Also known as M. A. Gaffar
A Rohingya politician and educator from Buthidaung, Arakan, remembered for his 1948 Memorandum of Appeal, which sought official recognition of the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group with their own culture, language, history and civilization. Elected to the Burmese Constituent Assembly for Buthidaung in 1947, he later sat in the Chamber of Nationalities and served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health under Prime Minister U Nu.
1910
Born in Rwanyno Taung village, the son of Ulah Meah.
1930 – 33
After the Chittagong Senior Madrasa, earned a B.A. from the University of Dacca (1930) and a Bachelor of Education from Aligarh Muslim University in India (1933).
1931 – 42
District Inspector of Schools in Akyab.
1944 – 45
Township Officer in Buthidaung.
1947
Elected to the Burmese Constituent Assembly for Buthidaung; he took his oath in January 1948, after Burma's independence.
1948
Presented a Memorandum of Appeal seeking official recognition of the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group in Arakan, arguing that they were a nation with their own culture, language, history and civilization, deserving constitutional recognition.
1949
Appointed by President Sao Shwe Thaik to the Inquiry Commission of Arakan, which examined questions of regional autonomy.
1952 – 56
Elected to the Chamber of Nationalities (Upper House) from Akyab West in 1952 and from Maungdaw in 1956.
Parliamentary secretary
Served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health under Prime Minister U Nu.
1966
Died.
Sources
Taylor, Robert H. (1987). The State in Burma. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, pp. 126–127. Ullah, Aman. (2016, August 3). Mr MA Gaffar (1910–1966) MP and His Memorandum. Rohingya Vision. Radio Free Asia. (n.d.). Who are the Rohingya? Nemoto, Kei. (n.d.). The Rohingya Issue: A Thorny Obstacle between Burma (Myanmar) and Bangladesh. Kristof, Nicholas. (2014, May 28). Myanmar’s Appalling Apartheid. The New York Times. Human Rights Watch. (n.d.). Burma/Bangladesh: Burmese Refugees in Bangladesh – Discrimination in Arakan.
An early champion of Rohingya recognition
U Abdul Gaffar was a prominent Rohingya politician and educator from Buthidaung, Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar). Born in 1910 in Rwanyno Taung village, he was the son of Ulah Meah. He completed his education at Chittagong Senior Madrasa, then earned a B.A. from the University of Dacca (1930) and a Bachelor of Education from Aligarh Muslim University (1933) in India. Before entering politics, he served as District Inspector of Schools in Akyab (1931–1942) and Township Officer in Buthidaung (1944–1945).
Gaffar was elected to the Burmese Constituent Assembly in 1947, representing Buthidaung, and took his oath in January 1948 after Burma’s independence. In 1949, he was appointed by President Sao Shwe Thaik to the Inquiry Commission of Arakan, which examined regional autonomy issues. He was later elected to the Chamber of Nationalities (Upper House) in 1952 from Akyab West and in 1956 from Maungdaw. He also served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health under Prime Minister U Nu.
Gaffar is particularly remembered for presenting a Memorandum of Appeal in 1948, seeking official recognition of the Rohingya as a distinct ethnic group in Arakan. In this document, he argued that the Rohingya were a nation with a unique culture, language, history, and civilization, deserving constitutional recognition. His advocacy laid the foundation for Rohingya political identity, even though subsequent events—such as the 1962 military coup and the 1982 nationality law—later marginalized the community.
U Abdul Gaffar passed away in 1966, leaving a legacy as one of the earliest Rohingya leaders to champion constitutional recognition, minority rights, and political participation in Burma.
