A story about U Nu and Daw Mya Yi and Aung San.

I would like to copy from alumni website about our Independence leaders as following. This post is by Prof MMN. U Nu and his wife were fondly remembered by all of us and Aung San was known as quite a crude person. No wonder he was assassinated. We did not have a peaceful transition in gaining Independence because of his strong patriotism and hatred for colonial rule. The orderly systems were disrupted and we faced insurgencies and ended up forever in need of a strong military which delayed our growth in many ways.

Dear Alumni,
I have a fondness for story of sacrifice and comradeship that
prevailed among the Burmese leaders of Dohbamar Asiayone in their poor
days struggling for independence. Here is one that depicts it. Enjoy.

Daw Mya Yi, Wife of U Nu

She was a kun: daun kain [village belle] so to speak of Pantanaw. Her
parents were rich Country Gentry, proprietor of a Rice Mill, land
owner of over 3,000 acres of paddy fields, and the owner of a high
school. Her father worried that his young daughter Shwe Mya Yi would
eet someone if she continued her schooling and therefore she was
plucked out of the school after she completed her Six Standards.

She met Ko Nu, a head master of her parent's high school, a different
cut, and a different mold, which had enticed her quite well. With
apparent disapproval, they eloped. Daw Mya Yi followed her husband
everywhere, down and out or up and about, she would march side by side
with her husband Ko Nu.

Ko Nu's Friends

Ko Nu wrote plays and novels but he was not able to bring back any
royalty home because some one needed it or asked for it or the royalty
was never paid. Of course, she did complain but never protested. When
Ko Nu got back to Rangoon, the two set up their little abode. She
prepared breakfast - fried rice, and coffee for about ten people every
morning. The regulars were Thakins Soe, Ba Thein Tin, Aung San; and,
Hla Pe [Bo Let Ya], Nyo Tun and Thi Han were ever present houseguests,
the trio stayed with Thakin Nu and Daw Mya Yi. Less frequent visitor
was Kyaw Nyein. Lunch was prepared in the same manner, and those
regulars would help themselves and left, doing things what they had to
do in their affairs of politicking.

After the money she brought had exhausted, she returned to her parents
to dig some more from her Grandma's coffer and to gather some of her
gold ornaments to sell off when needed. During her absent, Nu and Hla
Pe, being sick of eating Baja gjo [fritter made of split yellow peas]
day in and day out they fried fish. Fire caught in the pan and they
fearfully lifted up the pan. The oil flew all over. The roof almost
caught fire. Afterwards, they gave up cooking and back to the good old
Baja gjo.

Thakhin Soe

She had to put up with Thakin Soe's intolerable habit, such as,
feeding up all for him. If no one noticed, Thakin Soe would leave none
for the rest. No matter how seriously she scolded, Thakin Soe never
changed or heeded and kept eating the whole bunch of bananas or a pan
full of friend rice or a pot of coffee many a time.

Thakhin Aung San

She had to put up with Thakin Aung San's idiosyncrasies. At one time
she caught Aung San, making faces to the mirror in her room. She asked
what was he doing and he replied with a question "why was this mirror
standing in front of me?" At another time she found pile of shit on
the wooden plank on the side, which was to step on and squat. Later,
she discovered it was Aung San who did it. She asked why he did not do
it in a regular way, the replied was "I am testing a new side way".
Every morning, after breakfast, Aung San asked for Ta Moo [two annas]
from her; Ta Bai or one anna for two cigarettes and one anna for a lan
cha: [rickshaw]. He would not walk to the Dho Bama Asiayone, which was
within a walking distance, where other walked, but for Aung San, it
was only by lan cha:. At times it was two rupees, because Aung San
would not want to miss the movies.

Burma Freedom Block [BFB] was formed to further the struggle for
independence with Dr. Ba Maw as the President and Thakin Aung San as
the General Secretary. This group was basically an amalgamation of Dho
Bama Asiayone and Sinyetha Party with a few smaller political parties.
The students' "union leaders were in support of the national united
front of BFB in secrecy". BFB made strong demand on the British
Government to "turn over all power and authority in the country to its
elected Government". BFB movement's outstanding leaders were Dr. Ba
Maw, Thakins Nu, Aung San, Mya, Hla Pe and Than Tun. On June 9, 1940
the BFB made an open challenge "forbidding the Burmese to support the
war effort [of the British] with either manpower or material".

Following the public meeting on June 9 at the Jubilee Hall more
impressive meeting was held in Mandalay. Dr. Ba Maw was publicly
acclaimed "Dictator" [a na shin]. The British Governor responded by
arresting Thakin Nu on July 4 and Dr. Ba Maw on July 10. Thakin Aung
San evaded the warrant issued on July 12 and went under ground.
Henzada District Police Superintendent Zavior with Rupees 5 reward
issued the warrant for Thakin Aung San.

hakhin Nu in Jail

Nu was kept at the Central Jail [Rangoon Jail]. Daw Mya Yi went to
see him through "htaun win za khan" [asked permission to see a
prisoner]. She was ushered into the Warden's office.

The Warden greeted her and pressured her to persuade her husband to
quit politics with the promise that if she succeeded he would allow
her to take her husband home.

When Thakin Nu, B Class political prisoner was brought out, the Warden
kept talking to Nu to quit politics. There was not a chance for her to
talk with her husband. Within a minute or two, she grabbed hold of her
husband's shoulders and turned him around and screamed: "I am here to
talk with my husband, stop talking to him; I need to talk to my
husband" was the command she screamed out.

That was the first htaun win za. She brought along Htike, wrapped up
in hpajaun: pahsou [linoleum cerecloth], who was only four months old.
That was the first time Nu had seen his son. When he was apprehended
Htike was about a month shy of being born.

She visited the central jail next time but she was not allowed to see
Nu. There was only htaun hmu [Jailer], an Anglo-Indian fellow by the
name of Rosalie and two ba ja [it is a prison jargon, meaning: inmate
appointed as orderly to prison officials] came to the door. From
inside they opened a small window with a tiger head knob and read out
a letter from Nu saying he would be taking Sabbath, would have only
vegetarian meal and a short list of his requirements. The Jailer
refused to give the letter to her.

That was not acceptable to her. She pounced through the small window
and snatched the letter. She got the letter. Rosalie and two ba ja
came out, grabbed her and forcefully retook the letter. They walked
back in and the door was slammed shut.

She knew that Rosalie would be coming out for lunch and his house was
just across the street behind khajei pin tan [row of Star flower]. She
resolved to wait the guy to come out and prepared to smack right on
the face. She sat right there with Htike under a Khajei tree. She had
a backer, a woman from Thayettaw Monastery inquired what was the
matter and when she found out that it was going to be a brawl against
a Jail officer, the woman enthusiastically supported her: "Cha thar
cha, Kya Ma lai: ku mai" [Take on, I will assist you].

Thakhin Hla pe (bo Let Ya) and U Kyaw Nyein

She treated the Thakins who had come across not only as her husband's
associates and comrades but also as her own brothers and
comrades-in-arms. One day, Kyaw Nyein and Hla Pe asked her to prepare
a good meal for Aung San who remained under ground. It was dinner;
Aung San and his companion Hla Myaing took heartily, and from time to
time Aung San was exclaiming: "Oh, what a ngapi yay, I have to take
more for now, when would I have this ngapi yay again". Hla Myaing had
been in her house for a couple of days staying as houseguest arranged
by Hla Pe. No one, Kyaw Nyein, Hla Pe, Nyo Tun, or Thi Han joined the
dinner but looked on. After dinner, a Taxi driven by a Sino-Burmese
Driver Ko Kyaw Myaing took Aung San and Hla Myaing away. Aung San had
Rupees 100 in his pocket that was the total amount his comrades Hla Pe
and Kyaw Nyein could muster. She got very suspicious about the
behavior of the group as well as of Aung San's.

Aung San in a Fix

As she could sense abnormal behavior of Aung San she inquired but no
one revealed anything but kept their mouths tight shut. She grabbed
Hla Pe and started beating him up and demanded: "You son of a bitch,
tell me what the hell is going on", by so saying she kept beating. The
only answer she got was: "I don't know Mama Yi, hpaja su: [be punished
for having wrong the Buddha] I don't know Mama Yi". She released Hla
Pe as nothing would be coming out from him. She found another prey;
this time was Kyaw Nyein.

"You son of a bitch, I will beat you to death if you don't tell me
what the hell is going on with Aung San". So saying she cornered Kyaw
Nyein and beat up uncontrollably. Eventually Kyaw Nyein revealed that
Aung San is leaving the country to seek military assistance from China
for independence struggle. She released Kyaw Nyein soon after. Tears
rolled down and she slowly uttered: "You guys did not treat me as one
of your comrades. If I had known Aung San would be leaving the country
and did not even know for how long, I would have prepared much better
meal for him. After all, he is one of my younger brothers, you all
know that very well".

Daw Mya Yi's Sincerity

Kyaw Nyein and Hla Pe, with tears in their eyes, apologized her for
not treating her right, Nyo Tun and Thi Han joined in later with full
of tears for their uncomradery they had shown on her and sorry for
their friend Aung San who had gone to the unknown place.