Ko Mya Aye, Burmese Muslim 88 Students Group Leader

Ko Mya Aye

Burmese Muslim  

(88 Students Group Leader)

“So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannise will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men.”

– Voltaire

Surely there must be a “How-to-Govern” manual somewhere that says:

‘Thou Shalt Not Martyr Thy Opponents

Unless Thou Really Is Not Interested in

Winning the Hearts and Minds of Thy People’.

Marina Mahathir

 People’s views on Ko Mya Aye 

In BURMA DIGEST year-end poll for “Politician of the Year 2006 Burma”, new leader of 8888 generation pro-democracy student activists in Burma Ko Mya Aye was deservedly overwhelmingly elected as the Politician of the year.Here below is some interesting quotes from remarkable remarks made by our readers on Ko Mya Aye. 

¨       SPDC fears 88 generation student leaders most and they can succeed in bringing Burma to democracy.

¨       88 generation student leaders led a wide campaign for a signature petition to release all political prisoners. That campaign was a very amazing success after the 8888 People Uprising in 1988. In spite of the SPDC junta’s lawless authority to its own people, they did it very strategically, leading a possible path to democracy now and forever.

¨       He is more organized and gives truthful message to the people of Burma where Burmese people didn’t know how to show their democracy movement peacefully.

¨       I am very exciting of their works for people.  Now, many students from inside who are studying at different university joined hands with 88 GSG and are working together for democracy movements and to free political prisoners. I liked his speeches with media……

¨       Ko Mya Aye and 88 GSG (inside Burma; people from inside supported them and join with them as their voice of truth.

¨       The most interesting political group 2006 for Burma is Ko Mya Aye and 8888 Generation Students Group.

¨       They, 8888 generation students, are leading towards democracy movement in Burma and stimulate and try to develop human …..Their have perseverance, tolerance…

¨       During the 8888 uprising they had successfully lead the people’s uprising causing the downfall of three successive governments of General Ne Win, Sein Lwin and Dr Maung Maung.

¨       When you look through the events this year- petition and white expression campaigns that he and his group organized inside Burma showed full commitment and bravery of them, more importantly their moves inspired all pro-democracy activists and people of Burma.

¨       He took over all the responsibilities after Min Ko Naing, Pyone Cho, MinZaYa, Htay Kywel and Ko Ko Gyi were arrested. I like his speeches in Media; it made us wake up to involve in Freeing up Burma.

¨       He is a good leader of us after Min Ko Naing.  We support him.¨       Greatest generation of Burma after independent heroes

¨       We are new generations, they are model for us.

¨       I support him.  I like his speeches with media; it encourages people to fight for truth and against unlawful military rule.

¨       The student activists have been sacrificing their lives endlessly. They are national heroes.

¨       they show their desire for democracy without fear and people from inside were very interested of their work for democracy movements

¨       I like his speeches which are very exciting for our people.  He is the one who voice out for people through media without fearing of SPDC.

¨       His speeches make me keen to involve for democracy movements and I really support him and his friends

¨       He suffers the same as people suffer.

¨       He never gives up fighting for truth.  I like his speeches.

¨       I like his personalities, he did things right and he encourages people to express the truth.

¨       We need a leader like Ko Mya Aye after Min-Ko-Naing was arrested

¨       I am surprised by his courage and we need him for the future of Burma.

¨       He is the second “Min-Ko-Naing”

¨       He who speaks out for our people.  He is the one who respects his “Ye baw Ye bat” inside Burma.

¨       We like him because of his work for people.

¨       He courageously express his view of truth and he encourages people not to fear of expressing truth

¨       He is a Hero after Min-Ko-Naing.  

¨       He is a good leader and fighter for truth.

¨       I could not work for my country people like him.  I admired him.  I am strongly vote him for the most interesting political personality 2006 for our country.

¨       I would like to vote for him. Although I don’t know him in person, I listened his speeches in media.  It made me very excited and felt like suffering same as him. 

 (Reported by Dr. Tayza)

Also See in Burmese_

Copied and pasted below

Junta pins democracy activists to the wall

Ko Dee
Mizzima News  

April 6, 2007 – Pro democracy activists in Burma are slowly and steadily being pushed to the wall by the military junta which has stepped up restrictions and suppression both in economic and social terms, political dissidents in Rangoon said.

The 88 generation students, a group of pro-democracy activists, in a statement yesterday said, the junta, which grabbed power in 1988, after brutally suppressing student and civil protestors, despite their promise to install a democratic government, has continually suppressed political dissidence.

“In reality, however, those who are trying to restore democracy are marginalized from others as political activists, and have consequently become victims of oppression against the free practice of their economic and social rights,” the statement said.

The 88 generation students issued the statement following the junta’s order to shut-down a business venture run by the family of a former political prisoner and a second-rung leader of the 88 generation student – Ko Mya Aye.

On March 30, the municipal authorities in Rangoon ordered the closure of the Rangoon-Mandalay Thamadi Carrier Service headed by Maung Maung Aung, a younger brother of Mya Aye.

A letter from the municipality directed the office to be closed and informed the authorities to cancel the license to operate or action would be taken.While no reasons were given as to why the order was passed, activists viewed it as an attempt by the junta to muffle the voices of dissidence.Nyan Win, the spokesperson of Burma’s main political opposition party – National League for Democracy, said, “I agree with what the students said in the statement. It is not only the students who are targeted but also other political activists. Doctors have had their license withheld, and business ventures are being close-down.”

BBC Report about Ko Mya Aye

Speaking to the BBC, 88 Generation student leader Ko Mya Aye – one of the petition’s organisers – said they were seeking a peaceful political transformation in Burma and encouraging the people to participate.

We will continue with peaceful and legal means to help achieve national reconciliation in Burma  Ko Mya Aye

“We will continue with peaceful and legal means to help achieve national reconciliation in Burma”, says Ko Mya Aye who is one of the leading members of 88 Generation Students group.

The campaign began on October 2 and concluded on October 23.

 

RFA REPORT ABOUT KO MYA AYE

Mya Aye, a student leader during the 1988 uprising, said in an interview from Burma that the three men, with whom he had been meeting regularly, hadn’t committed any crimes and were in fact being treated well in detention.

“We talk solely about the paths to national reconciliation-how to bring it about how to rebuild our country. We didn’t commit any crimes,” Mya Aye said.

Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, and Htay Kywe were being held separately and “well looked after,” Mya Aye said, citing well-placed sources.

said in an interview from Burma that the three men, with whom he had been meeting regularly, hadn’t committed any crimes and were in fact being treated well in detention.

“We talk solely about the paths to national reconciliation-how to bring it about how to rebuild our country. We didn’t commit any crimes,” Mya Aye said.

Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, and Htay Kywe were being held separately and “well looked after,” Mya Aye said, citing well-placed sources.

Call for reconciliation

“When they were under detention, they were called in a number of times and asked about their views and convictions—I think that’s what is happening now,” he said. “We are closely monitoring the situation and will contact the authorities as necessary.”

“We believe only in national reconciliation. We don’t want to hurt anyone or favor anyone. The basic principles we hold are that any solution should be based on the results of the 1990 general election, on dialogue, democracy, and human rights,” he said.

“Our spirit is our only defense, and if they come to detain us we will just have to face it.”

Our spirit is our only defense, and if they come to detain us we will just have to face it.

Mya Aye, student leader in 1988 uprising

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said it was “deeply troubled” by the reported detentions and called on the ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), to release them immediately and unconditionally.

“Our spirit is our only defense, and if they come to detain us we will just have to face it.”

Our spirit is our only defense, and if they come to detain us we will just have to face it.

Mya Aye, student leader in 1988 uprising

Original reporting by RFA’s Burmese service. Additional reporting by Richard Finney. Produced in English by Luisetta Mudie and Sarah Jackson-Han

 

DVB Report_

88 students call for agreement on reforms

 

Reporting by Aye Naing

June 28, 2007 (DVB)—The 88 Generation Students today called on the Burmese government and opposition actors to cooperate with each other over political reforms and to engage in genuine dialogue.

In a statement, the student group said that the National League for Democracy, the winners of the 1990 election, the State Peace and Development Council and ethnic minority leaders needed to work together on Burma’s new constitution.

“A friendly political society where all the issues of disagreements and suspicions can be raised, discussed, compromised and made clear in independence and in honesty is essential,” the 88 Generation Students statement said.

“We, the 88 Generation Students, would like to urge the Tatmadaw government to create such a political society and that the National League for Democracy and all the ethnic parties to put effort into making this good political society possible.”

Former student leader Ko Mya Aye said the holding of the final session of the constitution-drafting National Convention next month provided the government, the opposition and ethnic minority groups with an opportunity to cooperate.

He also said that the 88 Generation Students group believed that as the final session of the National Convention will focus on the amendment procedures and revisions of the current constitutional draft it dialogue was now essential.

“We hope a good situation comes out of it . . . This constitution will look significantly better if the National League for Democracy, whose representatives have won a lot of seats in the 1990 elections, and all the ethnic representatives had a chance to participate in creating it,” Ko Mya Aye said.

 “Dialogue is essential if this is to happen . . . People should not ignore this . . . If we do, our country will go under this dark cloud of extreme chaos. We cannot let this happen. Dialogue should be initiated whenever and wherever possible,” he said.

FRONT LINE Human Rights defenders 

On 22 August 2007, a rare public protest over a sharp rise in fuel prices led to a wave arrests by the Burmese junta. Those arrested included the senior leadership of the 88 Generation Students group as well as members of other student and civil advocacy groups.Hundreds of demonstrators had taken to the streets to express their anger at the surprise increase in fuel prices. Natural gas prices have risen 500% and petrol and diesel prices have almost doubled, according to the Guardian. The rise has hit poor labourers particularly hard, swallowing up to half of their daily income.

The 88 Generation Students group is an organisation synonymous with the long struggle for democracy in military-ruled Burma and take their name from a 1988 student-led uprising crushed by the military. In a rare announcement in all state-run newspapers, the junta said that the dissidents were arrested for undermining the peace and security of the state, according to The Epoch Times.

Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Mya Aye, Ko Pyone Cho, Ko Jimmy and Ko Yin Htun were among those from the 88 Generation Student group arrested.On 21 August 2007, 14 student leader of the 88 Student Generation of Democracy were arrested.

The 14 members are Paw U Tun (also known as Min Ko Naing), Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho (also known as Htay Win Aung), Min Zeyar, Ko Mya Aye, Ko Jimmy (Kyaw Min Yu), Zeya, Ant Bwe Kyaw, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe (Marki), Panneik Tun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw, Nyan Lin Tun, Ko Yin Htun,They were arrested by security officials and members of the state backed Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA).

Front Line previously wrote to the Burmese Government on 27 August 2007 expressing concern about the arrest and detention of Paw U Tun, Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho, and Min Zeyar.All 14 human rights defenders were arrested by police officials on the eve of a major protest in Yangon on 22 August 2007.

No warrants were produced for the arrests and according to an article published in the state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar they will be charged under Law 5/96, which provides for up to 20 years in prison, for their involvement in “acts undermining the efforts to successfully carry out peaceful transfer of state power and facilitate the proceedings of the National Convention.” Following the arrests, members of the security forces allegedly searched the homes of the afore-mentioned individuals and confiscated documents and compact discs. Reports claim that they were detained at Kyaikkasan Detention Centre before being transferred to the notorious Insein prison outside Yangon where they may be at risk of torture, including beatings and electric shocks.

88-Generation Student leaders including Ko Mya Aye won the Politicians of the year 2006 for Burma, awarded by Burma Digest.

During the 8888 uprising they had successfully lead the people’s uprising causing the downfall of three successive governments of General Ne Win, Sein Lwin and Dr Maung Maung.

1.       The whole world know that the 88 Generation Students have been relentlessly calling peacefully for the non-violent ways of resistance.

2.       They are advocating for national reconciliation and

3.       even claimed openly that they could forgive and forget every thing even the imprisonment and injustices done on them.

4.       Their only fault is they are asking for a peaceful dialogue and pressing for the democracy, human rights and individual freedom.

Politician of the Year 2006 Burma

January 15, 2007 by burmadigest

Who is Politician of the Year 2006 Burma?

The politician of the year is a person who has led the people in the most significant and most important political movement during the year.

The most significant and most important political movement during this year is the White-coloured people power movement signifying people’s innocent and peaceful desire to get freedom, democracy and human-rights. And it was led by new generation student leaders.

So now thousands of readers of BURMA DIGEST have overwhelmingly voted new generation student leader Ko Mya Aye as The Politician of the Year 2006 Burma!

Final Voting Results

(validated at two decimal points)

* Only one vote from one IP address is counted.

¨     Ko Mya Aye 21.52%

¨     Daw Aung San Suu Kyi  18.83% 

¨     8888 students 9.97%         

¨     Ko Min Ko Naing 9.07%

¨  Nurul Islam  3.73%

¨ Dr. Cynthia Maung  3.69%

¨     Snr. Gen. Than Shwe  3.16%

¨     Sao Yawd Serk  3.12%

¨   U Aye Thar Aung  2.79%

¨  Dr. Nay Win Maung  2.59%

¨     Su Su New  2.27%

¨     U Maung Sein  2.21%

¨     U Win Tin  1.83%

¨     U Maung Maung (NCUB)  1.80%

¨     Nan Charm Tong  1.78%

¨     Ko Jimmy  1.75%

¨     Karen National Union & Saw Bo Mya 1.55%

¨     U Myint Aye (Human-rights Defender) 1.45%

¨  John Bolton  1.35%

¨  Nan Ohn Hla (NLD)  0.25%

¨  Daw Nan Khin Hla Myint (NLD)  0.15%

¨     Ludu U Sein Win  1.10%

¨ Ko Thet Win Aung  0.98%

¨  Ko Ko Gyi  0.85%

¨  Dr. Thaung Htun  0.75%

¨     Ko Aung Din  0.65%

¨     Ko Htay Kywe  0.54%

¨     Ko Min Zeya  0.46%

¨  Zoya Phan  0.35%

¨ Ma Phyu Phyu Thein (HIV NGO)  0.23%

¨  Ko Tun Tun (political activist)  0.17%

¨  Gen. Maung Aye 0.05%   

Multiple votes from a single IP address are discarded. One IP address, one vote only.

Although I was in the Editorial team I voted for the whole team of 88-Generation Student leaders and never had the access or had  influence the results. Please see the following article which I wrote as a vote.

                          My article in Burma Digest_ 

There is precedence to giving out an award to an organization for the award initially or usually meant for a person e.g. Noble Peace Prizes and Times magazine’s “man of the year” awarded to organizations.

Therefore, I hereby wish to nominate 88-Generation Student leaders for the Politicians of the year 2006 for Burma. During the 8888 uprising the had successfully lead the people’s uprising causing the downfall of three successive governments of General Ne Win, Sein Lwin and Dr Maung Maung.

Paw Oo Tun was a 3rd year zoology student in Rangoon University in 1988. He was a prominent leader in the 8888 people’s uprising. His nom de plume is Min Ko Naing or in English Conqueror of King! 1988 Student uprising started with the death of 2 RIT or Rangoon Institute of Technology students Ko Phone Maw and Ko Soe Naing on 13 March 1988.

In a 1988 speech, the fiery student leader said: “If we want to enjoy the same rights as people in other countries, we have to be disciplined, united and brave enough to stand up to the dictators,” according to Amnesty.

Min Ko Naing was arrested on 23 March 1989, sentenced to 20 years in December 1991, which was later commuted to 10 years. He was not released after completing his sentence in 1999. Moe The Zun, Ko Ko Gyi, Jimmy, Min Zayar, Pyone Cho and Htay Kywe are prominent leaders of 88-Generation Students group. Min Ko Naing was freed in Nov 2004. Immediately after his release, he had two interviews with the BBC and the RFA or Radio Free Asia.

Ko Min Ko Naing was only free for 11 months after a 16 year term in the Akyab prison; Ko Ko Gyi was released in March 2005 after nearly 14 years imprisonment.The SPDC Junta rearrested the 88 Generation Student leaders Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kywe on September 27 and Min Zayar and Pyone Cho on September 30, 2006. The arresting law enforcement persons told the student leaders and their family members that the top generals wanted to see them for discussions.

1. In many civilized countries that practice Rule of Just Laws, the arresting authorities must tell the person why they were arrested, the reason for their arrest, under which Section of the Law and may need to show the arrest warrant.

2. If any thing wrong or even if the warrant is technically defective they could be released with the Habeas corpus application at the respective court of law. Actually,

3. Human Rights and individual freedom covers all the aspects of humans_

4. All the citizens must enjoy the Freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention, and torture like this re-arrest of the 88 Generation Student leaders.

5. All individuals are “innocent until proven otherwise”

At the press conference, the SPDC falsely accused that they had detained the student leaders for questioning related to terrorist attacks and for the financial aid received from the foreign embassies. SPDC claimed that they have to arrest in order to prevent internal unrest and instability The embassies had denied the accusation of given any financial support and the whole world knew that the 88 Generation Students are not terrorists at all. If SPDC could not prove their ridiculous accusations, their international credibility and dignity would go down the drain further more.

1.       The whole world know that the 88 Generation Students have been relentlessly calling peacefully for the non-violent ways of resistance.

2.       They are advocating for national reconciliation and

3.       even claimed openly that they could forgive and forget every thing even the imprisonment and injustices done on them.

4.       Their only fault is they are asking for a peaceful dialogue and pressing for the democracy, human rights and individual freedom.

Min Ko Naing and his colleagues were slowly reactivating Burmese People for a political awareness and taking the leader role from the senile and inactive NLD leaders. Although they had suffered a lot in the jails for a long time, they are not scared and started their political activities again. They organized the 18th anniversary of the 1988 uprising in August this year where few thousands of people dare to attend. They requested the military leaders to start a dialogue with the opposition and ethnic leaders instead of continuing the National Convention.

The top leaders were arrested on 27^th June 2006 on the 18^th anniversary of the founding of the National League for Democracy.

On the 02^nd October the remaining 88 Generation Students group started

• the first-ever-public- campaign against the SPDC

• and gathered signatures for a petition calling for the release of political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

More than half a million people sign the petition although they were harassed by SPDC Kyant Phuts and their thugs. The signatures were later presented to the UN.

Later they organized

• “White Expression”

• requesting the people to wear white clothes to protest the SPDC. It was continued until the 44th birthday of Ko Min Ko Naing on 18 October.

On the 29th October, they started a third campaign,

• called “Multi Religious Prayer Campaign,”

• and requested the people to wear white clothing and hold candlelight vigils and prayers in temples, churches and mosques.

Ko Mya Aye & Ko Jimmy, the remaining ones of the 88 Generation leaders told the BBC Burmese fearlessly_

“Burmese people have to stay away from politics, because the government has kept them out. They are always looking for a way to participate in politics, so that is why we are trying to involve them.”

So the 88 Generation Student Group and Leaders are the prime movers and shakers of Burma Politics in 2006.

Campaigners and relatives said among those arrested were Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Mya Aye, Ko Yin Htun and Ko Jimmy, leaders of a 1988 democracy movement that was crushed by the regime.

Min Ko Naing, whose name means “Conqueror of Kings” and who was released last year after 15 years in jail, is probably the best-known activist after Aung San Suu Kyi. She remains under house arrest, having spent nearly 17 years imprisoned.

“Military intelligence and government intelligence seized their houses and searched their houses,” another dissident, Htay Kywe, who escaped, said from neighbouring Thailand.Despite the arrests, reports from Burma said campaigners again took to the streets yesterday to protest against the government’s recent increase in fuel prices. 

Niemoller said:

“In Germany they (the Nazis) came first for the Communists

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.

“Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up for me”.

Martin Niemoller, in his masterpiece, “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich – A history of Nazi Germany” (New York, Touchstone, 1990; first published in 1959)

I believe that Ko Mya Aye is a better Muslim than most of us who prays five times a day etc. (I don’t mean to say that he doesnot pray) as there is more to Islam than mere rituals. Islam is not just about rituals. Islam is also about values. And one of the most important values of Islam that Ko Mya Aye had practically shown all of us is to_

1. ‘propagating good and
2. forbidding evil’.
   
    

‘propagating good and forbidding evil’ _

1. is not optional.
2. It is compulsory.
3. Islam makes it mandatory that we oppose evil.

We are asked to oppose evil with our hands.

Our Prophet (pbuh) has been asked by God:

“I have been ordered to dispense justice between you.”

“Whenever you judge between people, you should judge with (a sense of) justice” (4:58).

The Prophet has said:

“If any one of you comes across an evil,

he should try to stop it with his hand (using force),

if he is not in a position to stop it with his hand

then he should try to stop it by means of his tongue

(meaning he should speak against it).

If he is not even able to use his tongue

then he should at least condemn it in his heart.

This is the weakest degree of faith”

(Muslim).

1. “Co-operate with one another for virtue and heedfulness

2. and do not co-operate with one another

3. for the purpose of vice and aggression” (5:2).

This means that_

1. who perpetrates deeds of vice and aggression,

2. even if he is our closest relation or neighbour,

3. does not have the right to win our support

4. and help in the name of race, country, language or nationality.

I believe that Ko Mya Aye is a better Muslim than most of us who prays five times a day etc. because Rituals are not values. Rituals are merely a demonstration that you have values. It is pointless performing rituals if you lack values. Rituals are not important if you lack faith or values. Rituals are the end result of the values you hold.

Our prayers are between God and us. Whether we perform them or not is between God and us. It does not concern anyone else. The same goes for all other rituals as well.  

But if we do not stand up for justice and fight against evil, oppression, persecution, etc., then it is no longer between God and us.

1. God can forgive us for not praying. (I don’t mean to say that we should not pray)
2. God can forgive us for the sins of not performing Haj, fasting etc.. (I don’t mean to say that we should not perform Haj, fasting etc.. ) I just wish to emphasize that doing good for the society, our country, Burma/Myanmar is MORE IMPORTANT DUTY FOR ALL OF US, BURMESE MUSLIMS.
3. But God will never forgive you for your sins against society.

By not opposing evil we have not sinned against God.

We have sinned against  millions of fellow-Muslims and other humans. And you will have to seek forgiveness from all of them. God can’t forgive you. Burmese Muslims and other Burmese Citizens will have to do that.

Myanmar Malay Muslims

or Pashus or Bajau or Selung, or Salone

 From the free encyclopedia

Wikipedia Talk page Adding facts about the Muslim- Moken or Pashu or Bajou after I added the following data into the main article_

In researching I have found part of the problem. Pashu is just the local name in Kawthaung for people of Malay ancestry. (My rebuttal- the whole Burma is using this name, any why was my Myanmar Malay Muslim article deleted?) It is also used to describe the mixed Malay-Burmese-Thai patois (so I am not wrong!)that many of them speak. Sometimes the word Pashu is also applied to the Moken as they are related to the Malays. (So erasing my article from Moken is also not totally right!) An example of usage is the local Kawthaung name for Pterocarpus indicus or pashu-padauk while in English it is sometimes called Malay padauk. Pashu has nothing to do with religion, (This is the outsiders hope and imigination. But almost all the Pashus are Muslims in Kawthaung) but that could be confusing since the Malay are more likely to be Muslim than the Burmese or Thai. —Bejnar (talk) 18:06, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

Many Burmese Moken, especially those staying on the mainland on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, have intermarried with local Burmese Muslims, Arabs and Indian seamen/traders. They are Muslims, and speak Burmese and a Malay dialect, with some of them holding Burma and Malaysian double citizenship.

In the southern tip of Myanmar in Myeik district of Taninthayi Division, a sizable number of Pashu (Bajou) people have lived since time immemorial. They are of the Malay race.

They speak Malay and some of their elderly members can read Jawi, Malay language written in Arabic Script. (Modern Malay is also written in Roman Script). Concentrated in Bokpyin township and villages around it and many sprawling islands in the Bay of Bengal, they learn a livelihood through fishing, pearl diving, agriculture and various trades.

They speak Myanmar with a strong Myeik ( Beik ) accent, and many can talk in Bahasa Melayu also. They have commercial links with south Thailand and north Malaysia. In Kawthaung the southernmost town of Myanmar, across Ranong in south Thailand , there are many mosques, including a large Pashu mosque. There are some Pashus who have intermarried with other Burmese Muslims and some of their youths have taken up modern Myanmar education.^[7]

 

 

 

REFERENCE ^ Maung-Ko Ghaffari, Yangon, Myanmar’s letter/article, published in the Sun newspaper, Malaysia on May 28, 2007. He gives me this newspaper photocopy with the permission for reproduction and circulation consent duly signed. He was the Chief Editor of The Islam Alin (Light of Islam) magazine published in Yangon. He cited or referred to the, “Our Pashu People”, published by Colonel Ba Shin, Chairman of the Burma Historical Commission and Secretary General of the Islamic Religious Affairs Council. Burma/Myanmar.

Some of the original contributors may like to see Moken remain as primitive non Muslims and repeatedly erased my contributions without even giving the reasons. Please just look at the Bajou in Malaysia and Indonesia. They are Muslims and are same as Myanmar/Burmese Pashus (Bajou) and mostly found in Johore, Batang Island Indonesia, Sarawak (East Malaysia) and Singapore. I have given a very good reference and also got the consent to republish anywhere, as written below.

So please may you kindly do not try to erase these facts about Burmese Malay Muslims, well known as Pashu or Bajou.

If they are the separate different Ethnic Minority from MOKEN,, why do you all merged my Burmese Malay Muslims article into this article?Or if you think Burmese Malay Muslim Pashus are totally different from Moken, kindly put back my article seperating from this merged one.

Please see Bajauin Wiki. Who authorize my article to merge and later edited out or erase the Burme Malay Muslim? Even Pashu Khaung Phyat bogyman meaning Bajau headhunter is well known in Burma. And we call the whole Peninsular as Pashu Kyun Swe meaning Pashu Peninsular. —Darz kkg (talk) —Darz kkg (talk) 14:07, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

Maung-Ko Ghaffari, Yangon, Myanmar’s letter/article, published in the Sun newspaper, Malaysia on May 28, 2007. He gives me this newspaper photocopy with the permission for reproduction and circulation consent duly signed. He was the Chief Editor of The Islam Alin (Light of Islam) magazine published in Yangon. He cited or referred to the, “Our Pashu People”, published by Colonel Ba Shin, Chairman of the Burma Historical Commission and Secretary General of the Islamic Religious Affairs Council. Burma/Myanmar. (Written by me)

Which ethnolinguistic group are you speaking about, which you believe is not covered adequately at Wikipedia? It is a bit difficult to follow you. There is no Pashu or Bajou ethnic group listed at List of ethnic groups in Burma. Badagnani (talk) 02:33, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

My rebuttal_

Those Pashu Muslims of Burma are really there and I had given referral duly. Viz_

A. Maung-Ko Ghaffari, Yangon, Myanmar’s letter/article, published in the Sun newspaper, Malaysia on May 28, 2007. He was the Chief Editor of The Islam Alin (Light of Islam) magazine published in Yangon.

B. “Our Pashu People”, published by Colonel Ba Shin, Chairman of the Burma Historical Commission and Secretary General of the Islamic Religious Affairs Council. Burma/Myanmar

C. We don’t care about the ethnic group listed at List of ethnic groups in Burma, as the

1. Burmese Muslims,
2. Burmese Indian Muslims,
3. Panthays or Burmese Chinese Muslims
4. and Rohingya Muslims

are not officially recorded there but WE ALL ARE THERE IN BURMA to stay forever whether SPDC Military Junta and you all experts in Anthropology recognize us or not.

Anyway, the real issue here is, my article was merged in this article.

May be (I may be wrong) Myanmar Pashus are Moken converted into Islam. Some inter-married with local Burmese Muslims, Arab and Indian Muslim sailors and traders.

Please read the Wiki article, Bajau. Although not mentioned in Wiki Bajau, Myanmar Pashus could be related to them. May you kindly allow me to repeat my words above_

Even Pashu Khaung Phyat bogyman meaning Bajau headhunter is well known in Burma.

But as some of the ancient Myanmar/Burmese used to call the Malays as Pashu, it may refer possibly to Malay but now we all call Malay a Malay.

1. The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous ethnic group the Philippines and in parts of Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak.
2. many Bajau had migrated to neighbouring Malaysia . . .
3. They were sometimes referred to as the Sea Gypsies,
4. although the term has been used to encompass a number of non-related ethnic groups with similar traditional lifestyles,
5. Bajau is a collective term, used to describe several closely related indigenous groups.
6. The origin of the word Bajau is not clear cut.
7. Although it is generally accepted that these groups of people can be termed Bajau, these groups never call themselves Bajau.
8. They call themselves with the names of their tribes that are mostly the names of the places of their origins.
9. They accept the term because they realise that they share some vocabulary and general genetic characteristic such as in having darker skin,
10. For most of their history, the Bajau have been a nomadic, seafaring people, living off the sea by trading and subsistence fishing.
11. They kept close to shore by erecting houses on stilts, and traveled using lepa-lepa, handmade boats which many lived in.
12. The many Bajau sub-groups vary culturally and linguistically, but are unified through their adherence to Sunni Islam of the Shafi’i school.
13. Commonly, many sub-groups of Bajau are named after the place or island they live-in for many years.
14. Eventhough, they are called Bajau, each sub-groups has they own unique language, cultures and tradition.
15. However, certain sub-groups are able to understand the languages of other sub-groups and races.
16. Claims to religious piety and learning are an important source of individual prestige among the coastal Bajau, and the title of salip/sarip (descendants of the Prophet Muhammad) are shown special honour in the local community.
17. The Ubian Bajau, due to their nomadic marine lifestyle, are much less adherent to orthodox Islam, and practice more of a folk hybrid, revering local sea spirits, known in Islamic terminology as Jinn.
18. Many Bajaus of the east coast retain their seaborne lifestyle, together with remnants of traditional pre-Islamic beliefs.
19. Among the boat-dwellers in particular, community spirit mediums are consulted at least once a year for a public séance and nightly trance dancing.
20. In times of epidemics, the mediums are also called upon to remove illness causing spirits from the community.
21. They do this by setting a “spirit boat” adrift in the open sea beyond the village or anchorage.

 

As I am not an expert, please kindly decide the fate of Myanmar Muslim Pashus (sorry some may hate to read as another sub-group of Myanmar Muslim).

Are they still related to Moken? Bajau? Or non existent ghosts people?

But you could not close the eyes and refuse to accept that there is no such people there in Myanmar.

Whether they are recognized as Ethnic group or not, they are there.No one could cleanse them (and all the different groups of Muslims of Myanmar) out of Myanmar. Issue of recognization as the different ethnolinguistic group is for your academic paper work but we all are in Myanmar whether you recognize or not. And Wiki must record some where, even if you wish to record us as illegal mix-blooded people, echoing the dictator General Ne Win.

There are three groups of Bajau according to the New Straits Time, Malaysia’s English newspaper published in early 90’s. I copied and recorded the facts but was quite ignorant to note down the date and author.

These three groups of Bajau are_

1. The Moken and the related Moklen group.
2. Orang Laut (Sea People).
3. Bajau Laut.

Myanmar citizens of Malays are the Moken and the related Moklen group. They are found in the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar and the islands of south western part of Thailand.

One of the other two subtypes are the Orang Laut (Sea People) are seen in Riau-Lingga Archipelago, Batam, Eastern Sumatera of Indonesia and Southern Johore of Malaysia.

The last group is the Bajau Laut, largest of all groups, live in Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines, eastern Bornio, Sulawesi and islands of eastern Indonesia.

Pashu in Myanmar is likely to be the corrupted word (or a different slang) in Myanmar language from- Bajau. That Bajau tribe is the largest Muslim indigenous group in Sabah (East Malaysia). They are known as Sea Gypsies or Sea Nomads.

Malays in Myanmar or (called Pashu of Burma), are almost same as but a little bit different from the Malays in Southern Thailand, East and West Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines and Indonesia.

So the Pashu Muslims of Myanmar are likely to be from the Muslim-Moken and are related to Moklen group of Bajau.

So what should we do?

1. Shift the whole Moken article under Bajau? Not appropriate as some Moken are non Muslims and Bajau are all Muslims. (See Wiki. Anthropologists should argue there that the religion should not create a new race. )
2. Then is it appropriate to merge Moken into Bajau?
3. Or need to take out Myanmar Pashu Muslims from this Moken article and put under Bajau article?
4. Or just reinstate my original article Myanmar Malay Muslims or Pashu article merged here and ERASED?

To sumup the above, evidences of Burmese Malay Muslims or Pashu in Myanmar are_

1. Letter/article, published in the Sun newspaper, Malaysia on May 28, 2007.
2. Maung-Ko Ghaffari was the Chief Editor of The Islam Alin (Light of Islam) magazine published in Yangon, wrote that and given me the consent to republish.
3. “Our Pashu People”, published by Colonel Ba Shin, Chairman of the Burma Historical Commission and Secretary General of the Islamic Religious Affairs Council. Burma/Myanmar.
4. Pashu Khaung Phyat bogyman meaning Bajau headhunter is well known in Burma.
5. Ancient Myanmar/Burmese used to call the Malays as Pashu, it may refer possibly to Malay but now we all call Malay a Malay.
6. In the Glass Palace Chronicle, official history of Burma, there is the story of Alaunsithu, grandson of Kyansittha (Second Burmese King in History). Reported to had arrived Pashu/Malaya. One of the spectator child fell into the sea, drowned and saved by a sailor of Alaunsithu. (I will search back the book and give the reference page later.)
7. Kin Won Min Gyi, the Minister of our last king, Thibaw, went to Europe through Malaya and recorded the appearances, culture, dressings of PASHUS. (I will search and give the references later)
8. The New Straits Time, Malaysia’s English newspaper published in early 90’s about Bajau, which I recorded above. It may be difficult to trace back.
9. And another article written by Datuk Kadir Jasin, Chief Editor of The New Straits Time, Malaysia’s English newspaper, after he followed the PM Tun Dr Mahathier’s first visit to Burma/Myanmar.He wrote about the Muslims in Burma, including these Pashu Malays of Burma and even mentioned about early arrival of Islam in Burma starting from Byat Wi, Byatta, Shwe Phyin brothers etc. (Datuk Kadir Jasin later became the Malaysia Government news agency, Bernama’s chief and now retired.)–Darz kkg (talk) 16:58, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

The following is an old revision of this page, as edited by me at 17:15, April 29, 2007. It  differ significantly from the current revision because some of the editors are stubborn and edited as they like erasing all of my postings in this article. But Alhamdulillah, I was able to protect my other Islam/Myanmar articles_

Articles I have authored, started or expanded on Wikipedia.

1. Islam in Myanmar
2. Talk:Islam in Myanmar
3. Burmese Indians
4. Talk:Burmese Indians
5. Panthay
6. Burmese Chinese
7. Myanmar Indian Muslims
8. Famous Burmese Muslims renamed List of Burmese Muslims
9. Ba Shin
10. Persecution of Muslims in Myanmar
11. History of arrival of Islam in Burma/Myanmar
12. Burma Muslim Congress
13. Burmese Malay Muslims
14. U Shwe Yoe

 

 

 

Moken children near Surin Island, Thailand

 

 

 

A boat of Moken

The Moken (Mawken or Morgan), are an Austronesian ethnic group with about 2,000 to 3,000 members who maintain a nomadic, sea-based culture. Their Malayic, or proto-Malay language is distinct from the surrounding Malayan languages.

Nomenclature

The Moken refer to themselves as Moken. The name is used for all of the proto-Malayan speaking tribes who inhabit the coast and islands in the Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand, the provinces of Satun, Trang. Krabi, Phuket, Phang Nga, and Ranong, up through the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar (Burma). The group includes the Moken proper, the Moklen (Moklem), the Orang Sireh (Betel-leaf people) and the Orang Lanta. The last, the Orang Lanta are a hybridized group formed when the Malay people settled the Lanta islands where the proto-Malay Orang Sireh had been living.

The Burmese call the Moken, Selung, or Salone or Chalome.^[1] In Thailand they are called Chao Ley (people of the sea) or Chao nam (people of the water). Although these terms are used loosely to include the Urak Lawoi and even the Orang Laut. Thai word is: มอแกน. In Thailand, acculturated Moken are called Thai Mai (new Thais).

The Moken are also called Sea Gypsies, a generic term that applies to a number of peoples in southeast Asia. The Urak Lawoi are sometimes classified with the Moken, but they are linguistically and ethnologically distinct, being much more closely related to the Malay people.^[2][3]

Lifestyle

Their knowledge of the sea enables them to live off its organisms by using simple tools such as nets and spears to forage for food. What is not consumed is dried atop their boats, then used for trade at local markets for other necessities. During the monsoon season, they build additional boats while occupying temporary huts.

Some of the Burmese Moken are still nomadic people who roam the sea most of their lives in small hand-crafted wooden boats called Kabang, which serve not just as transportation, but also as kitchen, bedroom, living area. Unfortunately much of their traditional life, which is built on the premise of life as outsiders, is under threat and appears to be diminishing.

Some of the Burmese pure Moken are still nomadic people who roam the sea most of their lives in small hand-crafted wooden boats called Kabang, which serve not just as transportation, but also as kitchen, bedroom, living area. Unfortunately much of their traditional life, which is built on the premise of life as outsiders, is under threat and appears to be diminishing.

Because of the amount of time spent diving for food, Moken children have accommodated their visual focus to see better underwater.^[4][5]

But many Burmese Moken, especially those staying on shore on the mainland, that is on the west coast of Malay Peninsula intermarried with local Burmese Muslims, Arab and Indian seamen/traders. They are Muslims and speak Burmese and a Malay dialect. And some of them are holding Myanmar and Malaysia double citizenships although that practice is not accepted by both goverments. If those Malay descendants (Muslims) want to migrate back to Malaysia, there was even a special scheme to accept them back in 70’s. Many of them had relatives in Kedah and some in other northern states of Malaysia.

The first Muslims had landed in Myanmar (Burma’s) Tanintharyi coast as seamen in ninth century. ^[6] The dawn of the Muslim settlements and the propagation of Islam was widely documented by the Arab, Persian, European and Chinese travelers of Ninth century.^[7]

The current population of Myanmar Muslims are the descendants of Arabs, Persians, Turks, Moors, Indian-Muslims and Malays who settled and intermarried with local Burmese and many ethnic Myanmar groups. ^[8][9]

Muslims arrived in Burma as travelers, adventurers, pioneers, sailors, traders,^[10]Military Personals (voluntary and mercenary)^[11], and some were reported to have taken refuge from wars, Monsoon storms and weather, shipwreck ^[12]and for a number of other circumstances. but many of them are professionals and skilled personals serving at various ranks of administration whilst others are port-authorities and mayors and traditional medicine men.^[13]

In the chronicles of Malaysia, during the first Melacca Empire of Parameswara in the early fifteenth century, it was recorded the Burmese (Muslims) sailors and traders were regularly arriving there. [1] Those Bago (Pegu) seamen, likely to be Muslims, were also recorded by the Arab Historians of tenth century. During fifteen to seventeen centuries, there were a lot of records of Burmese Muslim traders, sailors and settlers on the whole coast of Burma. That was from Arakan coast (Rakhine), Ayeyarwady delta and Tanintharyi coast (Including all the islands along the whole coast).^[14] During Peik Thaung Min (early Bagan dynasty, 652-660 AD), Arab travelers from Madagascar to China through East Indian Islands, visited Thaton and Martaban ports. It was recorded in Arab chronicles in 800 AD. ^[15]

In seventeenth century, those Muslims controlled the business and became so powerful because of their wealth. They were even appointed as Governor of Mergui, the Viceroy of the Province of Tenasserim, Port Authorities, Port Governors and Shah-bandars (senior port officials).^{[16] [17] [18]}

Muslim sailors built many mosques, but those should be more appropriately called Temples as they were equally holy to Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Chinese. They were called Buddermokan,The so called Buddermokan on Sittway island is claimed by believers of different faiths. … ‘Buddermokan’ ^[19][20][21] in memory to Badral-Din Awliya, a saint. They are found in Akyab, Sandoway and on a small island off Mergyi. ^[22]

So Malays in Myanmar (called Salon or Pa Shu), are almost same as but a little bit different from the Malays in Southern Thailand, East and West Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines and Indonesia. Pa Shu in Myanmar is likely to be the corrupted word (or a different slang) in Myanmar language from- Bajau. That Bajau tribe is the largest Muslim indigenous group in Sabah (East Malaysia). From the three groups of Bajau these Myanmar citizens of Malays are the Moken and the related Moklen group. They are mostly found in the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar and the whole of the Tanintharyi coast.

Governmental control

The Burmese and Thai governments have made attempts at assimilating the people into their own culture, but these efforts have met with limited success. Thai Moken have been permanently settled in villages located in the Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin National Park^[23]), in Phuket Province, on the northwestern coast of Phuket Island, and on the nearby Phi Phi islands of Krabi province.^[24]

The Andaman Sea off the Tenasserim coast was the subject of keen scrutiny from Burma’s regime during the 1990s due to offshore petroleum discoveries by multinational corporations including Unocal, Petronas and others. Reports from the late 1990s told of forced relocation by Burma’s military regime of the ‘Sea Gypsies’ to on-land sites. It was claimed most of the Salone had been relocated by 1997, which is consistent with a pervasive pattern of forced relocation of suspect ethnic, economic and political groups, conducted throughout Burma during the 1990s.

2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

The islands where the Moken live received much media attention in 2005 during the Southeast Asia Tsunami recovery, where hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in the disaster. As they are keenly aware of the sea, the Moken in some areas knew the tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004 was coming,^[25] and managed to preserve many lives.

However in the coastal villages of Phang Nga Province, such as Tap Tawan, the Moken suffered severe devastation to housing and fishing boats in common with other Moken communities.^[26]

References

1. ^ Anderson, John (1890) The Selungs of the Mergui Archipelago Trübner & Co., London, pp. 1-5

2. ^ Classification of Urak Lawoi language

3. ^ Urak Lawoi of the Adang Archipelago, Tarutao National Marine Park, Satun Province, Thailand by Dr. Supin Wongbusarakum December 2005

4. ^ Gislén, Anna (May 13, 2003) “Superior Underwater Vision in a Human Population of Sea Gypsies” Current Biology 13(10): pp. 833-836;

5. ^ Travis, J. (May 17, 2003) “Children of Sea See Clearly Underwater” Science News 163(20): pp. 308-309;

6. ^ “The Muslims of Burma” A study of a minority Group, by Moshe Yegar, 1972, Otto Harrassowitz. Wisbaden. page 2, first line.

7. ^ “The Muslims of Burma” A study of a minority Group, by Moshe Yegar, 1972, Otto Harrassowitz. Wisbaden. page 2, line 5,6,9

8. ^ ibid page 6, line 25,26&27.

9. ^ Pathi U Ko Ko Lay’s lecture 1973, Islamic Religious Library Magazine

10. ^ “The Muslims of Burma” A study of a minority Group, by Moshe Yegar,,page9, paraaph 4.

11. ^ ibid, page10,line 7,8&9.

12. ^ ibid page 2, paragraph 3, line 1,2&3.

13. ^ ibid page 30, whole page.

14. ^ ibid page 2, 2nd. paragraph, line 1,2 &3.

15. ^ Various notable facts in Myanmar History, in Burmese, by U Kyi BA History Honours. Page 156, 157.

16. ^ ibid

17. ^ Maurice Collis, Simese White(London Faber and faber, 1936. page 40.

18. ^ “The Muslims of Burma” A study of a minority Group, by Moshe Yegar, page 5, line 22 to 27

19. ^ Sir Richard C. Temple, Buddermokan, JBRS,XV, pt 1 (1925)1-33

20. ^ “The Muslims of Burma” A study of a minority Group, by Moshe Yegar, page 8 1st. paragraph

21. ^ A. Journal of the Burma Research Society 15: 1-33. the coast from Assam to Malay with the curious mosques known as Buddermokan reverenced by the Buddhists and China-men as well as Mahomedans. B. Arakan Rajsabhay Bangala Sahitya(1600 – 1700 AD)Bengali Literature in the Kings’ Court of ArakanBy Dr. Muhammad Enamul Huq (M.A., Ph. D) and Sahitya-sagar Abdul Karim Sahitya Visarad Translated from Bengali by: Mating Sein Pru [www.rakhapura.com/ScholarsColumn/Bengali_Literature_in_the_Kings_Court_of_Arakan.asp]

22. ^ ibid

23. ^ “Mu Ko Surin National Park” National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok, Thailand;

24. ^ Bauerlein, Monika (November 2005) “Sea change: they outsmarted the tsunami, but Thailand’s sea gypsies could be swept away by an even greater force” Mother Jones 30(6): pp. 56-61;

25. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/18/60minutes/main681558.shtml “Sea Gypsies See Signs In The Waves” 60 Minutes CBS News, 25 December 2005];

26. ^ Jones, Mark (6 May 2005) “Thailand’s fisherfolk rebuild after tsunami” Reuters also from Web Archive

External links

• http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0504/feature4/ (Subscription Required)

• http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0504/feature4/online_extra.html (Tsunami Extra)

• Phuket Magazine: The Moken – Traditional Sea Gypsies

• NationalGeographic.com – Sea Gypsies

• ProjectMaje.org – Burma “Sea Gypsies” Compendium

• Mergui Archipelago Project

• Ethnologue report for Moken

• The Sea Gypsies of Surin Island – (Expeditions, Research in Applied Anthropology)

• “The Sea Gypsies of Surin Island” by Antonio Graceffo

Moken

A language of Myanmar

ISO 639-3: mwt

Population	7,000 in Myanmar (1993 Johnstone).
Region	Mergui Archipelago, Dung, and other islands in south Myanmar. Also spoken in Thailand.
Alternate names	Mawken, Basing, Selung, Selong, Salong, Salon, Chau Ko’
Dialects	Dung, Ja-It, L’be. Closest to Moklen. Related to Urak Lawoi.
Classification	Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic, Moklen
Language development	NT: 2002.
Comments	They live primarily on boats, but occasionally settle on islands in the area. SVO. Islands. Tropical forest. Sea level. Fishermen: marine products. Traditional religion, Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Thailand

Language name	Moken
Region	West coast of south Thailand, Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi, Ranong.
Alternate names	Mawken, Basing, Selung, Selong, Salong, Salon, Chau Ko’
Dialects	Dung, Ja-It, L’be.
Comments	They live primarily on boats, but occasionally settle on islands in the area. Fishermen. Traditional religion, Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Amon Thavisak. 2001. “The effects of glottal finals on pitch in Southeast Asian languages.”

Pittayaporn, Pittayawat . 2006. “When words erode: Moken trisyllabic syncopation and PAn stress.”

Selung/Moken

ETHNONYMS: The names used by and for nomadic boat people typically refer to the people’s connections with the sea. “Moken” (Mawken, Maw khen) is the name people living around the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar (Burma) use to identify themselves. Originating from a Moken story, the name means “drowned people” or “people of the drowning,” maw or l’maw (drowning, to dip), o’en-ken abbreviated to oke’n (“salt water”), according to Bernatzik and to White. Anderson mentions people calling themselves Manoot (menut or manut, people) Ta’au (teau or t’ow, sea) or “people of the sea.” Similar terms for “people” are found in Thailand (chao) and Malaysia (orang) with words for “sea” (Thai le; Malay laut) or “water” (Thai nam); hence Thais call Moken “Chao Nam” or “Chao Le” and Malays use “Orang Laut.” The meaning and etymology of the Burmese name Salon, Selon, Selong, Selung, or Silung is not clear; it may derive from the Thai-Malay placename Salang (Thalang) Phuket, where Moken may have lived. Other names for Moken are associated with sociopolitical status, geography, and environment; these include “Orang Rayat” (Malay, “subject”) or “Rayat Laut” (“the sea subjects”), “Orang Pesukuan” (“people divided into clans”), and “Bajau” (Bugis, “subject”), a term denoting sea people of north Borneo and the Sulu Archipelago (often equated with pirates). Local groups may take the name of geographic places where they live (e.g., Orang Barok, for Baruk Bay, on the island on Singkep).

 

See also Bajau; Samal; Sea Nomads of the Andaman

BARBARA S. NOWAK

Orientation

History and Cultural Relations

Settlements

Economy

Kinship

Marriage and Family

Sociopolitical Organization

Religion

Bibliography

 

Religious Beliefs.

Traditional animistic beliefs are allied to Malaysian Orang Asli ideology. Islamic, Christian, and Buddhist beliefs have filtered into the belief systems of local groups to varying degrees. Moken of Mergui are the only group Islam has not penetrated. Orang Laut range from nominal Muslims who continue to eat pork and do not fast during Ramadan to more conservative Muslims.

Nineteenth-century missionaries and government officers recorded Mergui Moken belief in a spirit called Thooda (Thida), which Carrapiett argues derives from the Thai Theoda. A more widespread belief is in good and malicious spirits. Spirits are thought to cause illness and death, storms, thunder and lightning, or provide food and protection from other spirits. Moken believe that spirits require propitiation with food and drink left at temples and carved spirit posts.

Religious Practitioners. Shamans lead ceremonies; they communicate with and make offerings to spirits and exorcise illness from the sick. Shamanic ability is not inherited. Women may become shamans. Sorcerers are believed to be capable of causing sickness and death.

Ceremonies. Reminiscent of B’sisi’ and Jah Hut on the Malay Peninsula, Orang Laut shamans pull pain spirits from the sick and lure them into carved figures that are disposed of later. Moken have an annual ceremony for which a number of neighboring boat groups come together to “feed the spirits” and ask for good health and a good year’s sea harvest.

Medicine. Nineteenth-century reports of Moken all mention the decimating effects of cholera and smallpox on Moken populations. Illness and death are believed to be caused by evil spirits who enter a body through a wound. The shaman holds healing ceremonies in which he or she enters a trance and calls for spiritual help in bringing about a cure. Sick people propitiate spirits and ask for good health at the annual festival. Midwives assist in the birthing process. There is no ceremony following birth. Mothers name their newborn without ceremony.

Death and Afterlife. Souls go to the east but evil spirits remain near the grave. Moken fear evil spirits so cemeteries are located on an out-of-the-way island. The traditional method of disposal was to place the corpse on a four-post platform wrapped with bamboo sticks; boat owners were buried in their boats, which were cut in half. The boat then became part of the grave goods, which also included the individual’s personal possessions. By 1850 platform burials were abandoned for burial on the beach.

Muslims in Union of Myanmar

Muslims in Union of Myanmar

Maung Ko Gaffari (bayda@time.net.my)

Republishd with kind permission from author and publisher Myanmar Muslim.net

About 8 million Muslims live in PYIDAUNGSU (Union of Myanmar) out of the country’s total population of around 52 million. The figure is the rough estimate of the Islamic Organizations spread over almost all the 300+ townships, engaged in various occupations – farming, fishing, livestock breeding, weaving, transport, trading, industries, running eateries and stores, construction and so on. Many are in Government service ranging from clerks and peons to top officers.Islam reached Burma about 1000 years ago and adherents among most of  the indigenous races- Bamar, Mon, Kayin, Shan, Kachin, Raknine(Rakhaing), Chin etc., etc. 

The vast majority are Buddhists. 

A large number of Indians from various part of the Indian subcontinent are Chinese from various part of China have settled in our country and many of them got married in the Myanmar (Burmese) races whose offspring can be found in many town and villages. 

The present-day Myanmar Muslim Community is made up of indigenous people and the descendants of Indian Muslims and Chinese Muslims mixed marriages among Muslims of various racial backgrounds are common. 

There is a Pashu(Malay) community in the southern tip of  Myanmar and they also have intermarriaged with other Burmese Muslims.In the northern tier of Rakhine State (North Arakan) bordering Bangladesh, Muslims who are akin to Bangladesh people in race, language & culture from the majority; they are known as Anauktha or Arakan locally and as Rohingya in foreign countries.

All over the Pyidaungsu (Union of Myanmar) in big cities like Yangon, Pyay, Pathein, Mandalay, Taunggi, Lashio, Myitkyina, Myeik, Maulamyine, Sittway, Yamethin etc. etc. and in small towns and villages you can see Mosques and Madrasas. 

The Islamic Affairs Council, Jamiatul-Ulama, Maulvi Organization, Myanmar Muslim Youth League (Ba –Ma- La) and Myanmar Muslim National affairs Organizations(Ma-Ah-Pha) as government-recognized associations keeping touch and working with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
 

The Islamic Affairs Council, Jamiatul-Ulama, Muslim Central Fund Trust and Islamic Centre of  Myanmar are the members representing Myanmar Muslims in the Regional Islamic Da’wah Council for Southeast Asia and the pacific(R.I.S.E.A.P),headquarters Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.