YOUNG MEN S BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R006500550002-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 19, 2002
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 28, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved Fo'OIJe Ci iAAMI-00457R66iPABtAW
R TON REPORT
CONE IDENI I
On NO..
25X1A
SUBJECT Young Men's Buddhist Association
PLACE
ACQUIRED
25X1A
DATE OF
INFO.
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NO, OF PAGES
CIA LOP. UO EDOF QNCLS.
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SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
Br?1?ore World War TI, t?*he Young T`en's Buddhist Association (YMBA), with
headquarters in Rangoon, had many branches in Burma, and was in contact
with YMBA organizations in Ceylon and -hailenda In Bus , at that time,
the YTBA, along w-4th Rangoon University, supplied practically all of
Burrmsa's nre-war leadership.
2. Today, only the headquarters branch in Rangoon is functioning. Lay
leaders in various Burmese cities have requested aid In reestablishing
YTPBA branches ; and the leaders in Rangoon are eager to expand the
organization to combat Cow_nitnis , to raise moral standards lowered bY
war and insurrection, and to combat the superstitions thich have crept
Into the religion and led educated young Purmans to reject Buddhism
as an "old women's religion. "
.3e The Rangoon YMBA leaders are, however, In marr cases, prominent people
too preoccupied w th their regular ?obs to spend time in advancing t:le
Y1 MT A.
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ifia There are about. 400 members In the ' eadcuarters branch at present. des
a.rn one rupee per non+r1 ncr rember. This money 's consumed largely : _n
the maintenance of the building an4 the library. The organization has
no full time secretary.
The hea.dauarters organization consists of a nresident; three vice-
presidents; a secretary and a treasurer; an executive cornoil.; and
five com''itteess ; sports, education, religious, library, and finance
and administration.
Jui- f ice n OTTF P?:,' is ? ie nresydent of YT-BA and some of the other load.~e-ng
M.0111 rrs are 'i nu : AT, lea li ng Buddhist philosopher and Deputy
`'ecretary of Agriculture; U KP1T ZAW, former Director of Labor and nov
a. merchant; U TTLA "ITEI11, a leading Rangoon lawyer and the Secretary c=f
the Supreme Buddhist Counci:. ; U STTU T?,AU G, Chief Judge of the District
Court; and TT C1'AN T' 00NV, Atli orney-General for the Government of Burm
T1TAKI1t Til and r^ a.nv other prominent Burmese are also inter?essted in
re Stab?ishing the "MA.
ONFIDENTIAL
1, SR8 I DISTRIBUTION TION I
CLASSIFICATION G '^ COwTROI, ri, ?TCTAx,S nwr
rivist of t; Bence to fste
le tlni+c
A ?oved,For Release X10021 /08 : CI -RDP8
letter L in accordance with the
Di?ectoof 16 October 1973 from the
r of Central Inte"'
This document is hereby
CONFIDENTIA regrad oe id