Pe Khin

Pe Khin was the most important negotiator and architect of the historical
Panglong treaty in Burma. Even General Aung San was disappointed, given
up and decided to take the flight back to Rangoon that evening. Pe Khin
persuaded General Aung San to stay for one night and to allow him to
negotiate with the Ethnic Minority leaders. Pe Khin successfully negotiated
with those Ethnic leaders and U Aung Zan Wai, Bo Khin Maung Galay, U Pe
Khin, Bo Hmu Aung, Sir Maung Gyi, Dr. Sein Mya Maung, Myoma U Than
Kywe to get an agreement for this most important treaty in Burma, which
was the foundation of the formation of Union of Burma which leads to its
Independence from the British. This day of February 12 is celebrated since as
'Union Day'.[1][2]
Early life
Born in Swehman village, Pyawbwe Township of Mandalay Division to A.A.
Khan (U Bo Galay) and Daw Toke on 27 August 1912.[3] Studied in Urdu
language at Swe Hman village Primary School and passed the fourth
standard examination.[4]
He passed 7th standard from Pyawbwe Township's Wesleyan School and
Matriculation from the Kelly School, Mandalay. Stayed together in Bago
Hostel together with future General Aung San and got the B.A.,B.L. from the
Rangoon University. He started work as the Labour Office at the Chauk
Petroleum oil field in 1938.
Politics
In January 1946, he attended the first convention of Anti-Fascist People's
Freedom League or AFPFL as the delegate of the Burma Muslim Congress. Pe
Khin, proposed (Proposal no.7) that the frontier areas and ethnic groups
should join together with the Burmese interim government to achieve
Independence. It became the seed for the famous Panglong Conference
Agreement.[5][6] He became the Central Executive Member of AFPFL and was
appointed as the AFPFLs secretary for the Ethnic Minorities of Burma.[7] He
was elected as the Member of Parliament of FPFL representing the Phaw
Bawl Township in the April 1947 constituent assembly elections.[8] He was the
main lobbyist behind the letter by the leaders of Mandalay requesting Gen
Aung San to appoint U Razak for the Cabinet post .[9] The popularity of the
AFPFL, now dominated by Aung San and the Socialists, was eventually
confirmed when it won an overwhelming victory in the April 1947 constituent

assembly elections. After U Saw, a conservative pre-war Prime Minister of

Burma, engineered the assassination of Aung San and several members of
his cabinet while meeting in the Secretariat on July 19, 1947[10] U Pe Khin
became a minister the new cabinet formed by Thakin Nu.
Diplomatic carrier
Pe Khin was appointed as Burmas first Ambassador to Pakistan in 1947.[11]
He was then sent as the Ambassador to Thailand from 1953 to 1956.[12] He
was later transferred to Laos, Cambodia, USSR, Czechoslovakia, Poland,
Malaysia and Singapore in his 25 years of diplomatic service and retired in
1972.[13][14]
Activities in the NGOs
Active in Burma Muslim Congress together with U Razak and Khin Maung Latt
since 1945.[15] Patron of the Burma Islamic Council and Burmese Muslim
Organization.[16] Participated as the delegation in the drawing of the new
constitution.[17]
Published books

Panglong, An Inside Story

AFPFL convention

Seed of Panglong Conference

Burma and the Non-aligned policy

And numerous articles in English and Burmese

[18]

Awards
He was awarded with

Maha Tharaesithu in the First Honours list given out by the Burmese
government after Independence.[19]

Countrys Honour First grade on 7 June 1980.[20]

Pe Khin died on 25-2-2004[21]