The Young Men's Buddhist Association (YMBA; ; ) is a Buddhist civil society organisation in Myanmar.
History
The YMBA was founded in Rangoon in 1906 as a federation of lay Buddhist groups dating back to 1898, with prominent founders including Ba Pe, Sir Maung Gyi and Dr. Ba Yin. It was modelled on the Young Men's Buddhist Association founded in Ceylon in 1898,Human Rights Watch (2009) The Resistance of the Monks: Buddhism and Activism in Burma p12 and was created to preserve the Buddhist-based culture in Burma against the backdrop of British colonialism including the incorporation of Burma into India.
The YMBA started its first open campaign against British rule in 1916,William Roger Louis (1999) Oxford History of the British Empire, Vol. 4, Oxford University Press and after many protests obtained a ruling that abbots could impose dress codes on all visitors to Buddhists monasteries. History of Burma Michigan State University
The organization split in 1918 when older members insisted that it should remain apolitical, whilst younger members sought to enter the political sphere, sending a delegation to India to meet the Viceroy and Secretary of State to request the separation of Burma from India. Further lobbying delegations were sent to London in 1919 and 1920. Following its key involvement in the 1920 student strike, the most nationalist elements of the YMBA broke off and formed a political party known as the General Council of Burmese Associations,Here Today, Gone Tomorrow The Irrawaddy, 8 November 2009 whilst a senior faction later formed the Independent Party. After Burma was granted independence in 1948, YMBA pledged to exit from politics.
YMBA returned to the political scene in 2019, closely aligning itself with the Myanmar military and its proxy political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party. In October 2019, YMBA bestowed an honorary title, the , on Min Aung Hlaing, the military's commander-in-chief, and granted him the role of permanent patron. In February 2020, YMBA granted Min Aung Hlaing its highest honorary title, the . The granting of honorary titles was heavily criticised on social media.
Following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état in February 2021, YMBA became the first civil organisation to issue a public statement supporting the Tatmadaw. Political observers have speculated that YMBA has ambitions to succeed the Patriotic Association of Myanmar, which was banned by the civilian-led government in 2017.
Membership In August 2020, YMBA had 30,000 members. Members pay annual dues, which are discounted for military officers.
Activities The organization has founded multiple schools. YMBA operates Dhamma training classes and Dhamma summer schools nation-wide, through its township chapters. The schools have been criticised for stoking ethnoreligious tensions, and promoting toxic nationalism and military propaganda.
References
Further reading Michale W. Charney. A History of Modern Burma. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009. p. 31. Georgetown Berkeley Center article on this organization