Student Strikes in Burma

In 1920, Students of Yangon University think the university acts is unfair. It was just for elitists and not for ordinary majority population. Only 10 students went on strike for acts but soon after, it widespread among all students throughout country. It was the first students strike called University Boycott, is still commemorated as National Day.
In 1936, Students went on strike again because of Editor of Student Union magazine were taken action for an article. This time strike led to independence. After 1948 independence, the leaders of strikes became the leaders of country.
In 1962 students protest for restricted hostel rules. In 07/07/1962 military government crackdown the protesters, Student Union building inside Rangoon University campus were demolished by dynamite and more than 100 students inside the building were killed
3 Military trucks loaded with full of death bodies by military operation, the bodies carried away and disappeared.
In 1974, there were students protest for former sectary general of UN U Thant funeral.
After military coup in 1962,
In 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, and 1996, many students’ strikes tried to remove military dictatorship in various reasons but evey strike was cracked down brutally.
1987 students strike became the whole country strike and it was recorded as the beginning of democratization. It continued as very famous 1988 uprising.
So, in Burma students strikes are very important role in Burma's history and they can make very important changes. The dictators really worry the students’ strikes for their power.
The last time students strike was happen in end of 2014 and beginning of 2015 for the reason to change newly enacted The National Education Law in 2014. The strike was cracked down and 133 students and supporters were detained.

Kyaw Min
10/04/2015