Credit translated and edited from U Aun Tin’s FB post on 21st. September 2016

For decades, Myanmar’s rulers have claimed that the country is home to exactly “135 national races.” This number is repeated in official speeches, textbooks, and government documents. But where did it come from? Why was it chosen? And why has the figure changed several times over the last half-century?

A Questionable Invention

Contrary to what people are led to believe, there has never been a transparent, nationwide consultation or parliamentary debate that produced the number 135. No historical records from the Pagan, Konbaung, or even British colonial eras mention such a figure. In fact, before independence, only the major ethnic groups—Bamar, Karen, Shan, Chin, Kachin, Mon, Rakhine—along with occasional references to Chinese, Indian, Pyu, Talaing, Pathi (Muslims), and others, were documented.

The British censuses of 1911 and 1931 recorded 65 and 135 languages respectively, but not “135 races.” This appears to be the earliest root of the figure, but even then it referred to languages, not ethnic identities.

After independence, successive governments—AFPFL, caretaker, parliamentary, and even early BSPP under Ne Win—never endorsed the number 135.

The first official ethnic list only appeared in December 1972, when the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs published a list of 144 groups. That list included Burmese Muslims (Pathi), Rohingya, Myedu, Pashu (Malays), and Panthay.

Curiously, both 144 and 135 add up numerologically to nine (1+4+4=9; 1+3+5=9), leading some to suspect that numerology, not ethnography, guided these decisions.

From 144 to 135—and Then to 101

During the 1980s, the number was quietly reduced. Several Muslim groups were deleted, while the Kokang Chinese were added.

In July 1989, Senior General Saw Maung officially announced “135 races” in a martial law speech. In truth, these should more accurately be called “martial law races” rather than national races.

Later still, under U Thein Sein’s government, a new list of 101 races mysteriously appeared. The Election Commission even used this figure to reject the Zo-Mi National Congress Party, saying the Zo-Mi were not included. After protests, Zo-Mi were accepted as a national race—yet the total remained at 101. That implied another group had been silently removed.

So Myanmar’s ethnic count has jumped from 144 → 135 → 101 → back to 135, without explanation or public accountability.

Flaws and Manipulations in the 135 List

Even within the current list of 135, major flaws and inconsistencies abound:

• Kachin: Realistically 6 groups, but split into 12.
• Kayah: 5 groups inflated into 9.
• Karen: 3 main groups (Sgaw, Pwo, Bwe) expanded into 11.
• Chin: Despite over 500 clans, only 53 were recognized.
• Bamar: Subgroups like Yaw, Tavoyan, and Beik were forcibly separated, inflating the count.
• Mon: Reduced to just one, while related groups like Wa and Palaung were shifted into Shan.
• Rakhine: Chin-related groups like Khami and Mro wrongly included under Rakhine.
• Shan: Of the 33 listed, only about 21 are genuinely Shan; the rest are Tibetans, Mons, Khmers, or unrelated groups.

If carefully reviewed, Myanmar has barely 60 truly distinct ethnic groups.

Even if historically recognized communities such as Gurkha, Panthay, Pathi (Burmese Muslims), Rohingya, Pashu (Malays), and Myedu are restored, the number would not exceed 70.

A Tool of Exclusion

The shifting figures reveal a political tool rather than a scientific classification.

Entire communities have been erased from official recognition—particularly Muslims such as Rohingya, Pathi, and Panthay—while others were artificially split to inflate the count.

Ethnic identities in Myanmar were never meant to be decided behind closed doors by generals or election commissioners. Yet that is precisely what has happened, with no public debate, no accountability, and no transparency.

Conclusion

The “135 races” claim is a manufactured myth. It is neither rooted in history nor in genuine ethnographic research. Instead, it has been used to divide, exclude, and manipulate.

Myanmar’s true ethnic diversity deserves honest recognition, not political arithmetic. Any future democratic government must begin with transparent, inclusive dialogue on what truly constitutes a “national race.”