THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1930. THE BURMA RIOTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20758, 29 December 1930, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1930. THE BURMA RIOTS.

Burma, a country not commonly figuring much in the news of the world, has had more moments of prominence in the past year than usual. Last May an outbreak at Rangoon, beginning with a clash between Indian workers on the waterfront who had been on strike and Burmese labourers who had been brought in to meet the emergency, ran a brief but serious course. It lasted little more than four days, but during its height it assumed an ugly racial character, the loss of life was considerable, and. the indiscriminate killing of men, women and children in savage circumstances proved that passions had run high. This brief intensity is perhaps typical of the country. The Simon Commission, discussing Burma., noted that though the standard of literacy was much higher than the average for India, crime was much more prevalent. Theft and murder were of relatively frequent occurrence, a circumstance the police authorities attributed to "the entire lack of self-control" of the people, who, normally, are tolerant and easy-going. The present outbreak, a little to the north of Rangoon, is reported to be due to low prices for rice and other grain, the most important products of Burma's most important industry, agriculture. Economic depression, it appears, has fractured the brittle tempers of at least one Burmese community, and the authorities again have on their hands the task of restoring order. These two episodes in the recent history of the country can conveniently be discussed in relation to another subject which has brought Burma into prominence, the proposed separation from British India, with the understanding that whatever measure of self-government India may receive Burma shall be given an approximately equal measure. The theorist is ready to establish the absolute right of a country to independence and complete selfgovernment if it demands that status. In practice, since no country to-day lives entirely unto itself, when the removal of existing outside control, is proposed for any, the possibilities and consequences of a breakdown of law and order have to be considered ; so, too, must the facilities for defence against external aggression. The need, in some instances, for suzerainty, and the need for waiting until development makes independence feasible is recognised in the mandatory system of the League of Nations. Great Britain, solely responsible for more backward territory than that over which the League exercises oversight, is not only entitled, but is bound, to recognise the same principle. Having been responsible for many years, latterly through the Government of India, for the maintenance of law and order in Burma, for the defence and for the development of the country, Britain cannot wash her hands of it, .leaving the peopls to work out their own destinies, to struggle into safety or to collapse into disaster. In determining what steps shall be taken toward the ultimate goal of self-government —logically as much due to Burma as to India—and particularly at what rate they shall be taken, the character oi: the people and their capacity for self-government must be carefully assessed. From this point of view, the disturbances of the past months are important. They have shown that outbreaks of violence, likely to develop quickly, can be serious while they last, even if the flames subside quickly. The racial character of the May riots is particularly significant. * A supply of Indian labour is vital to Burma, an outlet for at least temporary migration is equally important to India. Though racial clashes are rare, it has been shown they can occur, and this makes of greater moment the question of Burma's power to police as well as to defend herself. The existing military establishment in Burma consists of the Burma Military Police, a body 10,000 strong, while two battalions of British infantry and two companies of engineers are usually stationed in the country. The force of military police, though essentially a unit for defence if necessary, organised on military lines, is also an armed reserve to the civil police. It is not a Burman unit, being recruited from the fighting races of India, and from, the non-Burman races of the hill territories. The Burmese themselves, though not without military qualities, do not take kindly to long terms of disciplined service, and are not easily recruited even for the military police. This immediately puts difficulty in the way of the complete national self-sufficiency, which is necessary for independence. It has been suggested that the practice of recruiting soldiers and police in India could continue, or that the service of units of the Indian Army could be obtained, as is done by the Straits Settlements. With thatpolicy, the existence of an overseeing authority neither Indian nor Burman would be essential, more essential as both countries travel further toward complete self-govern-ment. The question is not so difficult as it might be since, while Burma has frontiers to control, there is no problem equal to that of the North-West Frontier in India. These are issues in the question of settling : the future of Burma, illustrated by

the recent outbreaks of violence. There are others, dependent on the character of the people. The cause of the present rising, agricultural depression, draws attention to the fact that the Burmese are primarily an agricultural people. The development of other industries, and of commerce, is largely in the hands of Indians, Chinese and Europeans. Their placo in the community, what safeguards they need, and what safeguards against them the Burmese need, are all points, to be determined. Those who handle the question have to realise that, as one authority has said, the Burmese "to many charming qualities add a dislike of hard work and a belief in their own superiority that amounts to bumptiousness." Since it has also been shown they add a capacity for violent behaviour on occasion, their future cannot be stabilised by a stroke of the pen.