{"id":2766,"date":"2025-09-22T03:39:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T03:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/?p=2766"},"modified":"2026-01-23T08:04:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T08:04:27","slug":"the-myth-of-myanmars-135-national-races","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/2025\/09\/22\/the-myth-of-myanmars-135-national-races\/","title":{"rendered":"The Myth of Myanmar\u2019s \u201c135 National Races\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Credit translated and edited from U Aun Tin’s FB post on 21st. September 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For decades, Myanmar\u2019s rulers have claimed that the country is home to exactly \u201c135 national races.\u201d<\/strong> 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?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Questionable Invention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to what people are led to believe, there has never been a transparent, nationwide consultation or parliamentary debate that produced the number 135. <\/strong>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\u2014Bamar, Karen, Shan, Chin, Kachin, Mon, Rakhine\u2014along with occasional references to Chinese, Indian, Pyu, Talaing, Pathi (Muslims), and others, were documented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British censuses of 1911 and 1931 recorded<\/strong> 65 and 135 languages<\/strong> respectively, but not \u201c135 races.\u201d This appears to be the earliest root of the figure, but even then it referred to languages, not ethnic identities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After independence, successive governments\u2014AFPFL, caretaker, parliamentary, and even early BSPP under Ne Win\u2014never endorsed the number 135. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first official ethnic list only appeared in December 1972<\/strong>, 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

From 144 to 135\u2014and Then to 101<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the 1980s, the number was quietly reduced. Several Muslim groups were deleted, <\/strong>while the Kokang Chinese were added.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 1989<\/strong>, Senior General Saw Maung<\/strong> officially announced \u201c135 races\u201d in a martial law speech. In truth, these should more accurately be called \u201cmartial law races\u201d rather than national races.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later still, under U Thein Sein\u2019s government, a new list of 101 races<\/strong> 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\u2014yet the total remained at 101. That implied another group had been silently removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Myanmar\u2019s ethnic count has jumped from 144 \u2192 135 \u2192 101 \u2192 back to 135<\/strong>, without explanation or public accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flaws and Manipulations in the 135 List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even within the current list of 135, major flaws and inconsistencies abound:<\/p>\n\n\n\n