Dr. Aye Kyaw (Ph.D) was a professor in Cornel University, New York. He is also a Burma Expert and a writer. He won National Literature Award with his book, ‘The History of National Education of Burma’ in 1971.
Q: Within 60 years after independence, people of Burma experienced three main administration eras those are Parliament Democracy, Burmese Socialist Program Party and State Peace and Development Council (military). In under which administration has more participants and participations of non-Burman nationalities in Burma’s politics?
A: It was Parliament Democracy era. There were two Hlawttaws (upper and lower parliaments), and many ethnic representatives, such as Shan, Kachin in both parliaments through out Burma’s constitution. Military rule of General Ne Win came up since 1962; all those political systems were abolished.
Q: Do you think that people had more freedom and rights under parliament democratic government (from 1948 to 1962)?
A: Yes. We can say that under the democratic government, people had more rights and freedom to speak, to write and to read than the other two administrations. We also had academic freedom. I was a student in that era and a teacher as well. Unless you had true quality, you could not pass the exams in that era. If you had any kind of art or science degree, you got good job, people’s attention and sort of respect. Even to pass high school was hard.
Q: So, do you want to say education in that era was more effective and standardize?
A: Yes. You also can choose any subject whatever you want to learn in your life. You just need to pass the entrance exam for that field.
Q: You said you had more freedom to write, express and so on under parliament democracy. Can you say something, which you have experienced for example?
A: I remember that once, there was a cartoon, I believe it was in the Mirror; a monkey was swinging around from one tree to another, with joking content and a representative who changed from one party to another’s name. If you draw that kind of cartoon on these days, you will be in the jail.
Q: On those days, population of Burma was less than half of today’s population but there were much more newspapers (more than ten times) were published than today, according to journalism records. Was it correct? What do you think about that?
A: Yes. There were many newspapers and many people also read because most of us had stable income and anybody who had a job was able to buy newspaper because the price of papers were also very cheap. I was a teacher tutor. With my salary (monthly), I was able to buy gold. Gold price for one ounce was around 250 to 280 kyats. My salary was 175 kyats. So you can imagine the situation of my income and prices of goods on those days. (Nowadays, a teacher makes about 50,000 kyats per month and gold price (one ounce) is more than one million kyats.)
Q: So, you want to say Burmese currency unit ‘kyat’ was much more reliable, valuable, stable and accurate than today?
A: Yes. Not only Burmese currency was stable and valuable, the government itself made such a transparency between administration and people of Burma. The Union Bank of Burma announced every three months about how much cash or gold or treasure had in the bank as a responsibility of democratic government.
Q: You are a university professor who has had a chance to live in all those three eras. In which era, people of Burma were/are more interested in politic than the other two; what do you think?
A: I will say that people were more interested in national development, rather than politic, was in parliament democracy era because we elected our representatives by ourselves; we could see what members of parliament were discussing, doing, acting, debating on television, whether which was good or bad; we had chance to clearly know and see what government was doing and happening in administration. That’s why people naturally had more national interest under the democratic government than any other era in Burma.
Q: Any way, as a person who has been living through out all three administrations, can you tell me something incredible that makes you to remember whether for your life or for your country?
A: It was ‘freedom to choose’ for your life. Every young Burmese had grand opportunity to choose any career for his or her life. After we finished our high school, we could freely choose whatever we wanted to be. If you want to be a doctor, you could try to pass the entrance exam, such as ‘biology combination.’ If you made it, go to medical school and be a doctor. Whatever you wanted, you had opportunity to decide by yourself for your interest and career and try on it. I think it is one of the most (probably the most) important chances in our lives, especially for young generations.
Q: It is obvious that parliament democracy era was much better and greater for people of Burma than Socialist and Military administrations. Any way, let us find the silver ring of the other two clouds. Between BSPP and SPDC, which is better for the country, do you think?
A: It was General Ne Win’s era because the socialist administration was bad but it still had more reliable and unbiased judicial system than the current junta. If an officer or anybody made mistake or power abuse, you can write or inform directly to the top authorities of General Ne Win and that officer or that person could be charged. Nowadays, if you inform about an officer’s power abuse, you will be in the jail.
Q: Finally, what do you want to say something for Burmese youths?
A: Two things:
First: Which way do you want to go; by the path of a bee or by the path of a fly, please ask by yourself? Bees always try to take the sweetest flavor from the most beautiful flowers to their home (beehive). Flies are always looking for where is the oldest place with the worst smell and they enjoy there. Which way do you want to go? Please be bees!
Second: Keep with four Ds;
Dream (what you want to be in your life),
Determination
Discipline, and
Drive.
Good Luck!
Thank you very much.
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