{"id":8322,"date":"2026-11-02T05:29:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T05:29:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/?p=8322"},"modified":"2026-11-02T05:29:48","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T05:29:48","slug":"the-historic-day-1961-when-newspapers-reported-buddhism-being-declared-as-the-state-religion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/2026\/11\/02\/the-historic-day-1961-when-newspapers-reported-buddhism-being-declared-as-the-state-religion\/","title":{"rendered":"“The Historic Day (1961) When Newspapers Reported Buddhism Being Declared as the State Religion”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dr Ko Ko Gyi translated and commented the Myanmar Historic Archive<\/a>‘s post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Historic Day (1961) When Newspapers Reported Buddhism Being Declared as the State Religion”<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Myanmar’s history, one of the most significant events concerning the intersection of religion and politics was the official declaration of Buddhism as the state religion in 1961.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following independence, the 1947 Constitution of the Union of Burma acknowledged that Buddhism held a special position because it was practiced by the majority of the union’s citizens; however, it was not yet officially designated as the state religion. At that time, Prime Minister U Nu wished to establish Buddhism as the state religion. During the 1960 general election, he promised that if his party won, he would legislate Buddhism as the state religion. After U Nu\u2019s Union Party won the election, a commission was formed to study and implement this establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this proposal faced objections from minority religious groups, including Christians and Muslims. Religious anxieties arose particularly in the Kachin and Chin regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, on August 26, 1961<\/strong>, during a parliamentary session, the third amendment to the Constitution was approved, officially declaring Buddhism as the state religion of Myanmar. Contemporary news records indicate that the vote passed with 324 votes in favor and 28 votes against<\/strong>. Subsequently, on September 28, 1961, a fourth constitutional amendment regarding the rights of religious minorities was also enacted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this state religion provision did not last long. On March 2, 1962<\/strong>, the military led by General Ne Win staged a coup and suspended the 1947 Constitution, rendering the provision declaring Buddhism as the state religion null and void. Therefore, Buddhism was constitutionally recognized as the state religion of Myanmar for only a brief period from 1961 to 1962.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This newspaper clipping stands as a historical record of 1961 when Myanmar’s religious, political, and constitutional histories converged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Political Promise:<\/strong> Prime Minister U Nu did indeed make the designation of Buddhism as the state religion a central platform of his Clean AFPFL (Union Party) campaign in 1960, largely to secure support from traditional Buddhist clergy (Sangha<\/em>) and the rural majority.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n