Pe Khin

Pe Khin was the most important negotiator and architect of the historical Panglong treaty in Burma. Even General Aung San was disappointed, given up and decided to take the flight back to Rangoon that evening. Pe Khin persuaded General Aung San to stay for one night and to allow him to negotiate with the Ethnic Minority leaders. Pe Khin successfully negotiated with those Ethnic leaders and U Aung Zan Wai, Bo Khin Maung Galay, U Pe Khin, Bo Hmu Aung, Sir Maung Gyi, Dr. Sein Mya Maung, Myoma U Than Kywe to get an agreement for this most important treaty in Burma, which was the foundation of the formation of Union of Burma which leads to its Independence from the British. This day of February 12 is celebrated since as 'Union Day'.^[1][2]

Early life

Born in Swehman village, Pyawbwe Township of Mandalay Division to A.A. Khan (U Bo Galay) and Daw Toke on 27 August 1912.^[3] Studied in Urdu language at Swe Hman village Primary School and passed the fourth standard examination.^[4]

He passed 7th standard from Pyawbwe Township's Wesleyan School and Matriculation from the Kelly School, Mandalay. Stayed together in Bago Hostel together with future General Aung San and got the B.A.,B.L. from the Rangoon University. He started work as the Labour Office at the Chauk Petroleum oil field in 1938.

Politics

In January 1946, he attended the first convention of Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League or AFPFL as the delegate of the Burma Muslim Congress. Pe Khin, proposed (Proposal no.7) that the frontier areas and ethnic groups should join together with the Burmese interim government to achieve Independence. It became the seed for the famous Panglong Conference Agreement.^[5][6] He became the Central Executive Member of AFPFL and was appointed as the AFPFL’s secretary for the Ethnic Minorities of Burma.^[7] He was elected as the Member of Parliament of FPFL representing the Phaw Bawl Township in the April 1947 constituent assembly elections.^[8] He was the main lobbyist behind the letter by the leaders of Mandalay requesting Gen Aung San to appoint U Razak for the Cabinet post .^[9] The popularity of the AFPFL, now dominated by Aung San and the Socialists, was eventually confirmed when it won an overwhelming victory in the April 1947 constituent assembly elections. After U Saw, a conservative pre-war Prime Minister of Burma, engineered the assassination of Aung San and several members of his cabinet while meeting in the Secretariat on July 19, 1947^[10] U Pe Khin became a minister the new cabinet formed by Thakin Nu.

Diplomatic carrier

Pe Khin was appointed as Burma’s first Ambassador to Pakistan in 1947.^[11] He was then sent as the Ambassador to Thailand from 1953 to 1956.^[12] He was later transferred to Laos, Cambodia, USSR, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Malaysia and Singapore in his 25 years of diplomatic service and retired in 1972.^[13][14]

Activities in the NGOs

Active in Burma Muslim Congress together with U Razak and Khin Maung Latt since 1945.^[15] Patron of the Burma Islamic Council and Burmese Muslim Organization.^[16] Participated as the delegation in the drawing of the new constitution.^[17]

Published books

• Panglong, An Inside Story
• AFPFL convention
• Seed of Panglong Conference
• Burma and the Non-aligned policy
• And numerous articles in English and Burmese ^[18]

Awards

He was awarded with

• ‘Maha Tharaesithu’ in the First Honours list given out by the Burmese government after Independence.^[19]
• Country’s Honour First grade on 7 June 1980.^[20]

Pe Khin died on 25-2-2004^[21]

References