1. This History Thread is about relations between Burma (Myanmar) and the continent of Africa. Although far apart geographically there have been interactions in trade, diplomacy & affinities in the Colonial + post-Colonial experience. Background on #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
2. Ancient Indian Ocean trade routes connected Southeast Asia and East Africa. Seafaring lands like Arakan, Pegu, Tavoy in what would become Burma could exchange goods with great African ports like Kilwa Kisiwani & Songo Mnara.
3. Britain conquered Burma late 18th Century. Britain colonized lands across Africa during 18th-19th Centuries. Most resource trade was between the colonized lands & Britain but some commodities were traded colony to colony, such as Burmese teak for the carved doors of Zanzibar.
4. WW2 1944-45 Allies against occupying Japanese forces in Burma, 3 Div.s from West Africa (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana & Gambia) & East Africa fought in Arakan (now Rakhine St.) Also 3rd (Nigerian) Brigade, 81st Div. fought in long range Chindits, 1944. theguardian.com/world/video/20…
5. Army barracks named after places where African soldiers fought in WW2 Burma: Nigeria (Arakan, Myohaung, An, Dalet, Kalapanzin, Letmauk) & Ghana (Arakan Barracks in Burma Camp, Myohaung in Takoradi.) Also Chindit Barracks in Zaria, Nigeria. “Burma Roads” in both countries.
6. Ugandan despot Idi Amin claimed to have served in combat in WW2 Burma, but this has been debunked due to his age & date of enlistment. Idi Amin and Gen. Ne Win of Burma both appear on numerous lists of worst (& most deranged) dictators of 20th Century.
7. Post-WW2 independent Burma found common ground with postcolonial African nations, was an organizer of 1955 Asian–African (Bandung) Conference, hosting leaders like Nasser of Egypt. But 1962 Burma coup brought dictatorship & isolation. medium.com/afro-asian-vis…
8. South Africa’s Bishop Desmond Tutu often compared his country & 1990s-2000s Myanmar (Burma), advocated economic sanctions vs regime. Visited fellow Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi 2013 but condemned her “silence” re genocidal attacks on Rohingyas 2017. theguardian.com/world/2017/sep…
9. Post-Apartheid South Africa in 2007 disappointingly sided with Russia & China to block UN Security Council resolution condemning Myanmar regime’s human rights violations. South Africa 2017-18 sold electronic equipment to Myanmar military. news.un.org/en/story/2007/…
10. UN diplomats from African countries involved at high levels on Myanmar crises. Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari (Nigeria) 2006-10 multiple visits, ineffective. Former UN Secretary Gen. Kofi Annan (Ghana) led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State 2016-17. nytimes.com/2016/12/06/wor…
11. In 1990s-00s Myanmar joined several African nations on lists of world’s “Least Developed Countries.” In more recent years Myanmar, as well as some regions of Africa, targeted by China’s overseas infrastructure development plans with “debt trap” risks. asiatimes.com/2018/06/myanma…
12. Since 2007, African countries have been Myanmar’s top formal rice export market. In 2019, an unfit for consumption rice shipment from Myanmar was destroyed by Ivory Coast after being rejected by 3 other African countries. irrawaddy.com/business/autho…
13. WW2 soldiers from Gambia fought in Arakan & in 2019 Gambia filed case vs Myanmar on Rohingyas of Arakan (Rakhine St.) in International Court of Justice. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2…
14/14. Sources: On WW2, @BarnabyPhillips 2014, John AL Hamilton ’01, John Igbino ’18, Nowa Omoigui re barracks names, Oliver Coates ’19. On Bandung @sulinlewis 2016. Thanks @ZL_Myanmar for question that inspired this thread. My other History Threads at: projectmaje.org
correction on post 3 of this thread: should be "Britain conquered Burma late 19th Century." (not 18th.)
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