Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

890B.43/12–2751

Memorandum by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Allison) to the Acting Secretary of State

secret

[Washington,] December 27, 1951.

Subject: ECA Proposal to Use Counterpart Funds for Strengthening Anti-Communist Activities Through Buddhist Projects in Burma.

Problem:

To develop a State Department position regarding the expenditure of ECA counterpart funds in Burma to aid in the construction of buildings to house a Buddhist university at Rangoon.

Discussion:

ECA has proposed as a means of strengthening the moral stature of the Burmese people and thereby combating Communism that it authorize the use of counterpart funds in support of a plan drawn up by Thakin Nu, the Prime Minister, to increase the effectiveness of the Buddhist religion. This plan would cost 5,400,000 rupees (the equivalent of U.S. $1,347,368.42). These funds are under the joint control of the Government of Burma and the U.S. Government and require no appropriation or treasury disbursement authorization. The money would pay for the construction of buildings for a Buddhist university at Rangoon. For a short time prior to the establishment of the university, the buildings would be occupied by the Sixth Great Buddhist Council (comparable to the Council of Trent in the Christian world), to be held in 1954 on the 2,500th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha. In view of the political implications of this project, ECA has requested the Department to state its position in regard to it.

Eighty-five percent of the people of Burma are devout Buddhists. Their religion is the major factor of unity among the Burmese in their present politically fragmented condition. For some time the present Government of Burma has realized that Buddhism, with a more effective organizational structure, would be the most important factor in combating Communism. A successful Sixth Great Buddhist Council would give a tremendous impetus to this movement and would have a similar effect in other Buddhist countries. The announcement of this plan could be expected to have an immediate effect on the attitude of the government and the people of Burma toward the United States. It would constitute a striking demonstration of the fact that the United States is interested in the people of Burma as such and not in Burma as a pawn in a power struggle with the U.S.S.R.

Following the meeting of the Great Council, the buildings would be used to house a religious university, with the object of making Rangoon a center of Buddhist scholarship and thus securing a continuing effort from the impetus begun by the Great Council.

When this project comes to the attention of certain religious groups in this country it can be expected to arouse considerable adverse comment. It is felt, on the other hand, that the benefit to be derived from this project outweighs possible adverse considerations for the following reasons:

(1) It offers an opportunity to support a scheme which the Prime Minister and the Burmese Government enthusiastically endorse and which would strengthen them in their efforts to promote cooperation with the West;

(2) It would be the most effective way in which we could counteract the influence of Communism in Burma;

(3) The project is completely consistent with the objectives of the American Government to strengthen Burma as a partner in the free world.

(4) The counterpart funds to be used are in rupees, which can only be spent in Burma and only on projects in which the Burmese Government concurs.

The project has the enthusiastic support of Ambassador Key (Tab A),¹ appropriate ECA officials (Tabs B and C),² and interested officers in the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs.

Recommendation:

That you approve that the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs indicate to ECA that State Dept. supports the project to finance the construction of buildings to house a Buddhist university and the Sixth Buddhist Council.³

Concurrences:

P—Mr. Barrett—see memo of December 5, attached.⁴

As the Ambassador, the Bureau and ECA have all considered the factor on which the reservations of the P area were based and still feel that the project should go ahead, Mr. Barrett has agreed to withdraw his reservations.

1. Not printed.
2. Neither printed.
3. On January 9, 1952, the Secretary of State sent a memorandum to the Director of Mutual Security (Harriman) to inform him that the Department of State supported the use of ECA counterpart funds in Burma to aid in the construction of buildings to house a Buddhist university at Rangoon (890B.43/12–2751).
4. Not printed. In that memorandum, Mr. Barrett, the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, informed Mr. Allison that he was willing to withdraw his reservations about this project, which had been based on the danger of American support being misinterpreted or misunderstood in the United States (890B.43/12–551).