COMMUNISTS IN BURMA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005800180002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 30, 1999
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: August 20, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

6LASSIFICATION C:0"7ITT7'IA'AT7TROI - U.S. 07q0InS 1VLY
IITELLIFAZ akiipproVed For RecaligAVARMat'iCalAGRIV-82-004MENS800
INFORMATION REPORT cr) NO 25X1A
00U fk TRY %Irma/0h ina/Tha i nd/Indo chi re/Hungary /Bulgaria/USSR
SUBJECT Communists in Burma
25X1A
PLACE
ACQUIRE
DATE OF
-
INFO,
25X1X
Burma Communist EssE (BCP)
DATE DISTR. 2C) SEP 50
NO. OF PAGES 8 25X1A
NO, OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N
?
1. The situation of the BCP generally appears to have deteriorated and it is
particularly noticeable that wherever Government forces have eared to ad-
vance in BCP - PDF areas, little or no resistance has been offered. The
result has been that the area dominated by the insurgents has steadily dim-
inished and they are being driven into the remoter areas between the two
main axes of communication. Taungdwinryi which in Hay was the northern
limit of their general area and the possible location of their training
centers, was occupied towards the end of June by Government forces who sub-
sequently advanced south to Sittha. West of the BCP - PDF area, Allanmyo
was reoccupied on 2 July and Shwebendaw and Paukkaung are now the only
towns of any size still under insurgent control in Central Burma.
2. Not unnaturally the main emphasis in Party activity is on recruitment,
the manufacture or seizing of arms and ammunition, re-organization, and
sabotage and guerrilla activity. Betaeen 10 Nay and 3 July, surrenders under
the Government amnesty included 152 BCP followers; how many of these were
Party members has not been determined. This rate of surrendert though small
compared with that of the White Band PVC is giving the BCP cause for concern
and there are reports that stringent disciplinary measures are being insti-
tuted to prevent further defections..
3. The Lower Burma Headeuarters of the BCP is reported to have been re-estab-
lished at the end of Hay in a village 14 miles west of Daik-U by Thakin ZIN
who has been a leader of the Lower Burma BCP for some time under Thakin CHIT.
Thakin ZIN is now described as a member of the Politburo but this is not
confirmed, Changes have been made in the leaders of the Rangoon District
BCP, new appointments being deliberately chosen .?rom Party members less well-
known to the Police than their predecessors, There are signs that the
Rangoon District Party is making fresh efforts to feral cells among the
Indian Community and students at the University.
4. Sabotage activities by the BCP have hitherto been limited to communications
where they have met with some success, primary targets being road bridges,
railway bridges, and track. A recent report suggests that the sabotage
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campaign is now to be extended to ammunition dumps, arsenals and FOL dumps
cf the Union Armed Forces. Instructions to this effect were issued to the
Rangoon District BCP by the Lower Burma Headquarters at the beginning of
June. There has, however, been no indication so far of arty activity in
this respeet; in Rangoon at least it is considered that the Party is umlikely
to have apy success.
A documert of considerable interest has recently been obtained consisting of
+he draft revised Rules of the Burma Coramunist Party. This was circulated
to its subordinate branches, and military formations by the Lower Burma
aeadqearters of the BCP in March 1950; it was to be studied at all levels
down to cells and cements were to be submitted on or before 20 May. The
Rules, which are framed in accordance with various sections of the Constitu?
tion of the BCP (a copy of which has not yet been obtained) cover cell
organization, +he size of the Comrittees at various levels, the duties to
be undertaken within each Com, ittee, the anpointment of organizers and organiza?
tion Committees, representation at conferences, subscriptions, authorized
appropriation from Party funds at the various levels, and the organization of
the Pty in th3 BaP Armed Forces. The Central Committee is apparently supreme
and a law unto itself and can nrescribe the size and duties of a Control Com?
mission and a Political Committee. A notable feature is the conception of a
eelf?contained Party within the Armed Forces with Regimental Party Committees
equivalent to Township Party Committees and Brigade Party Comnittees equivalent
to Dittrict Party Comei+tees, the latter normally being affiliated direct to '
the Central Committee; +his link aeparently by passes Divisional Headquarters
which is shown as oquivelent to a Central Committee Branch, (a sub?division
of the Central Comeittee responeible for a particular area, e.g. Lower Burma).
6. A copy of a Directive issued in November 1949reveaks that the target for
recruitment to Party membership during 1950 is 24,000 members for the whole
of Burma.
BCP External Links
Increased inter-st in the BCP and :Its subordinate organizations is being dis?
pleyed by Communist organizations abroad, and it is evident that the efforts
of the Party's representatives abroad are at last beginnine to pay a small
dividen0. It is known that youth organizations in Roumania and Hungary sent
messages at the end of March to the All Burma Students Union (ABSU) encourag?
ing and supporting them in their revolutionary struggle From 7 April onwards
newspaper and maeazines published by the All Union Leninist Organization of
Cemeunist Youth, Moscow (Konsomol) have been regularly arriving from Moscow
by post addressed to the ABSUTh. There can be little doubt that in both oases
TU14 aaar4 the rer_edent ABSU and BCP representative in Prague was responsible
Thr the contact. A friendly message was addressed to the Al]. Burma Trades
Union Congress (ABTUC) in June by the Union Generale Professionelle Ouvriere
en Bulgarie as a result of their reading AUNG WIN's report to the Peiping
Trades Union Conference Picieeobie 1q49),
8? Information from a reliable source sugrests that AUG WIN/ General Secretary
of the ABTUC may still be in Peiping at the Headquartere of the All China
Federation of Labor. It was at one time believed that AUNG WIN was an
assumed name, but a report now received from a Police source suggests that
a one?tine ABTUC Executive Comrittee member of this name was appointed Gen?
eral Secretary in October 1949 prior to being sent to China with the assis?
tance of the China Democratic League (Burma Branch).
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a prominent member
of the BCP arrived in Bangkok towards the end of April 1950, having travelled
via Kengtung. He carried a letter of tntroduetion to leading members of the
Viet Nam New ervice in Bangkok and apparently through them secured two inter-
views with the Soviet Legation. The sum of 20,000 U.S. dollars is said to have
been agreed as financial assistance to the PCP and it is suggested that this
was to be used to equip a force to extend operations towards Viet Nam. The
question of regular communications between the BCP and Bangkok was also dis-
cussee
2aMige th
People's Demeeratic Front inn
10. uring the month gave the following revised composition
of the Central Organization Committee subsequent to the defection of the Whits
Band People' s Volunteer Organization (P11O). Other information suggests that
this is generally reliable.
Thakin THAN TUN (BCP)
Thakin BA MEIN TIN (PCI')
Pb ZEYA (Arnee Mutineer)
Be YE TUT (Army Mutineer)
Thakin TIN TUN (BCP)
Bo SETV TIN (Army Mutineer)
Bo SOE MAUNG (Army Mutineer)*
The PeepleLge
President
Vice President and Land Reform
Department
Vice President and Military
Department
General Secretary
Political and Economic Depart-
ments
Organization Department
Finance Department
11. The organization of the People's Army, as the united army formed from the BCP
and Army Mutineer armed forces is called is indicated in an article published
by the BCP West Zone Headquarters on 9 April 1950. This appears to be on the
following lines:
PDF
Central Organization
Committee
Military Secretary (BO ZEYA)
ri WAR OFFICE HEADQUARTERS
No. 1 Division
Won, 1 Brigade
People Navy
1
No. 2 Brigade
People's Air Force
Reserve Brigade (No. 3)
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12. These formatiors are specified as under direct control of the War Office
and are, it is believed, the forces situated at that Use in the West Zone
(Zone No. 4). No. 7 and 8 Brigades have been referred to as subordinate to
the PCP Lower .Tura Headquarters (Zone No. 2). If Brigades Nos. 49 5, and
6 exist they are nrobably the armed forces in Zones No lt 3, and 5,, The
varioue Zones are as follows:
Zone No, 1
Zone No, 2
Zone No. 1
Zone Noe
MWest Zone'
Zone No. 5
Upper Burma
zone
peinnana, Southern rlhan States, Kerenni.
Lower Burma area including Hanthawaddy? Toungoor Fegu
and Aeherst districts.,
Delta areas of Bassein, Henzada apon? Neubire
Sandoway? Myaungmya.
Insein, Tharrawaddy, Prome, Thayetnyo? Magwe? Minbu
Akyab districts.
Mandalay, Sagaing? Shwebo? Meiktila, knukse, Monywe
districts.
I). A program of recruitment to reinforce the present PDF fighting forces is said
to have been drawn 'up by the Military ra3cretary (Bo ZEYA) of the main PDF
Headouarters. This envisages the recruitment of one battalion from each dis-
trict. PDF organizers and cell leaders in Rangoce. (sand presumably in other
eiesrects a1:3o; 4Rce bee netreeted to submit particulars of liusay recruits,
for whose despatch to PDF traiting areas arrangements are subsequently to be
made. General reeruitnent to the PDF in Rangoon is to be encouraged by waiving
enrollnent and menbersh5p fees from new apnlicants,
pDF Preyaerda
14. The People's Broadcasting Service resumed transmission towards the end of
June; exactly when is not known, but it was first hoslr.' on 25 June on a
frequency of 9.9 megacycles. An announcenent en 27 June of revised
transmission times suggests that the resumption was very recent. The location
of the station is not know'. 1401VP broadcasts on international affairs appear
to have been resumed only Trot. 1 July, the main items being taken from
the previous day's Peiping program in Burmese, tp to 3 Jta3r no corarient had
been made by the PDF on the Korean riteateees
15. Notable propaganda items have been:
(a) The build-up of the "Fingle United Army" the formation of which has
now been completed.
(b) An attack or the Union Youth League (BSP) and the All Burma Youth
League (Ann) accusing their leaders of rypocriay and appealing
to Burmese yputl, to join with the PDF; as a fresh bait the PDF
undertakes to assist young men with their matrimonial problems.
Violent attacks on Thakin NU both on the old grounds of his collab-
oration with Saw BA U GIT, the Karen leader, and on the grounds of
his being the hypocritical tool of the eepaneionists; in the latter
context, there is a passine reference to Pandit Nehru as his partner
in crire.
(c)
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(d) A talk on. the "heroes" behind ihe front line both in agriculatural
ard 3ndustrial production which suggests the introduction in Burma
of the Soviet "Stakhanovite" -system.
The main theme, however, has been the appeal to PVO's and the Burma Army
proper to come into the PDF camp; this is based on their one-time comradeship
in arms Ar the struggle for Burmese independence and emphasized that the Burma
Army, now clothed and armed by the expansionists, are engaged solely in killimg
of' their old friends in the interests of the feudal lendlords; emphasis is
laid on the fact that they should desert with their arms. It is noteworthy
that the rost innortant announcements and appeals which have been made over
the People"s Broadcasting Service since it resumed transmission have been
attributed to leading Army Mutineers or to controlling bodies with which they
are primarily associated. BCP leaders apparently prefer to remain in the
backarourd.
White Pend People's Volunteer Ouenization (Ma
Of the total surrenders under the Government amnesty between 10 May and 3 JuIy,
White Bend PVO's amounted to 1,290, but it is not clear whether this figure
refers solely to those who have sone through the surrender procedure of handing
en their erns and being issued with a "surrender certificate"- or whether it in-
cludes also those who have offered to support the Government but are still
bargaining for the retention of their arms. Government circles are, however,
hirhey optimistic of the outcome of the current surrender negotiations.
le? In very general terms the White Band PVO's can now be sub-divided into three
groups:
(a) Individuals and small rroups who have surrendered to the Government
and await absorption into the Rehabilitation brigades or other employ-
ment.
(b) The Bo LA YAUNG group, emissaries from which were sent to the various
PVD district Headquarters to secure support for Be LA YAUNG's surrender
negotiations with the Government. These emissaries, it seems, were also
intended to persuade various district factions to join into one organ-
ization under LA eAUNG's leadership; this is to be called the ITHWETHAUK"
(those who pledge their allegiance in blood) Party and some Yellow Bane
PV0 are expected to join also.
)
The People's Volunteer Party (aka People's Comrale Party) under Bo
PO KUN. In this it appears that 13o PD :ON is largely a' figure
head; the leadinr light is probably Bo AUNG NYUNT who was at one
time and my still be an under cover menber of the BOP.
19. The situation is nevertheless still very confused and reports suggest that in
the districts minor leaders are still in doubt as to which group it will be
most profitable to join. The BO LA YAUNG group appears to be attracting the
most support; press reports suggest that some Burma Socialist Party leaders
view this new Party as an attempt to form a counter-balance to BSP influence.
pima socialistAdz_071
. There has been no further information to clarify what has been happening within
the Burma Socialist Party over the issue raised by the Trade Union Congress
(Burma)ls (TUC (B) ) activities on May Day and it seems that if any positive
action is to be taken in either direction it will wait until BA SWE, Secretary
General of the Party, returns from Europe towards the middle of Ju1y.
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A rroun of delegates ere to nroceed to Tnd4n 'o at end the All India
lotalisf ,;onference in Jely; ibis group includes Thekin CHIT MAUTIC4 Joint
'eeeetery, Makin LU AYE, reprerenting the TUC (B)? end Dew KIIIN MYO YI
rnpresentinr the Women's section of the Party.
BSP Prusganda
22, During Jens the two pro-BSP papers The Voice of the Union and the Tajzz
Lone Tam appear to have been somewhet more restrained than over the past
few months. On the question of the oil fields the theme of capitalist
exploitation has given way to a demand that the oil companies should imme-
diately resume rehabilitation and thus remove the growing unemployment
since, it is asserted, peace in Burma has been largely restored.
23. Pronagsnda on +he World Peace movement in the early part of the month followed
the 11 ie that the "imperialists-cum-capitalists and their henchmen" were res-
ponsible both for disruntinr world peace and also for Burma's awn internal
troubles. On 27 June the Voice of the Unicen. carried an article alleging the
revival of FascismIhrourat7CEISTiroirdaEl.h the help of Anrlo-American
imperialism, pointing to the existence of Fascist regi es in Greece, Spain,
Yugoslavia and Thailand; Fascism and Its activities, he paper maintained,
were an obstacle in the way of peace. On 28 June, "American star maniacs"
were blamed for the outbreak of hostilities in Korea and on 29 June, in the
same paper, President Truman was comnared with Hitler; his intervention in
the Korean "civil war" was said to be the first step towards armed inter-
vention throughout Southeast Asia.
Trades Union CollEress (Burma) L.:m...CQU.
24. Leading personalities of the TUC (B) have been concerned primarily in the
activities of the World Peace Cones (Burma) which are dealt with later
in this report, but in the early part of June Thakin KHIN ZAW and Ko MYO
NYUNT of the TUC (B) visited the oil fields where a mass meeting of workers
wee staged. This was designed to clarify the awards of he industrial court
in the oil fields dispute which had none heavily against the oil companies,
and to stir up agitation to force the oil companies to implement 'hose awards
without further delay.
25. It is reported, but not finally confirmed, that the TUC (B)Is application for
affiliation to the World Federation of Trade Unions has been accepted.
Peae2-11272EntE-k-DEM
26. June has been a month of intense activity by local sponsors of the Peace
Signature Csmpaign and there are now three separate bodies concerned. These
are;
(a) The World Peace Congress (Burma Branch) (or World Peace Committee
(Burma) ), entirely sponsored by the Burma Socialist Party's TUC (8).
(b) The Permanent Peace Committee, which now appears to be BCP oontrolled.
(c) The Burma Overseas Chinese Support the World Peace Signature Movement
Committee which was formed under the aegis of the China Democratic
League (Burma Branch) on 12 june,
27. The World Peace Committee (Burma) has developed an intense campaign utilizing
the organization of the TUC (B) through which signature forma and instructions
were issued to all affiliated unions at the beginning of June; a series of
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neetinFrs of unien leaders were stared to explain ne :significance of the
World Peace camnaign ned prepare for a public peace eongress to be staged
on 17 June. This congress WAS hold in the City Uni1 Rangoon, and attended
.by about 850 persons, of whom the majority were committee members of various
afriliated labor unions. Also present, however, were representatives from
the Burma Socialist Party and its subordinate organizations, Tetphongyi
THEM PE VYINT, and representatives from the other two peace organizations.
Resolutions nassed at the meeting were as follows:
(a)
That the Committee of the World Peace Congress (Burma) should
etrive:
(1) To ban the atomic bomb and to brand the nation who used it
first in the next wer es the aggressor and world criminal
number one.
(2) To bring USSR, China, Britain and the United States to-
gether to sign a pesce pact.
()'; To demand the freedom of colonial countries.
(b) That inasmuch as peace in Derma was interdependent with peaceful
conditions in other parts of the worlds the WPCong. (B) should
strive to bring about the coordination between peace activitiee
within Burma and world conditions.
(c)
That the WPCong. (B) whould choose a delegation to attend the
second World Peace Coneress to be held in Italy in the winter of
1950.
Encouraging messapes have been received by the World Peace Committee (Burma)
both from the Peadquarters of the WFTU and personally from Professor Joliot
Curie.
Starting from 12 June, the CDL (BB)-sponsored signature campaign was
develoned in a similar manner. Declarations of suonort were made by venous
eubordinate organizations who oreanized students, workers, etc., to po around
the town obtaining signatures. Announcements by leading personalities des-
eribed these activities as beine in sunport of the WPComm. (B).
The Permanent Peace Committee1 which reports now suggest to be acting under
instructions issued by the Rangoon District BCPp has been harder pressed than
the others owing to its lack of organizations providing direct access to the
public in Rangoon. Its efforts to keep in the nicture throw an interesting
light on the relations between the three groups and the political influences
behind 'hem. In accordance with its initial declaration that it was willing
to coordinate activities with the Sccialist World Peace Committee (Burma),
.tle Permanent Peace Committee made two approaches to the WOomm. (B), only
:A3 be rebuffed on both occasione. These approaches to the WPComm. (8), hav-
been inspired by the CDL (BB). Subsequently the Permanent Peace Committee
sent a delegation to the CDL (BB)-sponeored Committee, in the hope of arreng.
ing joint action in the signature campaign and it is reported that this ection
was taken on the inetructions of the Rangoon District BCP after the laeiAr had cm-
ouited with the CDL (BB). The result of this approach was that the CIL (BB)
Peace Committee etfered to assist the Permanent Peace Com ittee in rei7eeeing
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eignatures end did so through its bands of signature collectors, who were
euenlied with Permanent Peace Committee forms and obtained signatures or them
at tbe sone tine as they secured signatures for their awn group. The CDL (BB)
necms to have acted throughout in a nanner calculated to encourage the maximum
general sureort for the internatioral Communist theme of Yorld Peace without
taking sides in Humes internal political differences.
Ohina Demooratic ;mot (pmrma BrancilLiCDLIBB)
31. The main activities of the CDL (BB) during June have been concerned with the
Peace rlignature Campaign and their activities in this respect have boon
briefly described above, hut theirparticular task with regard to the Chinese
Coemunity in Burma has not been neglected. This found surprisingly frank ex-
pmssion in am editorial which appeared in the Zin Min Pao, official organ of
the CUL (BB), on 1 July, the 29th anniversary of tErrinese Communist Party.
Referrine to the great triumph of the revolutionary struggle in China and to
the work which lies ahead the paper states: "It is the duty of our Burma
rhinese democratic workers and progressive leaders to guide them (Chinese
Natioeals in Burma) to the proper road. We should not shun the responsibility
which we have to undertake boldly . our work will not be poor if we just
carry out their (the Chinese Communist Party's) instructions. They are our
eood teachers".
Euomintang SMTLEtyslyIionagy Committps,
32, A Preparatory Committe for such an organization was elected at a meeting held
on 31 May 1950; a telerram was subsequently to he dispatched to the Headquarters
of the KMT Revolutionary Committee in Peiping informing them of the successfb1
formation of a local branch and assuring them that its members were ready and
willing to cooperate whole-heartedly with the China Communist Party in the
National Reconstruction and Rehabilitation program. The membership of the
Burma Branch so far is reported to he 56.
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'eminent.. A noticeable omission from this list is the Propaganda
par ment which must presumably direct the activities of the People's
Broadcasting Service; this is almost certainly the responsibility of
Thakin THAN MING, (BCP).
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