News 21
www. mmtimes. com
Ceremony to mark birth of Mandalay University founder
KHIN SU WAI jasminekhin @ gmail. com
THE founder of Mandalay College – which later became Mandalay University – would have been 100 years old in August and celebrations are being planned to honour his memory.
U Ko Lay, whose hard work in the aftermath of World War II helped to secure tertiary education for generations of Myanmar, passed away in 1993.
But his life will be marked at an event on August 23, said U Nyunt Maung, chairman of the centenary celebration’ s organising committee.
Mandalay University was established as Mandalay College in 1947, with U Ko Lay as its vice chancellor. A similar institution had been founded by the colonial administration in 1920 following student protests but closed in 1942 because of the war.
U Ko Lay had been undertaking a PhD in London when then-Minister for Education U Razak, one of Myanmar’ s most prominent Muslims, called him back to Myanmar to establish the college.
The challenges he and the other 23 founding teachers overcame to get the college up and running were significant, U Nyunt Maung said.
“ When U Ko Lay arrived [ to start the college ] there were no funds, no infrastructure, no students and no teachers,” said U Nyunt Maung.“ But U Razak believed U Ko Lay could make it happen. As he expected, Mandalay residents donated enough money to establish the college.”
U Tin Mg, vice chairman of the organising committee and a relative of U Ko Lay, described the university founder as“ his idol and hero”.
U Ko Lay was also renowned for his translation of Buddhist and lay literature into English, including the Glass Palace Chronicles and the works of Thakin Kodaw Hmine.
“ He received many literature prizes and wrote a White Paper that was issued by British government.
U Ko Lay, the first vice chancellor of Mandalay College when it was reestablished in 1947. Photo: Supplied
He was very fluent in both Myanmar and English,” U Tin Mg said.“ When he died he donated all of his property to Pali University [ in Yangon ].”
U Nyunt Maung said organisers
‘ When U Ko Lay arrived there were no fund, no infrastructure, no students and no teachers.’
U Nyunt Maung Organiser of events to mark the centenary of U Ko Lay’ s birth hoped that the event will not only teach younger people about U Ko Lay’ s achievements but also about the history of the institution.
Since then, many students have graduated from the university and achieved renown in various fields- from academia to politics and law, as well as business. Its alumni include the writer Mg Thar No, director Maung Moe Thu and the poet Tin Moe, along with U Mg D – a former deputy minister of education – U Khin Mg and U Robert Tun Mg, who were well known in the education field.
A pre-centenary birthday ceremony was held on June 23.
U Nyunt Maung said the only disappointment was that religious tension meant that authorities were reluctant to let organisers hold the ceremony as they originally planned but refused to elaborate.
News 21
HR violations rising in Shan State, says rights group
nantin. htwe @ gmail. com
NAN TIN HTWE
FIGHTING in Shan State over the past two years has led to an increased number of human rights violations, a human rights group said last week.
“ It’ s getting worse,” said Ko Sai Khur Hseng, a spokesperson for the Thailand-based Shan Human Rights Foundation( SHRF). On July 4 the group told The Myanmar Times it had found fewer incidents of forced labour but more incidents of human rights violations generally due to the conflict in Shan State, which has seen residents in some areas repeatedly being forced to flee their homes.
Ko Sai Khur Hseng said that when people flee to seek safety in the wake of attacks their belongings are often seized by armed groups.
Reports on June 23 said fighting between the Shan State Army-North and government forces was underway in Kye Thi township, only 30 kilometres( 19 miles) from the SSA-N headquarters in Wan Hai.
According to an SHRF statement on June 2, four villagers were injured and a 90-year-old woman died from shock after shells hit her house. The attack also hit a temple, displacing more than 30 monks and 150 villagers.
The group said government troops, which occupied the temple and were using it as a command post, had arrested and interrogated one villager, Sai Kham, 30, for more details about Shan army movements.
“ Those who suffer are the people,” Ko Sai Khun Hseng said.“ They are sandwiched between two groups, and they can’ t say anything about it.”
“ The times when the nation’ s leaders talk about long-lasting peace is the time when fighting happens most.”
Along with its political wing the Shan State Progress Party( SSPP), the SSA-N signed a ceasefire agreement in January 2012, though the deal has not stopped the fighting with the Tatmadaw.
The recent escalation in fighting followed an extended lull in tensions.
SSPP and SSA-N spokesperson Colonel Sai La told The Irrawaddy on June 28 that the group“ doesn’ t understand why the government attacks areas where we’ ve been based for a long time”. He said government forces were“ trying to cut off and disturb our operational routes”.
“ Fighting is happening,” Col Sai La was quoted as saying.“ There are no IDP camps. When fighting happens, people flee and come back when the situation settles.”
On June 29, a statement made by the Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army-South said one of the top concerns for those affected by fighting was why the conflict is continuing after ceasefire agreements were made. The statement came after the group’ s leader Lieutenant General Yawd Serk travelled to Nay Pyi Taw for historic talks with President U Thein Sein.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson declined to comment last week.