Burma Muslim Congress

Last updated
Burma Muslim Congress
Abbreviation BMC
First president U Razak
Last president U Than Myint
Founded December 1945 (1945-12)
National affiliation AFPFL (1945–56)
National United Front (1958–60)
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The Burma Muslim Congress (abbreviated BMC) was a Muslim political party in Burma (present-day Myanmar).

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. It consists of a group of letters taken from the word or phrase. For example, the word abbreviation can itself be represented by the abbreviation abbr., abbrv., or abbrev.

Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion teaching that there is only one God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24% of the world's population, most commonly known as Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the population in 50 countries. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, unique and has guided humankind through prophets, revealed scriptures and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God, and the teachings and normative example of Muhammad.

Myanmar Republic in Southeast Asia

Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also known as Burma, is a country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar is bordered by India and Bangladesh to its west, Thailand and Laos to its east and China to its north and northeast. To its south, about one third of Myanmar's total perimeter of 5,876 km (3,651 mi) forms an uninterrupted coastline of 1,930 km (1,200 mi) along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The country's 2014 census counted the population to be 51 million people. As of 2017, the population is about 54 million. Myanmar is 676,578 square kilometres in size. Its capital city is Naypyidaw, and its largest city and former capital is Yangon (Rangoon). Myanmar has been a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 1997.

History

The party was founded around the same time as the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL), which it became affiliated with in December 1945. The party's first president, U Razak, became president of the AFPFL's Mandalay branch in 1946. [1] Razak was subsequently appointed Minister of Education and Planning in Aung San's government, a post he held until he was assassinated alongside San. [2]

Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League political party

The Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, or hpa hsa pa la (ဖဆပလ) by its Burmese acronym, was the main political alliance in Burma from 1945 until 1958. It was founded by the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) led by Thakin Soe, the Burma National Army (BNA) led by Aung San, and the People's Revolutionary Party (PRP) at a meeting held between 1–3 March 1945 as a reorganised version of the Anti-Fascist Organisation (AFO), formed to resist the Japanese occupation. The new organisation aimed to resist the Japanese occupation and achieve independence.

U Razak Burmese politician

U Razak was a Burmese politician and an educationalist. He was a cabinet minister in Aung San's pre-independence interim government, and was assassinated on 19 July 1947 along with six other cabinet ministers. July 19 is commemorated each year as Martyrs' Day in Myanmar. Razak was Minister of Education and National Planning, and was chairman of the Burma Muslim Congress.

Mandalay Cultural City in Mandalay Region, Myanmar

Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Myanmar (Burma). Located 716 km (445 mi) north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of 1,225,553.

Following Razak's death, secretary-general U Khin Maung Lat succeeded him as party president. He became a member of the AFPFL Supreme Council, and was appointed Minister of Justice in 1950, a post he held until 1958. [1] A few months after independence in 1948, new Prime Minister U Nu requested that the BMC leave the AFPFL. In response, U Khin Maung Lat decided to discontinue the party's Islamic religious activities and rejoin the AFPFL. In 1954 the AFPFL Supreme Council asked the party to fully merge into the AFPFL and cease to exist as a separate organisation. Although this request was initially refused, the party did merge in 1956.

U Nu Burmese nationalist and political figure

Nu, known honorifically as U Nu or Thakin Nu, was a leading Burmese statesman, politician, nationalist, and political figure of the 20th century. He was the first Prime Minister of Burma under the provisions of the 1947 Constitution of the Union of Burma, from 4 January 1948 to 12 June 1956, again from 28 February 1957 to 28 October 1958, and finally from 4 April 1960 to 2 March 1962.

The party was immediately re-established by U Than Myint, who moved it to the left. It joined the National United Front alliance in 1958, but left in 1960, changing its name to Pathi Congress and began campaigning for a separate state for Burmese Muslims, before haemorrhaging support. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Haruhiro Fukui (1985) Political parties of Asia and the Pacific, Greenwood Press, p119
  2. Moshe Yegar "The Muslims of Burma", A study of a minority Group, p75