Ceremonies Marking Fall of Arakanese Sovereignty Held in Thailand and Bangladesh

Narinjara News
1/1/2007

The 222nd anniversary of the fall of Arakan's sovereignty was marked with ceremonies yesterday in Thailand and Bangladesh, with many in the Arakanese diaspora participating.

In Thailand, about 300 people, including Arakanese and Burmese ethnic nationalities attended the ceremony that was held in Mae Sod, a border town of Thailand opposite Burma's Myawaddy.

An Arakanese source said that Khun Mar Koban, a minister from the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, and U Khaing U Maung, a senior Arakanese politician, attended the ceremony and speech.

U Khaing U Maung spoke to attendees, saying that "history is very important, and we have had bitter experiences in our history after the Burma king's invasion. We lost our sovereignty in 1784 as destruction of our unity. So we need our people's unity to carry out our national duty."

Khun Mar Koban also delivered a speech at the ceremony, and said that all people from Burma were in need of unity against Burman chauvinism.

In Bangladesh, the Arakanese community held a ceremony in Dhaka, the nation's capital. About 40 exiled Arakanese, including students and women attended the ceremony. U Maung Soe Yin, a senior Arakanese freedom fighter, was chairman of the ceremony, while Ko Soe Lun was master of ceremony.

Several participants delivered speeches during the ceremony, calling for unity among Arakanese people.

The ceremony started at 10 a.m. and concluded at 1:30 p.m.

Arakan was a sovereign country from 3325 BCE to 1784 CE. On 31 December, 1784, (7th waxing day of Pratho, 1146 AE), Arakan lost its sovereignty after Burmese King Maung Wyine invaded Arakan, and the Arakanese kingdom disappeared from the world.

According to historical records, Burma's kings ruled Arakan from 1784 until 1824, and the British ruled from 1824 to 1942. In 1942, Japan invaded Arakan and ruled for three years, from 1942 to 1945. After the British drove out Japanese forces from Burma, the British once again ruled Arakan from 1945 to 1948. Arakan has been under Burmese military rule since the Burma became independent from Britain in 1948. #

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