Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Yangon's population was Indian. Chinese immigration was also encouraged, further sub-
jugating and marginalising the Burmese people.
Cheap British imports poured in, fuelled by rice profits. Many key cities and towns
were renamed by the British with Yangon becoming Rangoon, Pyay becoming Prome
and Bagan renamed Pagan.
Much of Burma was considered a hardship posting by British colonial officials, who
found the locals difficult to govern. On the other hand, many of the British officials were
incompetent and insensitive, and refused to honour local customs such as removing
shoes to enter temples, thus causing grave offence to the majority Buddhist population.
Inflamed by opposition to colonial rule, unemployment and the undercutting of the tradi-
tional educational role of Buddhist monasteries, the country had the highest crime rate in
the British Empire.
Built during British rule of Burma, Yangon's infamous Insein prison was the Empire's
largest penitentiary. It is still in use and has been the unwelcome home of political dis-
sidents including, on three occasions, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Rise of Nationalism
Burmese nationalism burgeoned in the early days of the 20th century, often led by
Buddhist monks. University students in Yangon went on strike on National Day in 1920,
protesting elitist entrance requirements at British-built universities. The students referred
to each other as
thakin
(master), as they claimed to be the rightful masters of Burma. One
thakin
- a young man called Aung San - was expelled from university in 1936 for refus-
ing to reveal the author of a politically charged article.
Growing demands for self-government and opposition to colonial rule eventually
forced the British to make a number of concessions. In 1937 Burma was separated ad-
ministratively from India and a new legislative council including elected Burmese minis-
ters was formed. However, the country continued to be torn by a struggle between oppos-
ing political parties and sporadic outbursts of anti-Indian and anti-Chinese violence.
REVOLUTIONARY MONKS
In 1919, at Mandalay's Eindawya Paya, monks evicted Europeans who refused to
take off their shoes. The British, sensing that this 'Shoe Question' was the start of
a nationalist movement, sentenced the monk leader, U Kettaya, to life imprison-
