Thein Pe Myint ( ; also ''Thakin'' Thein Pe ( ); 10 July 1914 – 15 January 1978) was a Burmese politician, writer, and journalist. He wrote several politically and socially prominent books and founded the influential newspaper, ''
The Botataung
The Botataung ( ) was a national Burmese language daily newspaper based out of Yangon in Myanmar. The paper, founded in 1958 by Thein Pe Myint, was arguably the leading leftist newspaper prior to its nationalization in 1964 by General Ne Win's go ...
.'' Thein Pe Myint was a leading
Marxist
Marxism is a political philosophy and method of socioeconomic analysis. It uses a dialectical and materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to analyse class relations, social conflic ...
intellectual and an important player in the Burmese independence movement and postwar politics.
Brief personal history
Thein Pe Myint was born Thein Pe in
Butalin,
Sagaing Division
Sagaing Region (, ; formerly Sagaing Division) is an administrative divisions of Myanmar, administrative region of Myanmar, located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east. It is border ...
in
Upper Burma
Upper Myanmar ( or , also called Upper Burma) is one of two geographic regions in Myanmar, the other being Lower Myanmar. Located in the country's centre and north stretches, Upper Myanmar encompasses six inland states and regions, including ...
. He later added his mother's name, Daw Myint, when he started writing. He earned a BA degree from
Rangoon University
The University of Yangon (also Yangon University; , ; formerly Rangoon College, University of Rangoon and Rangoon Arts and Sciences University), located in Kamayut, Yangon, is the oldest university in Myanmar's modern education system and the b ...
in 1935. Thein Pe Myint married Khin Kyi Kyi in 1946 and had four children. He died in 1978 at the age of 64.
Political career
Thein Pe Myint became involved in politics as a
Rangoon University
The University of Yangon (also Yangon University; , ; formerly Rangoon College, University of Rangoon and Rangoon Arts and Sciences University), located in Kamayut, Yangon, is the oldest university in Myanmar's modern education system and the b ...
student in mid-1930s. Known then by his birth name, Thein Pe, he became a secretary of
Dobama Asiayone
Dobama Asiayone ( , ; ), better known as Thakins ( , ; ), was a Burmese nationalist group formed around the 1930s and composed of young, disgruntled intellectuals. Drawing their name from the way in which the British were addressed during colon ...
(We Burmans Association), an influential anti-colonial association whose members included the who's who of Burmese independence politics:
Thakin Aung San,
Thakin Nu
Nu (; ; 25 May 1907 – 14 February 1995), commonly known as U Nu and also by the honorific name Thakin Nu, was a prominent Burmese statesman and the first Prime Minister of Union of Burma. He was educated at Rangoon University, where he ...
,
Thakin Kyaw Nyein,
Thakin Mya
''Thakin'' Mya (, ; 7 October 1897 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Home Affairs and in June 1947 transferred as Minister of Finance in Myanmar's pre-independence government.https://ro.u ...
,
Thakin Than Tun
Thakin Than Tun (; 1911 – 24 September 1968) was a Burmese politician and leader of the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) from 1945 until his assassination in 1968. He was the brother-in-law of Myanmar's independence leader Aung San and the ...
,
Thakin Shu Maung (later Ne Win), etc.
Already a well-known and controversial writer, Thakin Thein Pe quickly became one of the leading spokesmen of the leftist movement in Burma. He was an important student leader in the protests against the colonial
British Government
His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. in 1936 and the "Uprising of 1300 ME" in 1938.
When the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
began Thein Pe Myint was one of a few leading Burmese independence activists that refused to ally with fascist Japan. In an open break with most other prominent student leaders like
Aung San
Aung San (, ; 13 February 191519 July 1947), known honorifically as '' Bogyoke'' Aung San, was a Burmese politician, independence activist and revolutionary. He was instrumental in Myanmar's struggle for independence from British rule, but he w ...
, Thein Pe Myint sided with the
Allied powers, even if it meant working with the British. In 1942, Thein Pe Myint went underground when the
Japanese empire
The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From 1910 to ...
conquered Burma.
Thein Pe Myint position on Japan was later vindicated as Japanese rule proved disastrous. General
Aung San
Aung San (, ; 13 February 191519 July 1947), known honorifically as '' Bogyoke'' Aung San, was a Burmese politician, independence activist and revolutionary. He was instrumental in Myanmar's struggle for independence from British rule, but he w ...
, who had allied with the Japanese, sent Thein Pe Myint as an envoy to
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
to seek help from the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
in fighting the Japanese. He played a leading role in propaganda and liaison activities between wartime Burmese leaders, like General Aung San, and the British Force 136, the special operations and intelligence unit.
Myanmar Biographical Writings in the Twentieth Century
After the war, he worked in many associations and parties, including the Communist Party of Burma
The Communist Party of Burma (CPB), also known as the Burma Communist Party (BCP), is an underground communist party in Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is the oldest existing political party in the country.
Founded in 1939, the CPB initially fo ...
, Sino-Burmese Friends Associations, People Peace Association, and the Burmese Writers Association.
In 1946, he became the first minister of Agriculture
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and Forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...
in General Aung San's government during the war. He was jailed in 1948 but released in 1949. After independence, Thein Pe Myint's political career turned to advocacy as a journalist.
Career as a writer and journalist
Thein Pe Myint's literary career began in 1937 when he was already a politically active Rangoon University student.
His inaugural work "''Tet Phonegyi''" (The Modern Monk; ) openly deals with scandalous sexual liaisons and corrupt affairs of some of Burmese Buddhist clergy. His fellow Dobama Asiayone
Dobama Asiayone ( , ; ), better known as Thakins ( , ; ), was a Burmese nationalist group formed around the 1930s and composed of young, disgruntled intellectuals. Drawing their name from the way in which the British were addressed during colon ...
member Thakin Nu
Nu (; ; 25 May 1907 – 14 February 1995), commonly known as U Nu and also by the honorific name Thakin Nu, was a prominent Burmese statesman and the first Prime Minister of Union of Burma. He was educated at Rangoon University, where he ...
wrote the introduction of the book. The provocative book shocked the highly devout Burma, and came to symbolize the open challenge by the left-leaning college-educated student activists to the old unspoken norms of Burmese society. The book was vigorously denounced by Young Monks Association. Both the writer and the publishing company received many threats. However some leading writers including Zawgyi welcomed the book. He became known as ''Tet Pongyi'' Thein Pe.
His notable works include:
* ''Tet Pongyi'' (The Modern Monk; )
* ''Tet Khit Nat Soe'' (Devil in Modern Era; )
* ''Thabeik Hmauk Kyaungtha'' (The Boycotting Student; )
* ''Thakin Kodaw Hmaing''—Biography of Thakin Kodaw Hmaing
Thakin Kodaw Hmaing (, ; 23 March 1876 – 23 July 1964) is considered one of the greatest Burmese poets, writers and political leaders in the 20th century history of Burma. He is regarded as the Father of Burmese nationalist and peace mov ...
* ''Ashay Ga Ne-Wun Htwet Thi Ba Ma'' (As the Sun Rises from the East; ) - Winner of Burmese Literary Prize
* ''The History of Chin State
Chin State (, ) is a state in western Myanmar. Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, the Chattogram Division of Bangladesh to the west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to th ...
'' - Winner of Burmese Literary Prize
He wrote several books in English including ''What Happened in Burma'' and ''Over the Ashes''. Many of his works are still being republished to this day, and among them ''Wartime Traveller'' remains a bestseller. The book has been translated into English as by Dr. Robert H. Taylor.
He also directed a movie ''Yaukkya Gonyi'' (A Man's Honour; ). He worked in the Red Dragon Book Association and wrote several plays.
Thein Pe Myint founded ''The Botataung
The Botataung ( ) was a national Burmese language daily newspaper based out of Yangon in Myanmar. The paper, founded in 1958 by Thein Pe Myint, was arguably the leading leftist newspaper prior to its nationalization in 1964 by General Ne Win's go ...
'' newspaper in 1958. (He was a former news correspondent of '' Myanma Alin'' in the late 1930s.) He was the chief editor of the left leaning influential paper until 1964 when his newspaper was nationalized by the socialist government led by General Ne Win
Ne Win (; ; 24 May 1911 – 5 December 2002), born Shu Maung (; ), was a Burmese army general, politician and Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974, and also President of Burma from 1962 to 1981. Ne Win was Burma's mili ...
as part of his Burmese Way to Socialism
The Burmese Way to Socialism (), also known as the Burmese Road to Socialism, was the state ideology of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, the socialist state governed by the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) from 1962 to 1988. ...
.
References
#
Myanmar Biographical Writings in the Twentieth Century (Part II)
#"Wartime Traveller" by Thein Pe Myint, republished 2002.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thein Pe Myint
1914 births
1978 deaths
Burmese journalists
Burmese writers
Marxist journalists
University of Yangon alumni
Resistance members against Imperial Japan
Burmese people of World War II
Communist Party of Burma politicians
Government ministers of Myanmar
People from Sagaing Region
20th-century journalists