Communist Party (Burma)
Encyclopedia
The Communist Party was a communist party
in Burma. The party was formed after a radical grouping broke away from the Communist Party of Burma
in 1946. In the same year, it began a protracted armed insurgency; first against British rule, then against the Burmese state. The party was led by Thakin Soe, a firebrand communist leader. The influence of the party would however decline, and it was virtually crushed by the Burmese military in the 1970s.
and Thakin Thein Pe as 'Browderists
', charging that the two had taken a compromising stand towards imperialism
and opportunistic elements.
The inner-party conflict had erupted after a speech by the AFPFL leader Ba Pe in January 1946. Ba Pe had denounced the political system in the Soviet Union
. In response, Thakin Soe labelled Ba Pe 'a tool of the imperialists'. Wary of the risk of the unity of AFPFL, the party leadership initiated a disciplinary process against Thakin Soe. Thakin Soe demanded that control over the Central Committee
be handed over to him and his associates. Thakin Than Tun and Thein Pe did commit self-criticism (and temporarily resigned from their posts), but did not agree to Soe's demand to make him the party leader. Soe himself was removed from the Central Committee. In response Soe broke with the Communist Party of Burma and formed the Communist Party (Burma). Thakin Tin Mya
and six members of the Communist Party of Burma sided with Thakin Soe's new party.
The party was reportedly 'Trotskyist' in its orientation. Whilst the White Flag Communist Party employed a popular front
line of working within the framework of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
, the Red Flag Communist Party denounced cooperation with non-communist forces. Instead the party called for direct armed confrontation with the British as a means to achieve independence. The Red Flag Communist Party was significantly smaller than the White Flag Communist Party. Thakin Than Tun described the positions of the Red Flag Communist Party as 'left adventurism'.
across Burma, a movement which called on peasants to stop paying rents and taxes. In July 1946, the governor of Burma Sir Henry Knight
issued a ban on the Red Flag Cultivators Unions and the labour wing of the party, the Red Flag Labour Unions
.
The government also declared the Communist Party (Burma) itself an unlawful association on July 10, 1946. The White Flag Communist Party protested that the ban was an infringement on civil liberties.
The party initiated an armed campaign against the British colonial rule and the 'rightwing' elements of the AFPFL in July 1946. Soe was also to recruit some elements from the army to take part in the rebellion.
U Aung San had objected to the ban on the Communist Party (Burma), and ensured that the ban on the party was lifted temporarily in October 1946. He had, however, not associate himself with any public protest against the ban.
In January 1947, the party was again banned. In response, the party went underground. The White Flag Communist Party had again protested against the ban on the Communist Party (Burma). In April 1947, the Communist Party (Burma) called for a boycott of the elections to the Constituent Assembly. As of 1948, the armed operations of the party were concentrated to the Irrawaddy delta
.
the party, as well as other rebel groups, began to suffer from defections from its armed wing. The strong performance of the National United Front
had convinced many leftwing sympathizers that armed rebellion was not the sole path of political struggles. When U Nu
launched the 'Arms for Democracy' programme in 1958, several fighters of the party deserted to the government. Many might also have simply returned to their villages quietly. As of 1961, the party was estimated to have around 500 fighters.
Thakin Soe participated in the 1963 peace talks with the government.
governments, would continue until the capture of Thakin Soe by government forces in 1970. In November 1970, army forces stormed Thakin Soe's hideout and the last stronghold of the party in the northern fringes of the Arakan Yoma mountain range. He was taken to Rangoon and imprisoned. The party almost disappeared after Soe's arrest.
i border.
As of 1991, there were claims that the party still existed.
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in Burma. The party was formed after a radical grouping broke away from the Communist Party of Burma
Communist Party of Burma
The Communist Party of Burma is the oldest existing political party in Burma. The party is unrecognised by the Burmese authorities, rendering it illegal; so it operates in a clandestine manner, often associating with insurgent armies along the border of People's Republic of China...
in 1946. In the same year, it began a protracted armed insurgency; first against British rule, then against the Burmese state. The party was led by Thakin Soe, a firebrand communist leader. The influence of the party would however decline, and it was virtually crushed by the Burmese military in the 1970s.
Split
The party emerged out of a split in the Communist Party of Burma in February 1946. Thakin Soe, a former guerrilla leader, had staked claims for the leadership of the party. He denounced Thakin Than TunThakin Than Tun
Thakin Than Tun born in Kanyutkwin, Myanmar, was a Burmese politician and leader of the Communist Party of Burma from 1945 until his death at age 57.-Struggle for freedom:...
and Thakin Thein Pe as 'Browderists
Earl Browder
Earl Russell Browder was an American communist and General Secretary of the Communist Party USA from 1934 to 1945. He was expelled from the party in 1946.- Early years :...
', charging that the two had taken a compromising stand towards imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
and opportunistic elements.
The inner-party conflict had erupted after a speech by the AFPFL leader Ba Pe in January 1946. Ba Pe had denounced the political system in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In response, Thakin Soe labelled Ba Pe 'a tool of the imperialists'. Wary of the risk of the unity of AFPFL, the party leadership initiated a disciplinary process against Thakin Soe. Thakin Soe demanded that control over the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
be handed over to him and his associates. Thakin Than Tun and Thein Pe did commit self-criticism (and temporarily resigned from their posts), but did not agree to Soe's demand to make him the party leader. Soe himself was removed from the Central Committee. In response Soe broke with the Communist Party of Burma and formed the Communist Party (Burma). Thakin Tin Mya
Thakin Tin Mya
Thakin Tin Mya is a Burmese politician.Tin Mya joined the anti-colonial movement Dobama Asiayone. In 1945, he served as political commissar in the Seventh Military Region of the Burma National Army...
and six members of the Communist Party of Burma sided with Thakin Soe's new party.
Red Flag vs. White Flag
The party was labelled the 'Red Flag Communist Party' (as opposed to the 'White Flag Communist Party', the main Communist Party of Burma) due the colour of their armbands.The party was reportedly 'Trotskyist' in its orientation. Whilst the White Flag Communist Party employed a popular front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
line of working within the framework of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
The Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League , or hpa hsa pa la by its Burmese acronym, was the main political party in Burma from 1945 until 1962...
, the Red Flag Communist Party denounced cooperation with non-communist forces. Instead the party called for direct armed confrontation with the British as a means to achieve independence. The Red Flag Communist Party was significantly smaller than the White Flag Communist Party. Thakin Than Tun described the positions of the Red Flag Communist Party as 'left adventurism'.
Mass work, ban and insurgency
The party began building up Red Flag Cultivators UnionsRed Flag Cultivators Unions
The Red Flag Cultivators Unions was a peasants movement in Burma, linked to the Red Flag Communist Party and formed after the Red Flag Communist Party had broken away from the Communist Party of Burma...
across Burma, a movement which called on peasants to stop paying rents and taxes. In July 1946, the governor of Burma Sir Henry Knight
Henry Foley Knight
Sir Henry Foley Knight KCSI CIE was a British administrator and civil servant who served as the Acting Governor of Madras in 1946.- Early life :...
issued a ban on the Red Flag Cultivators Unions and the labour wing of the party, the Red Flag Labour Unions
Red Flag Labour Unions
The Red Flag Labour Unions was a trade union movement in Burma, linked to the Red Flag Communist Party. On July 3, 1946 the British governor of Burma Sir Henry Knight banned the Red Flag Labour Unions and the related Red Flag Cultivators Unions....
.
The government also declared the Communist Party (Burma) itself an unlawful association on July 10, 1946. The White Flag Communist Party protested that the ban was an infringement on civil liberties.
The party initiated an armed campaign against the British colonial rule and the 'rightwing' elements of the AFPFL in July 1946. Soe was also to recruit some elements from the army to take part in the rebellion.
U Aung San had objected to the ban on the Communist Party (Burma), and ensured that the ban on the party was lifted temporarily in October 1946. He had, however, not associate himself with any public protest against the ban.
In January 1947, the party was again banned. In response, the party went underground. The White Flag Communist Party had again protested against the ban on the Communist Party (Burma). In April 1947, the Communist Party (Burma) called for a boycott of the elections to the Constituent Assembly. As of 1948, the armed operations of the party were concentrated to the Irrawaddy delta
Irrawaddy Delta
The Irrawaddy Delta or Ayeyarwady Delta lies in the Ayeyarwady Region , the lowest expanse of land in Burma that fans out from the limit of tidal influence at Myan Aung to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, 290 km to the south at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River...
.
Arakan insurgency
In the Arakan State, the Communist Party (Burma) made an alliance with separatist rebels under the leadership of U Seinda.Thakin Tin Mya expelled
In 1949 the party expelled Thakin Tin Mya. Thakin Tin Mya later re-joined the Communist Party of Burma.Decline
Following the 1956 parliamentary electionsBurmese general election, 1956
Burma held its second general election on 27 April 1956 to vote for 202 out of 250 seats to the Burmese Chamber of Deputies; the remaining 48 were decided automatically as no opposition candidates were entered against candidates of the ruling Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League .The Anti-Fascist...
the party, as well as other rebel groups, began to suffer from defections from its armed wing. The strong performance of the National United Front
National United Front
The National United Front was a political coalition in Burma, formed ahead of the April 1956 general election. NUF consisted of the Burma Workers and Peasants Party, the Justice Party led by Dr. E Maung, the People's Unity Party led by Thein Pe Myint, the People's Peace Front and other sectors. NUF...
had convinced many leftwing sympathizers that armed rebellion was not the sole path of political struggles. When U Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...
launched the 'Arms for Democracy' programme in 1958, several fighters of the party deserted to the government. Many might also have simply returned to their villages quietly. As of 1961, the party was estimated to have around 500 fighters.
Thakin Soe participated in the 1963 peace talks with the government.
Arakan split
In 1962 the party suffered a setback, as a group of members in Arakan State broke away and formed the Communist Party of Arakan. They were led by Kyaw Zan Rhee, a prominent Arakanese political leader, and Bo Maung Han. The Arakan Communist Party called for independence for Arakan.Capture of Thakin Soe
The armed campaign of the party, against both the AFPFL and Burma Socialist Programme PartyBurma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party was formed by the Ne Win's military regime that seized power in 1962 and was the sole political party allowed to exist legally in Burma during the period of military rule from 1964 until its demise in the aftermath of the popular uprising of 1988.-History:The BSPP...
governments, would continue until the capture of Thakin Soe by government forces in 1970. In November 1970, army forces stormed Thakin Soe's hideout and the last stronghold of the party in the northern fringes of the Arakan Yoma mountain range. He was taken to Rangoon and imprisoned. The party almost disappeared after Soe's arrest.
1978 annihiliation campaign in Arakan
In 1978 the forces of the Red Flag Communist Party in Arakan and the Communist Party of Arakan were targeted an annihilation campaign by the Burmese army in the rural areas of the region. The party was forced to retreat to the BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i border.
As of 1991, there were claims that the party still existed.