Sein Tun looked after the transfer of non-medical staff and soldiers.Then, Colonel Maung Maung Aung told me, “Ko Nyo, I know you are popular and happy here. But I have to transfer you now to Lashio as there are some problems between the Major and Captain MO (Medical Officer) serving with him. You can fly with us in the Otter Plane after this meal.” I said, “It’s OK by me, but I’m worried for the patients and hospital.” Colonel Mya Din who had just come to command the 5th Buregt and Station Commander said,” Please leave him here for the time being as our Regiment is in the process of reorganizing amid increased enemy activities. Send his replacement first and I’ll send him to Lashio by the first flight.”
Post-amble / Envoi
I lived and worked in Mongton for about 9 or 10 months only, but I thought I was there. I gained a lot during my stay there. I remember the following:
(1) I managed a hospital on my own as an independent unit looking after all kinds of patients and diseases.
(2) I became very friendly with the infantry officers of the Burma Army and I understand their behaviors and antics due to their background, training and complexes. But they are basically good patriotic people.
(3) I have self-discipline to control my thinking and activities and I never deviate from my established goal that I to go abroad for further study. That made me indifferent to money and sex.
(4) I was promoted to Captain a few months in Mongton and people thought I was very smart. It gave me a good image among the officers. (In fact, my promotion was based on a time scale. If no crime or misdemeanor is committed you would be promoted.)
(5) I learned a lot of medicine outside the curricular teaching and I had to depend on my common sense and reading the medical literature.
(6) Captain, later Colonel Kyaw Nyunt M.B.,B.S.(Rgn) Director of Medical Services, Burma Army was a literary medic.
(7) I had self-confidence more than before for my future. That made me always cheerful.
Kamma is a Pali word meaning action or doing. In its general sense kamma means all good and bad intentional actions whether mental, verbal or physical (thoughts, words and deeds). In the Buddhist teachings, all physical (kãrya kamma), verbal (vacî kamma) and mental (mano kamma) actions are known as the three kammas. All beings perform these three kammas at all waking hours. All their work, great or small, is performed by means of these three kammas. These three kammas become inert when a person is asleep. In the case of a dead person, the three kammas cease to function as far as that body is concerned.
In its ultimate sense, kamma means all moral and immoral volition. The Buddha says: “O Bhikkhus, I declare that volition (cetanã) is kamma. Having volition, one acts by body, speech and thought” (Aînguttara Nikãya).
When any action of thought, word or body takes place, volition determines or causes its concomitants to perform their respective functions simultaneously. For this reason, volition is predominant in all actions. Involuntary, unintentional or unconscious actions, though technically deeds, do not constitute kamma, because volition, the most important factor in determining kamma, is absent. Thus, the real nature of action (kamma) of man is mental.
According to Abhidhammã, 29 types of consciousness (Citta) consisting of (i) 12 types of immoral consciousness (akusala citta) and (ii) 8 types of moral consciousness (kusala citta) from among the 54 types of mundane consciousness (kãmãvacara citta) pertaining to the sentient realm, (iii) 5 types of moral consciousness (kusala citta) pertaining to the realms of form (rüpãvacara citta or jhãnas), and (iv) 4 types of moral consciousness (kusala citta) pertaining to the formless realms (arüpãvacara citta or jhãnas), are called kamma because they have the power to produce their due effects quite automatically, independent of any external agency.
The eight types of supramundane consciousness (lokuttarã citta) are not regarded as kamma because they tend to eradicate the roots of kamma; in them, the predominant factor is wisdom (paññã) while in the mundane, it is volition (cetanã).
Inherent in kamma is the potential of producing its due effect.
Every volitional action is inevitably accompanied by its due effect just as every object is accompanied by its shadow. Kamma is action and vipãka, fruit or result, is its effect. If kamma is likened to a seed, then the fruit, arising from the tree, is vipãka, effect or result. As kamma may be good or bad, so may vipãka be good or bad. As kamma is mental, so vipãka, too, is mental; it is experienced as happiness or misery, according to the nature of the kamma seed. The concomitant material conditions may be advantageous (ãnisamsa) such as prosperity, health and longevity, or disadvantageous (ãdinava) such as poverty, ugliness, disease, short life-span, etc.
As surely as water seeks its own level, so does kamma, given opportunity, produce its inevitable result not as reward or punishment, but as an innate sequence. From a Buddhist standpoint, happiness and misery are not rewards and punishments assigned by a supernatural, omniscient power to one that has done good or evil. The sequence of action and effect is a natural law of kamma.
There are inequalities and many different destinies of human beings in the world. For example, one perishes in infancy and another lives to the age of eighty or more, one is sick and infirm and another healthy and strong, one is a millionaire and another a pauper, one is handsome and another ugly, one is brought up in luxury and another in misery, one is a genius and another a half-wit.
What is the cause of these inequalities? The Buddha’s reply is: “All living beings have actions (kamma) as their own, their inheritance, their congenital cause, their kinsman, their refuge. It is kamma that differentiates beings into low and high states” (Majjhima Nikãya).
According to Buddhism, the disparities that exist in the world are not due to blind chance. They are due, to some extent, to heredity and environment, and, to a greater extent, to kamma which includes not only the present kamma, but also the proximate or remote past kamma. While Buddhism teaches that kamma is the chief cause of inequalities in the world, it does not teach fatalism or the doctrine of pre-destination.
In the Aînguttara Nikãya, the Buddha states: “If anyone says that one must reap according to his deeds, in that case there is no religious life nor is an opportunity afforded for the entire extinction of sorrow. But if anyone says that which one reaps accords with one’s deeds, in that case there is a religious life and an opportunity afforded for the entire extinction of sorrow.”
Thus, Buddhism does not hold the view that everything is due to past kamma. Kamma is not fate. Kamma is not irrevocable destiny imposed upon us by some unknown power to which we must helplessly submit ourselves. The past influences the present but does not entirely control it, for kamma of the past as well as the present are in effect in the present. The past and present influence the future. One’s action (kamma) of a later day may modify the effects of one’s action (kamma) of a former day.
One may at any moment change for the better or for the worse. In Buddhism, therefore, man has a certain amount of free will, and there is almost every possibility to mould one’s kamma. If this were not so, what possibility would there ever be of a man’s getting free from all kamma forever. It would be perpetually self-continuing energy that could never come to an end.
What is the cause of kamma? Ignorance (avijjã), not knowing things as they truly are, is the chief cause of kamma. Dependent on ignorance arise kammic activities. Associated with ignorance is its ally, craving (tanhã), the other root cause of kamma. Evil actions are conditioned by these two causes. All good deeds of a worldling, though associated with the three wholesome roots of generosity (alobha), goodwill (adosa) and knowledge (amoha), are nevertheless regarded as kamma because the two roots of ignorance (avijjã) and craving (tanhã) are dormant in him.
Who is the doer of kamma? Who experiences the effects? Volition (cetanã) is itself the doer. Feeling (vedanã) is itself the reaper of the fruits of action. Apart from these pure mental states there is none to sow and none to reap.
Venerable Buddhaghosa writes in Visuddhimagga: “No doer is there who does the deed, Nor is there one who feels the fruit, Constituent parts alone roll on, This indeed is right discernment.”
Where is kamma? Kamma is not stored anywhere within or without the body. It is not stored somewhere in this fleeting consciousness or in any other part of the mind or the body. But dependent on mind and matter kamma rests, manifesting itself at the opportune moment. Thus, kamma is an individual force, and is transmitted from one existence to another.
Buddhism teaches that there is no permanent soul, no eternal, immortal soul that directs one’s action. So, if there is no soul, what is it that is reborn? The answer is kammic energy: the actions we have done. These actions do not disappear unless or until they have produced their effects. So each being has body and mind as a result of actions they did in the past or in the present, and thus this kammic action goes on and on.
Kamma may be classified in many ways. Kamma is classified into four kinds according to the time at which results are produced: 1. kamma that produces results in the same life-time (Ditthadhammavedaniya kamma); 2. kamma that produces results in the next life (Upapajjavedaniya kamma); 3. kamma that produces results in any one (or more) of successive births and is indefintely effective (Aparãpariyavedaniya kamma); (These first three types require auxiliary causes such as circumstances, surroundings, etc., to produce an effect.) 4. and, kamma that does not produce any result (Ahosi kamma).
The timing of the results of kamma depends upon which thought-moment is associated with the thought-processes (cittavîthi) of volition (cetanã). According to Abhidhammã one thought-process is completed at the expiration of seventeen thought-moments, consisting of seven initial thought-moments followed by seven javana states (at which point an action is judged whether it be moral or immoral, and kamma is performed) and subsequently by votthapana (determining consciousness) and two Tadãlambana (registering consciousness).
Of the seven javana thought-moments, the effect of the first javana thought-moment is the weakest in potentiality, and is manifested in this life (Ditthadhammavedaniya kamma). If it does not operate in this life, it becomes ineffective (Ahosi kamma).
The next weakest is the seventh javana thought-moment; its effect is reaped in the subsequent birth (Upapajjavedaniya kamma). This, too, becomes ineffective (Ahosi kamma) if it does not operate in the next rebirth.
The effect of the five intermediate javana thought-moments (Aparãpariyavedaniya kamma) may take place at any time in the course of one’s wanderings in life continua (Samsãrã) until the final emancipation. No person – not even the Buddha and Arahants – is exempt from this kamma.
Kamma is also classified into four kinds according to its particular function (kicca): 1. Janaka (Reproductive) kamma which conditions the next rebirth; 2. Upatthambhaka (Supportive) kamma which assists or maintains the results of already-existing kamma; 3. Upapilaka (Counteractive) kamma which suppresses or modifies the result of the reproductive kamma; and 4. Upaghãtaka (Destructive) kamma which destroys the force of existing kamma and substitutes its own resultants.
Again, it is the last (seventh) javana thought-process – Janaka (Reproductive) kamma – that determines the state of a person in his/her subsequent birth. As a rule, the last javana thought-process depends on the general conduct of a person. In exceptional cases, perhaps due to favorable or unfavorable circumstances, at the moment of death a good person may experience a bad last javana thought and a bad person a good one. The subsequent birth will be determined by this last javana thought-process, irrespective of the general conduct. This does not mean that the effects of the past actions are obliterated. They will, in turn, produce their inevitable results at the appropriate moment.
o assist and maintain or to weaken and obstruct the fruition of this reproductive (Janaka) kamma, another past kamma may intervene, being supportive (Upatthambhaka kamma) or counteractive (Upapilaka kamma), respectively.
The reproductive (Janaka) kamma can be totally annulled by Upaghãtaka (Destructive) kamma which is a more powerful opposing past kamma, that, seeking an opportunity, may quite unexpectedly operate; it is more powerful than the above two in that it not only obstructs but also destroys the whole force of existing kamma.
There is another classification of kamma according to the priority of effect: 1. Garuka (Weighty or serious) kamma which produces its effects for certain in the present life or in the next (On the moral side, these weighty actions are the jhanas, while on the immoral side, they are heinous crimes (ãnantariya kamma) namely, matricide, parricide, the murder of an Arahant, the wounding of the Buddha, and the creation of a schism in the Sangha); 2. Ãsanna (death proximate) kamma which is the action that one does or recollects – mentally or physically – immediately before the moment of death and it determines the conditions of the next birth; 3. Ãcinna (habitual) kamma which is action that one performs and recollects constantly, and in the absence of death-proximate kamma, produces and determines the next birth; and 4. Katattã kamma which is the last in priority of results and is the unexpended kamma of a particular being that has followed him/her through the continua of kappas (Samsãrã), and it conditions the next birth if there is none of the above kammas to operate.
Kamma is further classified according to the place in which the results are produced: (1) Immoral (akusala) kamma that produces its effects in the plane of misery: Immoral (akusala) kamma is rooted in greed (Lobha), anger (Dosa) and delusion (Moha). There are ten immoral (akusala) actions (kamma): • killing (pãnãtipãtã), • stealing (adinnãdãnã), • sexual misconduct (kãmesu micchãcãrã) {these three are committed by deed}, • lying (musãvãdã), • slandering (pisunãvãcã), • harsh language (pharusãvãcã), • frivolous talk (samphappalãpa) {these four are committed by word}, • covetousness (abhijjhã), • ill will (vyãpãda), and • false view (micchãditthi) {these three are committed by mind}. (2) Moral (kusala) kamma which produces its effects in the plane of the world of desires: There are ten moral (kusala) actions (kamma): • alms-giving (dãna), • observance of five or eight precepts (sîla), • practicing meditation (bhãvanã), • reverence (apacãyana), • service (veyyãvacca), • sharing of merit (pattidãna), • rejoicing in others’ good actions (pattãnumodanã), • hearing the doctrine (dhammasavana), • expounding the doctrine (dhammadesanã), • and, forming correct views (ditthijukamma). (3) Moral (kusala) kamma that produces its effects in the realms of form (Rupa): It is of five types, which are purely mental actions (meditation) leading to the five states of rüpa jhãna. (4) Moral (kusala) kamma which produces its effect in the formless realms: These are four types of purely mental actions (meditation) leading to four types of moral consciousness (arüpa jhãna).
Kammasakatã Sammã-ditthi: Right understanding of the truth about the fact that in the case of beings only the two things – namely, good and bad actions done by them – are their own possessions that always accompany them throughout their life continua, wherever they may wander in Samsãrã.
1. Sabbe sattã kammasakã: Only the volitional good or bad actions done by all sentient beings are their own possessions that always accompany them wherever they may wander in Samsãrã.
2. Sabbe sattã Kamma dãyãdã: All beings are the heirs of their own kamma (good or bad actions). The kamma performed by beings are always theirs in their future existences. Only Kamma is inherited by beings. The effects of one’s kamma always accompany one in many existences yielding good or bad results at the opportune moments. One can never get rid of that kamma, but one has to enjoy or suffer its results under appropriate circumstances.
3. Sabbe sattã Kamma yoni: All beings are the descendants of their own kamma. With regard to the present good and evil results, one’s own kamma performed in the present existence with wisdom and knowledge or otherwise as well as one’s own wholesome kamma such as alms-giving, morality, etc., and unwholesome kamma such as killing beings, etc., performed in past existences are the primary causes (parents) of good and evil results.
4. Sabbe sattã Kamma bandhü: Kamma alone is the real relative that all beings can rely on through their life continua in Samsãrã. Parents, brothers, relatives, etc, whom we love and rely upon, can be loved and relied upon for only a short period, i.e., before our death. One’s own physical, verbal and mental kamma are one’s constant companions who accompany one in future existences, wholesome kamma giving happiness and prosperity. Thus, one’s wholesome kamma alone is one’s real relative who should be esteemed and relied upon.
5. Sabbe sattã Kamma patisaranã: Kamma alone is the real refuge of all beings. Here, refuge means reliance upon or taking shelter for protection against troubles and dangers. Unwholesome kamma will lead one to be reborn to the lower world where one has to suffer grievously. Performing wholesome kamma will lead one to be reborn as a man or deva, and save him from the lower worlds in the future existences.
In Buddhism, there are four kinds of taking refuge for the future: (i) taking refuge in the Buddha, (ii) taking refuge in the Dhamma, (iii) taking refuge in the Sangha, and (iv) taking refuge in one’s own wholesome kamma.
This is explained by the following example. All worldlings who indulge in sensual pleasures resemble sick persons who, to be cured, would take refuge in the chief physician (the Buddha), in good medicines (the Dhamma), in the assistant physicians (the Sangha) and in following the physician’s directions (physical, verbal and mental wholesome kamma).
The three refuges, Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, exist only during the Buddhasãsana. They do not exist outside the Buddhasãsana.
The refuge of wholesome kamma exists both within and outside the Buddhasãsana. We can never be free from kamma that is operating all the time in this universe as well as in other innumerable universes. For this reason, kamma is our refuge throughout our life-continua in Samsãrã.
6. Yam kammam karissanti kilayãnam vã pãpakam vã tassa kammassa dãyãdã bhavissanti: Whatever good or bad actions are done by beings bodily, verbally or mentally, they become the heirs of their kamma.
“Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back. Sometimes it is only in your head. Sometimes it is right alongside their beds.”
At the end of his book “Tuesdays with Morrie”, Mitch Albom wrote the above about his teacher, Morrie Schwatz, his professor of sociology in Brandeis. I am sure that Ko Nyunt Thein who asks me to write about Ah Ba will agree that the words can be said of Ah Ba U Hla Myint who passed away yesterday. Like Prof. Schwartz, Ah Ba had or must have seen each and every student that he had taught as “precious things” that he could polish to a “proud shine”.
Ko Nyunt Thein and I are among thousands of doctors who were fortunate to be polished by Ah Ba in many ways. While Ko Nyunt Thein was able to be “alongside” Ah Ba’s bed till the last day of Ah Ba’s life, I can close my eyes, and in my head and in my memories of saya, I know I would never be lost because of what Saya taught me and made me to be who I am .
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May I tell the readers a few anecdotes that would make them understand the various aspects of saya:
“Put their names on HPD list”
“Sister Florence, make sure their names are on the high protein diet list every day. And tell U Gyi Hla, to make sure that they eat”. Sister Florence was his ward sister for many years, U Gyi Hla was responsible for getting the prescribed diets from the hospital kitchen and give it out to each patient . And “their names” meant the names of Ko Myo Myint and myself.
I might have mentioned to some that the two of us literally lived in Ah Ba’s wards from April 1964 onwards, and for myself, from then till November 1970 when I moved to Children’s hospital for my paediatrics training. Saya Bobby, with Ah Ba’s agreement, had given us this little room which used to be the “ECG room” to live in, while we were learning from both of them. Ah Ba asked me one day, coming into the room where I was studying and said,” I should have asked you before. What are you doing for your meals?” I replied, “If we have time, we go to Latha Lan or 19th. Street for food (this was the cheap affordable roadside food eaten by med students and interns)”. “This wouldn’t do!” saya said and turned away calling for Sister. That was how we remained on Wards 5 & 6 High Protein Diet for about three years.
This was in the really good days when there was no “ko htu ko hta ကိုယ်ထူကိုယ်ထ” i.e self help or “sa zeit hmya pay စရိတ်မျှပေး” cost sharing as it was now. All the patients’ needs, from linen, mosquito nets, food, medicines were all provided free of charge by the hospital.
And being on HPD, we got a jug of milk, two toasts, two boiled eggs for breakfast, and a meat of our choice together with veggies on the side, either a fruit or a portion of a custard pie as dessert! Talk about eating in style.
The only complaints came from the interns, our seniors: they had to write up the diet sheet every night making sure that the right diet be asked for each patient, by name and bed number. And some literally got “pissed off” (pardon my French!) to have to add our names to the list every night!
Was Saya wrong in doing this? No, saya was just caring for us and making sure that we ate and ate well!!!
“Shit Gyi Kho Par Yae, Ta gar pwint pae bar”
(For goodness sake, please open the door)
This was the time when junior doctors could not afford to own cars. At that time, there were about a dozen doctors senior to me who had already passed the selection examinations and were being trained in RGH. Only Ma Ma Thelma who could drive herself and Ah Ko Thein Han who had a driver, could be in time every day. The other three, Ko Harry, Ko Sein Oo and Ko Ko Hla, posted to our wards came by bus, buses that they had to take after a long walk from where they lived to the bus station on the nearest main roads. And with the erratic bus schedules and crowded buses, they were often just a few minutes late. But, by Ah Ba’s rules, every entrance must be closed and locked by 8.00am. and nobody could enter the ward when Ah Ba did his rounds.
The “shit gyi kho pa yae.. ..” was a common refrain that we could hear from my three elder brothers, making a plea with the ward boy to let them in. And of course, the ward boy would never dare to go against saya’s orders.
Many ploys were tried: going up one story up to the surgical wards and coming down by the stairs pretending to be busy at the other end or returning from a surgical referral; coming up to the way that dead bodies were carried down to the mortuary through the basement; going around towards Lanmadaw, climbed to the X-ray department, got an old X-ray to pretend that you were fetching an urgent X-ray – with Ah Ba, none would work. You got caught by Ah Ba and Ah Ba kept on closing every entrance!
Ko Tin Maung Htun who lived in the AS quarters across the street and for me living in the ward, we escaped the scolding and enjoyed the discomfort of our seniors!
“No, saya, it wasn’t me, it was Shwe Shwe”
One essential duty before Ah Ba saw patients was what we called “the cheroot rounds”. We had many cases of Cor Pulmonale (COPD) cases all the time in the wards. Many were heavy smokers of cheroots. We had to do one round to check their bedside lockers that the cheroots were either not there or at least well hidden.
If by chance, Ah Ba opened the locker and found cheroots, I got a scolding. But I was lucky when Shwe Shwe got posted to us. I only had to say, “I didn’t check saya, it was Shwe Shwe”, Ah Ba would just frowned at us but no scolding! With Ah Ba, Shwe Shwe could get away with anything short of murder!
The same would be for diabetics and their “locker rounds” – nothing of high sugar or carbohydrate content must be found or woes betide the house surgeons to whom the bed had been assigned.
“Saya, it is time for me to change my glasses”
Ah Ba got very upset if we missed physical signs. If he had time, he would thoroughly examine each patient on his rounds and expected all of us to have detected relevant physical signs present. His “favorite thing” was to detect “pericardial rub” which we tended to miss. It happened once to me. I thought I had done well with that patient but when Ah Ba turned to me, handed the earpieces for me to listen, while holding the chest piece where he heard the rub, I knew I was in trouble.
Frowning, he said, “I did not expect that you would miss this, Johnny”.
I was so frightened of being scolded, blurted out, “Saya, it is time for me to change my glasses, at such times, my hearing gets less acute.” Only later I realized that I had given him a ridiculous excuse. He did not say anything. Just said, “When I go back for lunch, come with me.”
I thought I would be in for a “one to one” “monhinga kywae” – we called being scolded as being given mohinga. Instead, on arriving at his house, he pulled open a drawer and gave me a new Littman, so that I could hear well!!!
“Silence ! Johnny is sleeping”
It was just one of those bad days: That admission day, we had so many patients, many coming in very ill. All beds were full and we had to put up what we called “centre beds” i.e. setting up beds between the two lines of regular beds as well as “stretcher cases”, those whom we could not give beds had to be kept on the stretchers on which they were brought in. On top of that I got called away twice to Dufferin to see and bring back two cases of septic abortion with acute renal failure.
By 7.00, having requested Emergency to kindly stop sending patients to us but to wait and send them to the next admitting wards, I laid down for a short nap. But, I must have fallen asleep, because it was past 10.00 when I woke up. Strangely, the wards were very quiet and I could not imagine why. I washed my face, changed clothes and got out. Then I saw the reason why.
Ah Ba had told Sister to close off the passage way, between his office and my little room with trolleys at each end. I was so embarrassed that Saya had also put up two signs on cardboards on the trolleys that said “Silence, Johnny is sleeping” in Burmese!!! Talk about being so priviledged to be treated like his very own little son!
“Rosalind, Johnny is here”
Every Thadingyut, I would go to Ah Ba’s house to pay homage to Ah Ba and Ma Ma. The moment he saw me coming in he would shout, “Rosalind, Johnny is here.” He would not accept anything from me, either expensive or inexpensive, as homage. If I did, he would give it back to me. He preferred that I came empty handed so that Ma Ma could give me a plastic bag containing either white shirts and black material for trousers or later white collarless shirt, a yaw longyi (my favorite) and a length of cloth to make a Burmese jacket.
Only once he accepted: I was leaving Burma and had asked Ko Sein Aung, an artist whose children I looked after, for a painting to give as a farewell present to Ah Ba, especially as I did not know when I might be able to come back to Burma.
I got off the car, carrying this painting wrapped in brown paper. The first thing he said was, “How many times did I tell you not to bring anything for me.” I said, “Saya, I am leaving Burma and do not know when I can come back again. I asked a friend to paint what I would like to say to you for everything that you have done for me.”
I kowtowed and paid homage and handed the wrapped painting to Ah Ba.
He opened it, looked at it and said, “Why this painting?” I replied, “Saya, I were Rahula, you would be Buddha to me”. It was a copy of one of U Ba Kyi’s paintings of Rahula asking for his inheritance from Buddha.
The painting will still be in Saya’s prayer room till now. And like Rahula, I did inherit from my father Ah Ba who as a Buddhist, I revered as being equal to the Enlightened one, inherited not material riches but lessons for life that made me a good person and a good doctor.
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No, Ah Ba did not die yesterday: he lived on in each of us who were his students, now scattered all over the world.
Thane Oke Kyaw-Myint
14 September 2012
Memories
Ah Ba, with Marie, Ko Nyunt Thein and me, Jan 2011This is the mural of Buddha and Rahula in my old office in Children’s Hospital. The painting given to Ah Ba is a smaller version of my mural
U Kyaw Myint’s Brief BiographyU Kyaw MyintMesopotamia (Action during WWI)
My father had a very chequered life.
Short stay at Rangoon College
He stood first in the Matriculation examination at the age of sixteen. He had distinction in all subjects including shorthand and typing. He got scholarship when he entered Rangoon College in June 1914 but was expelled from the College in July 1914.
There was going to be a scholarship exam to enter Calcutta University. The Principal of Rangoon College, Mr. Mathew Hunter had chosen two bright young men to take the exams to enter medical college in Calcutta. The two students for this exam were my father and Sayagyi U Ba Than. They were very close friends.
Just before the exams, my grandmother passed away in upper Burma where my grandfather was working. Father went to the Principal to give him leave to attend his mother’s funeral. But the dates would clash with the exams and Mr Hunter refused his permission. Father was told that if he went without the Principal’s agreement, he would be expelled on return.
My father went in time for the funeral but on return, as told to him earlier he was expelled from the College.
Self Support
My grandfather was very angry with my father being expelled. Father was told not to come back to the family.
Father supported himself by doing a unique job. He traveled from Pegu passing through small towns and villages. At that time, there were many Burmese women who had children by Englishmen, and were common law wives. The Englishmen had left Burma, but they did not money regularly.
On behalf of the women, father wrote letters in English to the men in England. He was offered food, small amounts of money, and a place to stay.
He continued doing this, going up the country till he reached Myitkyina some months later.
Bombay Burma Company
Due to father’s expertise in short hand and typing, a young English man from Bombay Burma Company gave father a job as a clerk and secretary. Father told me about the kindness of the English couple who let him stay with them.
Apart from Secretary work, he had to go with workers to the teak trees that had been cut down and later sent them down the Irrawaddy to Rangoon. Father had to supervise that the Bombay Burma Company seal was hammered deep at the end of the logs. The logs were floated down the Irrawaddy river. Logs with the seal were collected and exported to England.
Illness
A year later father had cerebral malaria and it was the young couple who looked after him during the illness.
Enlistment and Assignments
Father stayed on with the English couple till the end of 1916. By that time the war that was said to last only one year had to gone into its third year with no resolution. There were many casualties and new fronts for the conflict. The English government intensified their recruiting efforts.
The young Englishman and his wife returned to England. The husband joined the army.
Father did not want to continue working in Myitkyina. He also thought of enlisting for the war.
He first went to Pegu to reconcile with his father. Grand father was doing a job what would be equivalent to a District Commissioner (DC) but being Burmese was given the post as Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) but doing the same job.
Burmese doctors were appointed as Sub Assistant Surgeon (SAS). They had to work like surgeons and civil surgeons.
NB: the status of Burmese doctors before Independence can be read in the books by Dr. U Myint Swe.
In spite of my grandfather telling him not to enlist, father went ahead for enlistment.
The place for enlistment was the at the Cantonment (which Burmanized as “Kan Daw Min” Park). It is the place with a small lake near the Shwe Dagon Pagoda.
At that time, no Burmese would be accepted. One must either be an Anglo-Burman or and Anglo-Indian.
When asked, father gave his name as “John Henry Wilson”. He could be taken for an Anglo because he was very fair with sharp facial features.
Next he was asked to go against the wall to measure his height. Father was only five foot two inches. When the sergeant cane to measure him, he stood up on his toes so that it would be five foot four (the required height for a soldier.
The sergeant asked him whether he really wanted to serve, and getting an affirmative, the sergeant write down on his enlistment as “John Henry Wilson, Anglo-Burman, five foot six”. Father became a soldier.
NOTE:
Since, the English keeps excellent records, there must be enlistment records for the regiment that above item written down above, would still be there in their archives.
I visited the Middle Temple Inn in London, from where my father was called to the Bar. I wanted know about my father, the Librarian asked me for date of being called, went in, back in about 15 mins and gave me a copy of information of my father as recorded in their archives.: Will write more about this in a later post “My father: the Barrister”
I tried to remember but still could not get the place in India where he was sent. I only remembered that it was in a cantonment not far from Dehli.
Father was sent to where the Gloucester Regiment, the 12th Battalion was billeted. He got his training, stayed there for some time rising to the rank of corporal.
Mesopotamia Campaign and “the war to end all wars”
At the start of the war, the British army and its allies thought that it would be a short war lasting for a year or so. But it didn’t as the allies were fighting on different fronts. When the Turkish Ottoman army joined the war, that opened a new front of the war: the “Mesopotamia Front / Campaign”. Father’s regiment was sent to that front.
Germany had sent a fleet of submarines to attack British ships carrying either troops or cargo.
Although not entirely, the British army and navy were depending on oil from Burma Oil Company in Yenangyaung. But when their ships sailing from Burma were being sunk, they looked for an alternative.
Apart from Burma, the oil fields from Mesopotamia were near to England and likely to have less loss during transport.
Just like Burma Oil Company (BOC), there was another company that could offer the required crude oil. Like BOC, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (AOC) was owned by an Englishman. Both BOC and AOC were taken over by the British government for the war efforts.
The Mesopotamia Campaign happened mainly to save and have access to AOC refineries.
For some years now, whenever I heard about Iraq, Iran, Syria, two words often appeared: Basra and Mosul.
Mesopotamia was the area between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. It covered what would later become most of Iraq, parts of Northern Arabia, Eastern part of Syria and South East Turkey.
The oil rigs were in Basra and Mosul within Mesopotamia.
And that was where my father’s regiment was sent: to guard the oil fields from the Germans.
As the German army was engaged in other fronts, it was the Turkish (Ottaman) soldiers and Nomadic Arabs attacking these two areas.
It was mainly skirmishes and attacks mainly by the nomadic Arabs who were given arms by the Germans. The disciplined regiment could repel the poorly planned attacks and thus England still had access to the oil.
Armistice: 11-11-11 11AM
Father and did comrades stayed on in that area till Armistice, the end of the war at: “the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th. month of the year”.
President Woodrow Wilson in his speech said, “the war to end all wars” had ended, using H.G . Wells’ words from the book “The War of the Worlds”. How ironic it was as only three decades later the Second World War happened.
Return Home
Not too long after that soldiers including my father were demobilized and could return to their home countries.
Father returned home to be with his family.
Study at Cambridge University
Since he was expelled from the College, he had never given up his hope to gain a good education. The demob and savings from his salary and other benefits on leaving the army, he now had enough money to go to England to get what he had wanted to do since 1914.
He applied to be admitted to Queens’ College Cambridge, where his elder brother had attended gaining MA, LLB.
Father landed on the shores of England in the spring of 1919. He was twenty one years old.
After spending time in London for a week or so he got to Cambridge to seek admission. Father told me that it was a vibrant time to be as there were so many young men like him, veterans of the war, some who had left their studies and had left to fight the war as well as those like him who had come to be admitted for the first time. He wanted to study at Cambridge as this was where his elder brother studied for his BA (later MA) and LLB.
Both Oxford and Cambridge gave dispensation for veterans, so that they did not have to undergo a strict entrance exam but only had to take what was known as “the little go”.
Father went to the College with all that he had was his matriculation certificate from Burma. He had to go through an interview first to see whether he should be admitted. Father impressed the examiners that he was admitted without the need to take entrance exams.
Finally he thought he was going to get the education he had missed before. He had enough money to sustain him for the four years at the university.
During the two years he was in Cambridge, he actively participated in debates conducted by the Cambridge Union, where he sharpened not only his oratory but also would help him at the courts when he became a practising barrister in Burma. It also helped when he became a well known politician in Burma.
Two things happened that would affect his ambition to be a college graduate.
First when he was in the second year, U Tin Tut arrived. He was sent to Oxford to do his training for the Indian Civil Service (ICS). He was to be the very first Burmese to be admitted to the Service. And unlike the others who later joined, he was the only Burmese to be admitted by nomination and not by selection examinations.
In December 29th 1920, there was a nation wide students strike against the British government. Schools and the Rangoon University was closed down.
U Myint Thein was then studying in the junior BA class at the University. Not knowing when the university would be reopened, even without telling my father he traveled by ship to England. This he did without any funds for tuition fees. He arrived and requested my father to pay for his tuition and upkeep in Cambridge.
U Tin Tut gambled a lot on the races and he also was asking father to help pay some of his gambling debts.
Father decided to leave Cambridge so that he could support his younger brother. He searched for a job to sustain the three of them.
For the second time in his life, his education had to be postponed.
At that time, there was Burma Club. Many years later — at the time when Saya U Maung Nyo was studying in London — there would be the Britain Burma Club. And Prof. Woodruff, who was a visiting professor of tropical medicine in Rangoon, was a Patron.
The Burma Club was for the people who have served in Burma both before and during the war. Father got a job as the secretary of the Club. It enabled him to sustain the needs of his two brothers and allowed him to prepare for the barrister examinations.
I have titled this part of my post as “Cambridge — here I come”, but for father in 1920 was “Cambridge — here I leave”.
Yet again he was thwarted from gaining a university degree.
P.S. In spite of all the obstacles, in 1948, on gaining independence, my father, the college dropout, was appointed as one of the first three Supreme Court Justices of our country. And also later became the very first Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Rangoon University.
Four brothers and Inns of Court
The complete series of articles have been posted in Facebook and archived in hlamin.com
Magnum Opus
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint e-mailed me a soft copy of “Who’s Who in Heath and Medicine (in Burma/Myanmar)” (Second edition).
It is the Magnum Opus of Professor Mya Tu and his wife Daw Khin Thet Hta.
There was an attempt to update it, but did not happen.
Dr. Tin U
Saya U Tin U was the pioneer of child health and paediatrics in Burma. He was the first Burmese doctor to pass the MRCP (Paediatrics), the first professor of Child Health, the first medical superintendent of the Rangoon Children’s Hospital, the first Principal of the postgraduate school of child health. He was the only Burmese Paediatrician to serve as WHO Professor of Paediatrics in India (Calicut) and Bangladesh (Dhaka).
Saya called our medical disciple as “child health” rather than Paediatrics as he would like to focus on keeping children healthy rather than looking after them when their are unwell. Saya pioneered the use of Oral Rehydration Solution for diarrhoea in children, setting up center for childhood malnutrition; standardization of treatment of Dengue Haemorhagic Fever. He authored seven books on child health, all of which went into multiple reprints and Saya was awarded the National Literary Prize (Ahmyo Thar Sapay Su). Saya also served as the Member of the parliament for Dagon Township for one term. Saya was the elder brother of Saya U Sein Win (RIT EE).
Before You Judge People (2015)
Dr. Su Mon, daughter of Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, used her strong mental prowess to overcome adversity.
She posted on Facebook in 2015:
Dear world, I just want you to know that I am more than the sum of my diseases and limitations, I am more than my usually failing body, I am more than my brains and IQ, I am more than just a person with disability. I am more than my limp and my strange gait (yes it would be good if you stop staring at me when you see me) and I am more than my many scars. And I am definitely stronger (mentally) than you can possibly imagine. Please don’t think my life is easy, that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, that all that I have achieved so far came to me easily. I worked damn hard for every little thing, every step forward is hard fought with all that I have in me. I may not meet your definition of success or beauty, or intelligence but I am ok with that. I love who I am, many flaws and all. All I ask before you judge me or dismiss me is that you spend an hour in my shoes. I will do the same for you.
Dr. Myo Khin (C70) wrote :
Heartfelt appreciations to your strong spirit and will, all the best. May lord Buddha bless and keep you. Your god uncle, MK.
Cecilia James wrote :
A fighter against all adversaries and a risk-taker is to be admired. The world makes way for a person who knows where she / he is going. May God bless you and may you be successful in all your endeavors !
Historic photo of Burmese Doctors
Saya Ko Gyi, Ophthalmologist and Medical Superintendent of EENT Hospital, is the father of Dr. Thein Wai (SPHS63, Fifth in Burma) and U Aung Khin (SPHS63, DSA, GBNF).
Sayagyi Col. Min Sein is the father of Dr. Thein Htut (RUBC Gold).
Sayagyi U Maung Gale was Dean of the Rangoon Medical College from1959 to 1962. Per Saya Dr. Maung Nyo, “He was our dean, very quiet and peaceful. He translated Grey’s Anatomy to Burmese and he handed over the manuscripts to Dr Norma Saw.”
Prof. U Khin Maung Win was Pathologist and DG ME. At one time, he headed the Medical Board to examine the people chosen for States Scholar.
Garawa
Garawa means paying respect (especially to elders and mentors).
U Myint Thein (“MMT”, former Chief Justice of the Union of Burma, former Ambassador to China, and author) paid respect to his elder brother U Kyaw Myint (Barrister, Head of the Tribunal which tried Galon U Saw, and former Dean of the Faculty of Law).
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote :
It was on the occasion of the 80th birthday celebration of [my Ba Dwe] U Myint Thein at the residence of the British Ambassador Mr. Charles Booth.
Father [U Kyaw Myint] was the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Rangoon. He took classes in constitutional law as he explained why it was important to have a comprehensive constitutional law. He also lectured on criminal law.
One anecdote about father: I was very curious when father marked the answer books of BL students. I once saw father giving pass to a student who answered only one question. Father showed me the book which the single answer almost fill. Father told me that although it was only one answer, he wrote as though it was a real lawyer’s brief while others “regurgitate” what they had learned from lectures and books. Father followed the career of his student. As father predicted he became one of the best lawyers in Burma (sorry, have forgotten the name)
The Prime Minister was the Chancellor of the Rangoon University. U Nu followed by U Ba Swe were Chancellors. [Ba Dwe] Dr. Htin Aung was Vice Chancellor. It was during U Ba Swe’s time that father was conferred LLD (in honoris causa), together with Emperor Haile Salasi of Ethiopia.
Among his students was Guardian U Sein Win and Sao Hso Holm.
Father defended U Sein Win when he was arrested and charged for writing articles about the then government. The trial went on till the last day of summation by both sides. Uncle Sein Win told me about what father did. In that day, father stood up and announced that U Sein Win himself would present the summation. U Sein Win was aghast as he had not been told if this. He turned to my father who said “You can do it. If not you are not my student of law”. U Sein Win gave a very impressive summation of the case which was reported full in both national and international papers. And he was acquitted.
“Sawbwalay” Sao Hso Holm (Son of Arzanee Sao San Htun) together with [my Ba Dwe] U Myint Thein, was the first to be arrested and last to be released from custody. [He was the Legal Advisor to the Sawbwas.] He visited my father in his office. Father told his former student that he could join their chambers if he was looking for a job. But he was offered a job by UN ending his career as Assistant Resident Representative in Fiji covering the Pacific islands. I recently bought “Burma, My Mother” by Saw Kaemawadde (Ma Ma Biddy, Sawbwalay’s spouse) her autobiography. Very touching narration of her life. You can get a soft copy from Amazon.
At present is U Mya Thein, senior adviser on the constitution to the present government. He is the son of a brilliant lawyer U Kyin Htone, and also my father’s student. [He is a younger brother of advocate U Tun Tin.]
Dr. Hla Yee Yee wrote :
“ Uncle Monty” to everybody
Dr. Myat Soe wrote :
I know well about your uncle U Myint Thein Saya [TOKM].
He was former Myanmar Ambassador to China, and he was a good friend of (Late) Chinese P.M Mr. Chou-Eng-Lai.
The Student who taught me
In the book of tribute to me, that Prof. Aye Maung Han, Prof. Nyunt Thein, Prof. Ye Myint Kyaw published for my seventieth birthday, many of my former students wrote about what they learned from me when I was teaching and working with them over two decades as a teacher in our medical college.
I would like to share with whoever gets to read this, learning is not one way but two ways: while the students are learning from the teacher, the teacher himself learn from his students Some of the lessons that I learn from them are work related but many more lessons are about being a good person, being dutiful, respect for people, compassion, humbleness, gratitude, integrity and religiosity. For a significant number of them, being either a medical student, a house surgeon and later as a qualified doctor or specialist, life was never a bed of roses.They juggled to fulfill their professional role as well as the role as the bread earner for either their young families or in support of elderly parents.
The student who taught me has written and published significant number of books ranging from fiction (based on his life experiences) to belle letters and articles mainly of which are not only sharing knowledge but also inspirational.
The last time I went back home, he kindly gave me a book of his.
I have read his book more than once. I go back to each chapter of his book repeatedly , especially when I come across an incident or experience, which relates very much to a relevant chapter of his book.
And through this book, my student teaches me.
I had a strong affinity with my colleagues and students and previously when my memory was better than now, I could remember most of whom I taught by their names and the year they graduated. The author, although I knew him well, was not close to me as student, intern and in service,as unfortunately he was either in units other than where I was in or he did postgraduate studies only I had left the country.
Some years back, at the request of Prof. U Aye Maung Han, I gave a talk about my experiences of working in UNICEF, which were so different from my life as a paediatrician. I had titled the talk as “Shades of Mediocrity” as I felt that what I would talk about might seem both to the audience as well as to myself as my having gone through a state of mediocrity, as someone who moved from being a clinician to being an UNICEF staff responsible for public health, nutrition, water and sanitation, emergencies and the broader aspects of interventions to ensure that the the rights of children would be fulfilled. I did genuinely wonderd many times, whether I had contributed significantly beyond mediocrity, to areas of work which I had never worked in.
I had used the title from Simon and Garfunkel’s Homeward Bound lyrics:
“All my words came back to me In shades of mediocrity”.
And I also quoted the vow in Burmese that appears on the front page of every book written by the well known author Tetkatho Phone Naing. The following is my own translation, more correctly my “transliteration” as I will never be able to give a precise translation of of Saya Phone Naing’s poem:
THE VOW
If you should not gain, by reading what I have written,| You cannot lose, if it helps to overcome ennui If at least a word or a para will make you thoughtful If you should find such in my writings, I the slave of writing Will feel that my duty is done.
I will never claim that my writings are to be cherished by the reader, Nor through my writing I will claim as being more learned than the readerI will not go over your head, nor claim to enlighten you
I make this my vow.
Tetkatho Phone Naing
(The original “vow” by the author, I have added as a photo as I do not know how to write in Burmese on Facebook)
After I had just recited the first few lines, someone from the audience stood up and finished the poem for me, the whole passages and vow that had been made by the author..
On top of that he said the “mediocrity or mediocre” need not be seen as permanent nor to be disparaged, as he himself was once a mediocre student during his college life.
The person who said that he was “mediocre” was far from being mediocre, he was already a writer of renown and at the time my talk, he had not only acquired more accolades both as doctor and a writer than most of us but also held a senior teaching position at the medical college.
I must come back to the book he gave me. I want to tell how my ” mediocre” student, whom I know that is never so, with his writings taught me to be a better person.
The book is “Mingalar shi thaw aung myin gyin” or “Auspicious acts conducive to success”
I have looked at how the word “mingalar” could has been translated. In the version of Paritta Protective Verses in Pali, Burmese and English, Sayadaw Silannadabhivamsa translated “mingalar” as “highest blessing”. But, I would like to use “auspicious acts” because according to the Oxford English Dictionary, auspicious means “conducive to success” , and thirty eight auspicious acts in the Mingalar Sutta lead towards the highest blessings. Maybe those who are more conversant with Pali may question my translation. But it would be appropriate for the book, to be translated as “auspicious acts that lead to success”
The author himself has translated “mingalar” as “rules for good and auspicious conduct”
The writer has written a chapter for each of the Mingalar (act or conduct) with erudite explanation on each of the mingalar, quoting each in Pali and Burmese. He has based these not only by rote or learning but from lessons given by eminent sayadaws of Burma. References are made to books on dhamma and sermons by Ledi Sayadaw, Dr. Pyinneikthara, Sayadaw Seikienda, Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw and many more. He shows not just learning and knowing but how much he has internalized and practiced each of the auspicious act, by referring to his life lessons.
The fourteenth stanza of the Mingala sutta describes the first three auspicious acts:
“Asevana ca balanam, Panditanan ca sevana, Puja ca pujaneyanam”
“Not to associate with fools, to associate with the wise And to honor those who are worthy of honor.”
From: translation by Ashin Silanandabhivamsa
As I read, I learn and am so impressed not just by the narratives of his life experiences but also by seeing the depth of understanding of Mingalar Sutta. While starting life as a simple young student, he gets to where he is now by following the various tenets of Buddhism. I use the word “erudite” for him as again Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning of “erudite” as “having or showing great knowledge or learning” as those who have read the book would agree with me that he has not only understands and learns but also practices what he has learned.
His third chapter is on the third auspicious conduct “pujaca pujaneyyanam” : he wrote about me, as one of the persons whom he considered as his “guru”‘ among those he honors as being worthy of honor. I was very touched on reading this chapter as well as it makes me feel humble to be among those he honored the most as I may not deserve such honor, as I did not have as much contact with him during both his student years nor later as a paediatrician.
Each chapter of this book carries with it the precise meaning of each mingalar and how he has conducted himself according to his deep understanding of each.
After the third reading of the book, I feel as though he are saying the words to me and guiding me towards not only just understanding but also ensure that my conduct are within the tenets of each of the mingalar.
Ko Ye Myint Kyaw, with your book, you have taught me and I would like to thank you for this.
I have only one wish to ask of you: the wish is to ask you to write a similar book on “Metta Sutta” my favorite sutta in the paritta, as I know the extent of metta (compassion) that you have for the patients, their families and your students.
May all the highest blessings be upon you.
With metta, Thane Oke Kyaw-Myint 20 June 2015.
Sad Loss of Manuscripts
Daw Khin Mya Mu’s work
Before U E Maung died, he asked me to bring out exercise books with writings by [my aunt] Daw Khin Mya Mu.
In the books were transcript of many “Kyauk sar” and translation into Burmese of hundreds of stone scriptures from all over Burma.
When I asked him why they were not published, he told me that no printing press [in those days] have fonts for the ancient writings.
[Thus] they were all unpublished.
U E Maung donated his house and belongings to Tipitaka Sayadaw. When he passed away Dr Tha Hla was given the task of selling the property and have as cash donation for Sayadaw. We were not informed but later on when I asked, I was told that except for some books, the handwritten documents were not saved anywhere. Felt very sad about losing the handwritten books.
Only some books were chosen to be donated to the Burmese Department of Rangoon University.
Dr. Htin Aung’s works
The sad thing was when [my Ba Dwe] Dr. Htin Aung left Burma, he had also left not only his books but drafts of books he wanted to finish and publish, mainly in history.
Two Fallen Comrades
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint shared his memories about two fallen comrades. The first one was about Dr. Myo Myint. The second one was about Dr. Mya Thein (nicknamed “Win Oo” for his mustache and for appearing beside Win Oo in singing “Mee Pone Pwe”).
Dr. Mya Thein was barely fourteen when he passed the Matriculation examination in 1957. His parents pleaded with Saya Dr. Htin Aung (Rector, Ba Dwe of Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint). Sayagyi had returned the favor he received from the Principal of Rangoon College to let him (then underage) attend college.
Plan A failed when Dr. Mya Thein missed the cut to study Medicine by a couple of marks. Plan B succeeded when he passed the Bachelors examination with high marks overall (and especially 60+ marks in Biology) to be attend 2nd MBBS.
For details, read Dr. TOKM’s blog.
Books
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote :
I am so fortunate that books written by my former students are either given to me by the authors or bought for me by my niece Hnin Wit Yee or Min Thet Aung.
I got a signed copy of “The Female Voice of Myanmar” by Nilanjana Sengupta, translated into Burmese, by Myae Hmone Lwin. It was given to me by Ma Thida.
The book consist of articles about and by four eminent lady Burmese writers and activists: Ludu Daw Ah Mar, Daw Khin Myo Chit, Daw Aung San Su Kyi and my “daughter writer” Ma Thida (San Gyaung).
Please do not say that I am biased towards my daughter but I read the articles on Daw Ah Mar, Daw Khin Myo Chit and Daw Sung Dan Su Kyi once only but read and reread the articles by and on Ma Thida about three times or more.
Coming from a family whose members were at different times and at different lengths of incarceration by the military government, each article about Ma Thida in prison brought back sad memories of my own family. I had to pause even in the middle of each article as such memories flooded my mind.
From a very young age Ma Thida stand out among her contemporaries . A multifaceted person with deep attitudes and understanding of right and wrong, justice and injustice, tears welled up in my eyes reading what she went through in prison, and had to stop reading after going through some incidents described by her in the book.
I am happy and very proud that she can be what she is now, an activist, feminist, author and running PEN Myanmar and many more.
This book must be read in Burmese as in any other language, much would be lost in translation.
P.S. Although she left the book for me in May, due to circumstances, I happily received the book only last month.
The following post contains excerpts from my long article (posted on April 15, 2020 and updated daily through April 30, 2020). It also contains some additional material.
U Tin U & FamilyPeter, Win Mar & Min KoPeter & Ye MyintPeter & Win MarU Tin U, Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt & relativesRoyal Berkshire HospitalMin Ko’s weddingPeter, Win Mar & Min KoYoung PeterPeter, Aye Aye, Ye MyintU Tin U & family
The Beginning
January 1958
Peter (Dr. Khin Tun) became the first born child of U Tin U and Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt (Cherry Tin Gyi).
Like his grandfather and father, Peter became the Eldest Son in his family.
Like his grand parents who won Prizes for the Horticulture Show, Peter would also enjoy gardening.
Peter would later have a younger sister Aye Aye Khin and a younger brother Dr. Ye Myint.
Snapshot of Peter’s Life
1973
After finishing 10th standard examination, Peter entered a meditation retreat at Chan Myei monastery.
Matriculated from St. Augustine’s High School with four distinctions. Stood 23rd in the whole of Burma. Received Collegiate Scholarship.
Admitted to the Institute of Medicine (1).
1980s
Received MBBS in 1981.
Worked for Rangoon Children Hospital and Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint (Pediatrician).
Collected and analyzed data for UNICEF projects including Perinatal Survey with his colleagues (e.g. Dr. Pe Thet Khin)
Found Win Mar, a beautiful school teacher, as his love life.
Moved to Mezaligone and did private practice (often receiving little or no money from cash-strapped patients).
1990s
Some friends suggested Peter to study for MRCP in the UK.
Peter hosted nine friends for group study at his parent’s house.
With Ye Myint’s sponsorship, Peter moved to UK in 1994. (See Ye Myint’s speech for details).
2000s
Worked for Royal Berkeley Hospital
Promoted to Associate Specialist for Neuro and Rehabilitation
Served as Associate Dean of Oxford University
September 2017
In September 2017, he and Win Mar hosted us. Both cooked delicious meals every day. They showed us around. They drove us to Wales to see my high school friend Maung Maung Kyi.
2019
U Tin U (Peter’s father) celebrated his 90th Birthday.
Details of Peter’s life is recorded in the Photo Album for his father’s 90th Birthday Celebrations. The URL is provided by his uncle U Tin Htoon
Dr. Daw Khin Nyunt (Peter’s mother) passed away a few months before her 89th Birthday.
February 2020
Peter and family went to New Zealand to celebrate Min Ko’s birthday and wedding.
Ye Myint and family stopped over in Sydney, Australia to have gatherings with the relatives.
Peter skipped the visit to Australia, because he wanted to be back at the hospital and enable his junior staff members to take leave.
March 2020
On March 25, 2020, he said there were COVID-19 cases in London and Birmingham but not much in Reading. He showered twice daily as a precaution.
He said he was elated with his trip to NZ in February 2020. He enjoyed entertaining his aunt (Dr. Ruby) and his uncle (U Tin Htoon). He mentioned that his father (U Tin U) might finally have a Great Grandchild.
April 2020
Peter got infected with COVID-19 from one of his patients.
Five of his patients tested positive.
He was hospitalized.
His health deteriorated.
He passed away on April 13, 2020 (Easter Monday).
His Last Journey took place on April 30, 2020.
Peter’s Parents
U Tin U and Siblings
U Tin U
U Ba Than
Dr. Daw Win Hlaing (Ruby)
Daw Myint Thwe (Betty)
Dr. Myo Tint
U Tin Htoon
U Myo Min
U Thaung Lwin
Daw Cho Cho Hlaing
U Tin U
U Tin U is the eldest of nine siblings. He matriculated from St. John’s Diocesan in 1946 and attended Rangoon University. He joined Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) and became Captain and Gold in 1948.
He studied BSCE at Oregon State University and MSCE at Yale University. Upon his return he worked for Clark and Grieg (eventually becoming a Director) and also taught part-time at the Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Rangoon University. He later worked as Consultant for InterKiln and “Bogyi Kyu Kyaw’s Group of Architects and Engineers.” He served as Secretary of Burma Civil Engineers Society, and as Captain of Rangoon Golf Club (RGc). He stayed active by playing golf, doing gardening and have a daily dose of whiskey as medicine.
He celebrated his 90th birthday in August 2019. U Tin Htoon compiled U Tin U’s accomplishments and photos into a book as a birthday present. The book also contains photos and information about U Tin U’s children.
U Tin U also gave interviews
about his days as Captain of the Rangoon Golf Club
to Saya U Soe Paing for the HMEE (History of Myanmar Engineering Education) project
to Min Ko (Peter’s elder son) about his early days in Burma and in the US.
Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt (Cherry Tin Gyi) and Siblings
U Sway Tin
Laura
Sarah
Lynn
Icy
Margaret
U Myo Kyaw
Olga
Cherry
Min Ko also interviewed his grandmother, who recounted her early school days in India and the sad loss of her father U Tin Gyi. After the war, she returned to Burma and continued schooling until she graduated from the Medical School.
She worked as Demonstrator at the School, and later joined the Nutrition Research Division of BMRI. She did her postgraduate Diploma in the UK.
Peter inherited the joy of cooking and entertaining relatives and friends with gourmet food. Peter compiled the recipes of my father and several aunts.
She and Peter had birthdays in January. They would jointly offer dana / requisites usually at Chan Myei Monastery (where Peter learned meditation after he finished his 10th standard examination).
She passed away late last year (2019) a few months before she turned 89.
Peter would join her a few months later at the tender age of 62.
Peter and Siblings
Peter Spouse : Win Mar Sons : Min Ko (Michael Tun) and Ye Lay (Will Tun)
Aye Aye Khin Spouse : Tin Tun Daughters : Thin Thiri Tun (Honey) and Khin Sandy Tun
Ye Myint Spouse : San San Aye Daughter : Aye Sanda (Jess Myint)
Win Mar
Our host
During our visit to UK, Win Mar recounted the story of how she and Peter met, their life in Mezaligone, the brief period when Peter moved to study in the UK, and the days when the family reunited in UK.
Mezaligone
Win Mar hails from Mezaligone. She knows Htein Linn (Artist, Prisoner of Conscience) and family. She hosted Htein Linn’s sister Hla Hla Htay at her house in Reading.
Post by Vicky Bowman, former UK Ambassador to Myanmar
Another foreign born NHS worker died of CoViD yesterday, in Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where he worked as a rehab specialist, adding to the toll.
But more importantly, Dr Peter Khin Tun was once the much loved doctor of the cooperative medical clinic in Mezaligon, Htein Lin’s village. He was particularly known for deworming any patient who crossed the threshold of the clinic for whatever reason.
Worms in Myanmar are ‘than’, သန်. Peter became known locally in Mezaligon as the than-amat သန်အမတ် (amat means high official, and than-amat is an Ambassador).
He married local school teacher-cum-nurse Ma Win Mar. We feel so sad for her and their two sons.
In the post I have shared you can see him and Win Mar showing my sister in law Hla Hla Htay, around Windsor. She was doubtless de-wormed at some point by him, before she followed in Win Mar’s footsteps and became a teacher in the village.
Win Mar got infected by COVID-19. She was hospitalized. She recovered and was discharged on April 29, 2020. She attended Peter’s Last Journey on April 30, 2020.
We managed to phone Win Mar before she was hospitalized. She and Peter hosted us during our visit to the UK a few years back. They cooked sumptuous meals daily. Peter drove us to Ogmore-by-the-sea in Wales to see my high school friend Maung Maung Kyi (who also was a Best Man at my wedding).
Min Ko (Michael Tun)
Contributions by Min Ko
Interview of U Tin U
Interview of Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt
Phone conversation with Peter (about the days at Mezaligone)
Several posts about Peter
Providing Peter’s emails to the Media
Interviews with BBC and Newspapers
Caused Royal Berkshire Hospital to launch a formal inquiry about Peter’s demise
Handled legal and financial matters related to Peter
Video conferences for Peter’s final day and the Last Journey
Emotional farewell to Peter
Pru posted a message for Peter
Memories of Min Ko
Min Ko shared Dr. Peter’s wonderful, precious life in Meizaligone, a village in Henzada District, Irrawaddy Division.
Since the clinic was at the house, the family members were woken up early by villagers lining up to get water from the tube well.
Peter’s clinic opened from 6AM to late at night seven days a week.
Peter treated sick villagers with CETANA, some free of charge, and some were given cash assistance to go to Hospital in Big Towns.
Once a month Peter invited neighbors to have meals in the house.
Peter had an old car and learned how to do repairs.
Min Ko then read a letter written to his father and had to pause occasionally to wipe the tears. He promised to take care of the family.
Michael Tun’s sad thoughts (following Peter’s demise)
My dad Dr Peter Tun died from COVID19 because of the lack of PPE.
My hope in writing this is that it will save more doctors and nurses lives and avoid pain for their families. My dad would have wanted to speak up if he thought it would save lives.
I spoke to my dad the day that he found out there was someone who was positive for COVID19 in his ward. My dad told me that he had earlier complained to a manager because they took PPE away from his ward to take somewhere else. He was told that if there was a case, they would bring it back. He had replied that it would be TOO LATE. The last he told me, there were 4 more positive patients with no symptoms. 2 weeks later, my dad passed away and I couldn’t do anything.
Please do everything to protect the doctors and nurses. They go in scared for themselves and their families. They did not get into the profession to die a hero in battle. This is why he was a superhero to us. He was scared and still went in to help strangers completely knowing the risk. The pain for the families is unbearable. He was afraid that he would give this to my mum and now she is in hospital also waiting for her test results. The thought that if only he had had a proper protective mask, he might still have been able to enjoy his hard earned retirement after a lifetime of service just kills me.
I hope this won’t cause distress or take attention away from the need to help people but we need to also protect the people trying to protect us. We couldn’t protect my dad so I want to help protect everyone else who is in the same position that he was. Thank you for everything to all the heroes.
There will never be the right words but thank you for your kindness, good humour and your selfless acts of service. I will remember your great story telling, you telling me the recipes of your favourite dishes, planting flowers in your garden together In Reading and how beloved and respected you were by so many different people. Your spirit is already in both of your sons and it will continue to live on through them.
Here we are 8.5 weeks ago in NZ during our Buddhist wedding ceremony where you stood by our side and celebrated with us and now we will celebrate you and will ensure that your legacy lives on.
Note :
Min Ko and Prudence held their engagement party at Winner Inn in Yangon. Peter invited us to the party.
Their wedding was held in New Zealand.
Memories by Ye Lay (Will Tun)
“Pe Pe Ko Chit Tae“. [ I love you, Dad]
Ye Lay thanked his father Peter for the wonderful things that he had learned. In particular, the chanting “I take refuge in the Triple Gems”. He recited to Peter at the hospital.
He sang an old Scottish ballad “Loch Lomond“. He remembered Peter taking Chan Myei Sayadaw to Loch Lomond.
By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond Where we two have passed so many blithesome days On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
[Refrain] O ye’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye But me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
I mind where we parted on yon shady glen On the steep, steep side o’ Ben Lomond Where in purple hue, the Heiland hills we view And the moon shinin’ out from the gloamin’
Ye Lay studied at St Andrew’s in Scotland for his second Masters. His parents attended his graduation.
He ended by reciting
“Buddham saranam gaccha mi. [I take refuge in the Buddha]. Dhammam saranan gaccha mi. [I take refuge in the Dhamma]. Sangham saranam gaccha mi. [I take refuge in the Sangha].
Contributions by Ye Lay
Posts and Farewell speech
Sang songs / ballads to Dr. Khin Kyi Nyunt
Sang “Loch Lomond” at Peter’s Last Journey
Was my guide to Oxford University
Dana by Aye Aye Khin (sister) and Dr. Ye Myint (brother)
On behalf of Peter’s family, Aye Aye Khin (sister) offered requisites to Sayadaw U Thawbita (Chan Myei) in Yangon.
Offerings were also made by U Ba Than (uncle) and Daw Mya Mya (GBNF), Ye Than (cousin) and family, U Myo Myint and Daw Tin Tin Win, Dr. Khin Win Myint, Aung Thu and Khin Myat Naing, Myo Tin and Dr. Khine Zin Oo.
Aye Aye Khin (Peter’s sister) wrote :
Listen to sayardaw u thaw bi ta’s Tayar. You can hear $ donation of Tina / Dr. Win Marla (Aunty Olga’s daughter); Kyi Kyi Han (Aunty Icy’s daughter) & Maung Maung Tin (Aunty Olga’s son).
and also Thingan and Nawkama by Cho Cho Hlaing (aunt) AyeAye Khin (sister), Ko Tin Tun and daughters
5 Thingun donate from (Ko Tin Tun’s cousin) Susi Sein; Ohnmar Sein & Sayarlay Nwe Ni Sein
Contributions by Aye Aye Khin and family
Took care of U Tin U and Dr. Daw Khin Kyi Nyunt
Organized dana for Peter Donations by relatives
Thin Thiri posted a video of Peter’s Last Journey
Memories by Dr. Ye Myint (Recording played at Peter’s Last Journey)
Firstly I would like to thank you all for being here.
Thanks to all those who shared their good memories of my beloved brother. The family appreciates your kind thoughts and prayers.
It is a great honour to be able to share my memories, and talk about my big brother Peter, who will forever remain in our hearts.
My kindhearted brother spent his life caring not only for patients, but relatives, friends and acquaintances. He gave up his life in the line of duty. He will be missed by all.
Peter, my sister and I were very privileged to grow up together in one large family estate. We were very close sharing the same room and being together daily.
He set a high bar for us intellectually and socially. Due to his high intellect, he got double promotion twice and skipped 2 years.
He matriculated with four distinctions. He stood 23rd in the whole of Burma and was awarded a University Scholarship. He was admitted to the Rangoon University of Medicine, which I also attended. He supported me to become a good compassionate doctor like himself.
He stayed fit by taking part in many sports : football, badminton, cycling and rowing. He was the university selected athlete for Shot put and Discus throwing.
He started cooking as a teenager and learnt many recipes from our mother and continued this lifelong hobby. He was a very good artist and created large paintings as well as water coloured Christmas cards. He was also a very keen gardener and read various books. He had great general knowledge and many called him a walking encyclopaedia.
After he qualified as a doctor, he worked as a UNICEF research officer for mother and child health in Hlegu where he met his future wife Ma Win Mar. After they fell in love he decided to move to Mezligone. I accompanied him on this trip there and helped to set up a new medical clinic. He worked there daily for 11 years where he was relied upon by his patients even out of hours.
I sponsored him to move to UK in 1994 to help progress his medical career. He lived with us until he got his first job in Burton-on-Trent. He got his second job in Pontefract and arranged for his family to relocate to the UK to join him. We were lucky to live only 20 minutes drive away so had nice weekly reunions which made our families even closer.
He then moved to London for rehabilitation medicine training after he passed his MRCP examinations and then moved to Reading 21 years ago working as an associate specialist. Peter has helped many Doctors coming to the UK for further studies where he gave valuable advice and treated them to his home cooking. He always enjoyed entertaining and cooking for family and friends.
We had regular family reunions and memorable family holidays together in Devon, Italy, Burma and most recently in New Zealand. We will cherish these lovely memories together. He had such a great sense of humour and always made those around him happy with his personality and big smiles. He was remarkable in many different ways. He lived an enjoyable successful life and treated all family members, relatives and friends with loving kindness. He touched so many people as evident by the countless tributes, messages, cards and donations.
I am sure you are in a much better place, Ko Ko, after doing so many good deeds throughout your life. We will miss you greatly and always remember you with love. Thank you so much for being a loving big brother, a great Uncle to Aye Sanda, a best friend, mentor and teacher.
Donations for Peter
We donated £100 to SHEFFIELD Monastery and £50 to Manchester Monastery (fund will be sent to Myanmar to fight against COVID).
Contributions by Ye Myint and family
Liaison with ICU Doctors (during Peter’s hospitalization)
Liasion with Medical Staff (during Win Mar’s hospitalization)
Interview with BBC (Burmese Program)
Interview with BBC (English Program)
Message for Peter’s Funeral
Per suggestion from San San Aye, appealed to relatives to help alleviate the financial burden of Peter’s family members
Jess wrote two posts : one during Peter’s hospitalization and another after Peter’s demise The FB page also has reference to “Remembering Peter Tun” by the Royal Berkshire Hospital (which had 80+ entries)
From Oxford Sayadaw U Dhammasami
Dakagyi Dr Peter Khin Tun,
From now on, it will not be my priority to remember that you lived 62 years, but rather how many thousands of life you have touched and nurtured. People are remembered for what they did for others, not how long they live. Ultimately, it is your exemplary selfless service to the many that will be inscribed in many hearts. Since we came to know each other in London in 1996, you have watched proudly your two boys grow up and achieve some standing of their own. As you always wished, I will take care of them spiritually so they can serve many souls as you have. Have a good rebirth.
With metta,
Oxford Sayadaw
Jess Myint’s post after Peter’s health deteriorated
My Uncle Peter has been on a ventilator for four days after testing positive for COVID-19 2 weeks ago. He seemed to be coping well in the first week and he kept sending me pictures as reassurance. But things rapidly progressed and he was unreachable not replying back or answering calls which was very unlike him for 2 days. He was admitted to ICU and was initially stable on the ventilator but his condition has unfortunately deteriorated last night. There are many pleas but it is scary what this virus has done to people and families worldwide so please everyone take things seriously and do whatever you can to help minimize the spread of this virus any further.
Think of the doctors, nurses and NHS workers, like my Uncle that have put their lives at risk to help others and do their duty of care, even when they have not had the appropriate PPE.
Healthcare workers and anyone showing any symptoms, even mild symptoms, please isolate and do not put others at risk as they may not recover from this.
Feel so sorry and helpless for my Uncle, Aunty and cousins, who are constantly in our thoughts. I’m hoping with everyone’s prayers, Uncle’s kindness, good deeds, and Uncle’s fighting spirit he will pull through. Please come back to us Uncle Peter.
