HlaMin

Tag: 1962

  • Dark Moments in Burma

    Dark Moments in Burma

    by Hla Min

    Updated : July 2025

    July 19, 1947

    Arzanis
    • See Posts

    March 2, 1962

    • The Coup d’etat ended Parliamentary Democracy in the Union of Burma.
    • President Mahn Win Maung, Prime Minister U Nu & cabinet ministers, and Shan Sawbwas were detained.
    U Nu

    7th July 1962

    • It saw indiscriminate shooting at the student protesters.
    • The official death tally was 17.
    • Ko Aung Khin was hit by a stray bullet as he was returning from RUBC to his home in Windermere Road.

    8th July 1962

    • It saw the revered RU Student Union Building demolished.
    • The then No. (1) and No. (2) said that they did not give orders for the two sad events.
    • Some people reported hearing strange sounds and seeing strange images in or near the residence halls (e.g. Mandalay Hall). Some believe that there might be ghosts.

    1963

    • There were pamphlets and Sar Saungs commemorating the anniversary of 7th July.
    • The higher authorities gave ultimatum to the hostel students to leave.
    • All classes except those from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Engineering were closed.
    • Final exams were held locally (e.g. at State High Schools).
    • The schools were reopened in November 1964 under a new Education System.

    1964

    • The use of Intelligence Level Aggregate (ILA) system and the 3 NRC rule created a Tier System among the Once Equal Disciplines.
    • A sayagyi told his students, “If all of you go to medical and engineering, there will not be talent left to cover other important fields.”
    • There were some exceptions. Dr. Min Oo (in 1963) and Dr. Zaw Win (a few years later) stood Second in the whole of Burma in Matric. They chose to study Maths and received their Doctorates from Germany. Dr. Min Oo retired from McMasters University in Canada. He earlier taught in Germany and in the US as a visiting professor. Dr. Zaw Win is GBNF.

    Mid-1960s

    • Nationalization of Schools took place on April 1, 1965.
    • “Burmese Way to Socialism (Despotism, Nepotism)” created 2nd and 3rd Class Citizens.
    • Shortage of rice (unheard of in the “Rice Bowl of Asia”) caused unease. The problem was redirected to create a riot known as “Tayoke Bama Ah Yay Ah Khinn” တရုပ်ဗမာ အရေးအခင်း

    1974

    U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khin
    • “U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khin” ဦးသန့်အရေးအခင်း can be read in a book with rare photos. Htein Win Sar Pay ထိန်ဝင်းစာပေ has published books about the two Ah Yay Ah Khinn in 1974 and 1988. Ko Khin Maung Zaw mailed me a copy of “U Thant Ah Yay Ah Khinn”. At the 5th ILF (Irrawaddy Literary Festival), Ko Htein Win gave me a copy of the 8-8-88 Ah Yay Ah Khinn.

    Late 1980s

    1988
    • There were several more closure of the schools.
    • Many students lost three precious years of their lives (1988, 1989 and 1990). There were no classes, exams and Convocation for the three years. The 1st BE Intake of 1983 graduated in 1992. Those who failed the 6th BE in 1987 had to repeat again in 1991.
    • Some, who witnessed the events in March and August of 1988, had a long wait before they could freely express their experiences.
    • In August 1988, Dr. Tin Aung (Physics) and U Tun Aung Chain (History) were in the US as members of the Burmese Education Delegation. Dr. Tin Aung was elected in abstentia as a Patron / Nayaka နာယက of the “Sayas and Sayamas from All Universities and Institutes” Ah Phwe အဖွဲ့ supporting the 8-8-88 movement. Upon his return to Burma, Dr. Tin Aung was forced to resign.
      When Dr. Tin Aung’s pacemaker needed replacement, his former students from Myanmar and Overseas donated for his health expenses.
    Dr. Tin Aung
  • Highlights (1961 – 65)

    Highlights (1961 – 65)

    by Hla Min

    Update : July 2025

    1961

    Female Engineers

    • Mi Mi Lay (Tex)
    • Julie Han (Tex)
    • Yin Yin Kyi (Tex)
    • Pauline Reynolds (ChE)
    • Tin Tin Ohn / Amy (Tex)

    Burma Institute of Technology

    U Yone Mo
    U Sein Hla

    In the 1961 – 62 Academic Year, the Faculty of Engineering of Rangoon University moved to the Gyogone Campus.

    It was named Burma Institute of Technology (BIT).

    Sayas & Sayamas

    U Yone Mo served as Dean.

    U Sein Hla served as Registrar.

    Newly minted sayas & sayamas include U Aung Soe (C), U Maung Maung Win (M), Daw Tin Tin Ohn (T) & Daw Julie Han

    Matriculation & HSF

    In 1961, the last Matric & High School Final exam took place. Those who pass the exam could attend the University.

    In 1962, there were separate exams for Matric & HSF. Those who pass HSF had to take the Matric exam in order to attend the University.

    2nd SEAP Games

    RU athletes in 2nd SEAP Games
    • In December 1961, Burma hosted the 2nd South East Asian Peninsular Games.
    • Burma placed First (according to the Tally of Medals) in the Games. Burma was dominant in Track & Field, Swimming & Diving (to name a few).
    • About 20 students Rangoon University represented Burma in the Games. Several won Gold Medals : Tun Mra (4 x 100 meters relay), Soe Mra (Pole Vault), Kyaw Han (Volleyball), Richard Yu Khin (Yachting).
    • Ko Richard (GBNF) provided the group photo. He also wrote about the swimming training with Ko Tin Maung Ni under a Japanese coach.
    • Met Ko Tun Mra, Ko Khin Maung Latt & Ko Tin Myint (GBNF) at the RUBC/YUBC Annual Regatta in December 2019. Ko Tun Mra mentioned that he, Ko Kyaw Mra (GBNF), Ko Soe Mra & Ko Tun Naung represented Burma in the first SEAP Games held in Bangkok in 1959.

    1962

    Coup d’etat

    • On March 2, 1962, a 17-member Revolutionary Council staged a Coup d’etat. Sao Shwe Thaik’s son was killed.
    • Mahn Win Maung (President), U Nu (Prime Minister), U Myint Thein (Chief Justice), several high ranking officers & Sawbwas were imprisoned.
    • U Myint Thein was among the first to be detained and the last to be released. He was given only a part day off to attend the last journey of his spouse Daw Phwa Hmi (pioneer Burmese female barrister).
    • Sama Duwa Sinwa Naung had been selected to succeed Mahn Win Maung as the President, but the Coup ended the democratic parliamentary system.
    Sama Duwa Sin Wa Naung

    HSF Exam

    • The HSF exam results for Rangoon Division was annulled claiming a leakage of exam questions.
    • The students had to retake the HSF exam in August, 1962.

    Dark Days in July

    • There were two Dark Days.
    • Student protesters faced indiscriminate shooting on July 7, 1962. The newspapers & Myanmar Ah Than said that there were 17 victims.
    • Ko Aung Khin who was killed by a stray bullet on his way back from RUBC to his home in Windermere Road was listed as the 17th casualty.
    • On July 8, 1962, the revered RU Student Union Building was demolished.

    1963

    Matric Exam

    SPHS63 Scholarship Winners
    • Most exams were held in March. However, the Matric exam in 1963 was held in May.
    • St. Paul’s High School had five students in the Top Five, seven in the Top Ten, and ten in the Top Twenty.

    Anniversary of 7th July

    • In July 1963, the first Anniversary of 7th July 1962 was celebrated with posters, pamphlets & magazines.
    • Some time later, the higher authorities announced the closure of most schools except the Faculty of Medicine & the Faculty of Engineering.

    Rangoon University Boat Club

    Dinner to celebrate the RUBC 40th Anniversary
    • Annual Regatta was canceled citing security reasons.
    • Sithu U Tin (President) decided not to cancel the Dinner commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Founding of RUBC by Sit Arthur Eggar (Law Professor).

    1964

    Scholarship for USSR & East Bloc

    • Soviet Union and East Bloc nations offered scholarships for undergraduates & graduates.
    • Some classmates (who were concerned about how long the schools will close) applied & were accepted.
    • Maung Maung Kyi studied Chemical Engineering (specializing in Pulp & Paper) at Dresden University, GDR.

    New Education System

    Shwe YaDu
    • Enacted in November 1964
    • The reorganization saw former Faculties as independent Institutes with their own Rector and Registrar. The remaining faculties of Rangoon University became Rangoon Arts & Science University (RASU).
    • Under the new Education system, BIT became Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT). It had autonomy. U Yone Mo served as Rector. U Soe Thein (former student leader) served as Registrar.
    • Matriculates were admitted to the fresher classes at the Universities & Institutes using Intelligence Level Aggregate (ILA).
    • The marks for each subject were converted to an ILA score (1 – 20). Those who have a balanced score can have a higher ILA than someone who has high marks in most subjects but a low score in one subject.
    • There were name changes to the degrees offered, e.g B.E instead of B.Sc.(Engg)
    • Majors were introduced.
    • LL.B was offered.

    Luyechun

    • The program was initiated in the Summer of 1964.
    • Outstanding students from middle school and high school was chosen as Luyechun. They were sent to the Ngapali Luyechun Camp.
    • Oke Soe Kha (MEHS), Win Aung (TTC) and Ma Pwint Than (Loikaw) were some High School Luyechuns.

    1965

    Nationalization

    • On April 1, 1965 private schools were nationalized.
    • St. Paul’s High School (SPHS) became No. 6 Botathaung State High School.
    • Methodist English High School (MEHS) became No. 1 Dagon State High School.

    Luyechun Camps

    Inlay Luyechun
    • The Luyechun program was extended to students of Universities & Institutes in the summer of 1965.
    • I was selected as RIT Luyechun along with Ko Sein Shwe, Ma Khin Than Myint Tin, and Ko Zaw Min. We were sent to the newly opened Inlay Khaung Daing Camp was added.
    • The Rangoon Combined Camp was the meeting point for those from Ngapali Camp and Inlay Camp.

    Updates

    • There were more changes in the Education System.
    • Some were name changes : RIT to YIT & YTU
    • There were more closures to Schools.
    • There were more Coup d’etat — in 1988 & 2021
    • Burma hosted 5th SEAP Games in 1969.
    • The Luyechun Program ended in 1988.

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    • Luyechun
    • Memories of a 69er
    • Rangoon University
    • SEAP Games