Young Men's Buddhist Association (Burma)

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The Young Men's Buddhist Association (YMBA) was a Buddhist cultural organisation in Burma.

History

The YMBA was founded in Rangoon in 1906 as a federation of lay Buddhist groups dating back to 1898, with prominent founders including Ba Pe, U Kin, May Oung and Maung Gyee.[1] It was modelled on the Young Men's Buddhist Association founded in Ceylon in 1898,[2] and was created to preserve the Buddhist-based culture in Burma against the backdrop of British colonialism including the incorporation of Burma into India.

The YMBA started its first open campaign against British rule in 1916,[3] and after many protests obtained a ruling that abbots could impose dress codes on all visitors to Buddhists monasteries.[4]

The organisation split in 1918 when older members insisted that it should remain apolitical, whilst younger members sought to enter the political sphere, sending a delegation to India to meet the Viceroy and Secretary of State to request the separation of Burma from India.[1] Further lobbying delegations were sent to London in 1919 and 1920. Following its key involvement in the 1920 student strike,[1] the most nationalist elements of the YMBA broke off and formed a political party known as the General Council of Burmese Associations,[5] whilst a senior faction later formed the Independent Party.

Activities

The organisation founded multiple schools. It was one of the key organisations in the start of nationalist sentiment in Burma.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Haruhiro Fukui (1985) Political parties of Asia and the Pacific, Greenwood Press, pp153–154
  2. ↑ Human Rights Watch (2009) The Resistance of the Monks: Buddhism and Activism in Burma p12
  3. ↑ William Roger Louis (1999) Oxford History of the British Empire, Vol. 4, Oxford University Press
  4. ↑ History of Burma Michigan State University
  5. ↑ Here Today, Gone Tomorrow The Irrawaddy, 8 November 2009

Further reading

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