GRAPE VINE
Mya Than Tint and militarism
written by Aung Bala
translated by Rebound88
In beginning of January 1946, Ko Kyi Lin, Ko Aung Lin and Ko Mya Than came to Nyaung-Oo where I resided.They wanted me to come Rangoon to attend the Communist party congress. Throughout the war period, most of the young people around Pa-Khok-Kuu,Monywa, Nyaung-Oo, believed in communism in which it can only bring welfare to the society,mainly because of ideological class tutored by Ko Tun Sein, Ko Ne Win under the tutelage of Thakin Soe.
To me, I did not wish to commit myself to party line in capapie by attending the congress. Once I told them that my inclination was to become a journalist,and did not want to accompany them to attend the congress, three of them also expressed their views of their wish to be a writer.
At that time, all of us strongly believed to reach our own professed destination even though we felt our ambitions is too high to be materialised by taking into account of remote location of our hometown to literature circle and our half-baked education.
The second world war ended. In the course of discussion of what we are going to do,we saw the ray of hope which can bring the wandering and jobless young people like us to a state in which we could do to achieve whatever we conceived in the mind.
The communist party was halved by congress which three of them attended.Then Ko Mya Than joined to white-flag and Ko Aung Lin to red-flag communist party.
Then three of them were no longer in Party and reading at Rangoon University, after I moved in Rangoon and later became a reporter.
Every weekend, we spent the time by discussing the literature at Ko Than Tin's house where was in Rangoon University.Our discussion always went smoothly with no heated argument despite of the split of party.
Afterthat Sar-Pay-Thit magazine had been able to publish thanks to pour of Ko Than Tin's funds which came from all his inheritance. Ko Mya Than wrote for it even though it was a mouthpiece of Red-Flag party. It was a time that TARA and Sar-Pay-Thit magazine are very influential in Burmese literature circle.
Ko Than Tin was very generous in providing accomodation plus meal to his friends, Ko Mya Than, Ko Kyi Lin, Ko Aung Lin and me. His house look like the hostel to us.
Aung Linn had been known with A-Yaing-Sa-Be', and Ko Mya Than's books were also getting popular and he changed the pen-name to Mya Than Tint by using mother's name like Thein Pe Myint so as to differ from the writer Thakin Mya Than. Sadly, Ko Kyi Lin could had written many books unless he died at that time.
Actually, Mya Than Tint did not actively involve in communist party. He stayed back when it went underground. But the military marked him as a hardcore communist. Under the caretaker goverment in 1958, the military agents arrested and sent him to CoCo island. Again he was detained by the Revolutionary Council after the peace talks collapsed.
He rejoined the circle of literature after being released together with Aung Linn, Daw Ma Ma Lay and me.Mya Than Tint took great caution in his writing, he chose to write more in translated version over his own in order to avoid the wrath of the militarist.He translated the classic novels such as "Gone with the Wind", "War and Peace". Most of his works are travel articles. Also short novels and dramas. All of his writings were characterized as well-written and polished. I think Dar-Taung-Ko-Kyaw-ywe-Mee-Pin-Le-Ko-Pyat-me is his masterpiece. When I expressed the admiring views of it as representing a person who tried to survive the cruel nature with his innate courage, I was criticized by his allied red-flag members in literature world.
When I proposed it to be selected for National Literacy Award, Army captains gave me a sharp look.Award selection committe comprised of the army captains as the representative of party and political organisations.None can be approved without their consent.But this award had gone to Mya Than Tint thank to the recommendations from the members, Saya Zawgyi, Saya Tet Toe, Takatho Htin Gyi and Theik Soe. Later he got the literacy prize four times.
Despite of the fact that he won another four National Literacy Award, I felt empathic for that. Because they are all translation awards.Mya Than Tint also had the talent to make the literature which can keep abreast of world classic ones.
At the end of the war,we believed in mistakenly that we were now in new era in which our aims may be achieved with our determined efforts.But the situations never allow us to utilize our potential energy with full extent till now.
Especially, the literature could be blossomed provided there's freedom. Since 1958, Burmese literature world was overshadowed by the militarist.Therefore, Mya Than Tint can write only the translated literature.If Burma had not been ruled by the militarist, Mya Than Tint would be able to contribute the good work of literature to not only for Burma, also for to the world literature.
