NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MYANMAR

Archives Reference National Essence

Records pertaining to the pre-independence period are of immense historical value as they contain authentic information and eyewitness accounts about many episodes in the history of Burma. The earlier records of 1853 to 1886 reveal many useful facts on the laying down of the foundation of the British, and the Court of Ava to effect a peace treaty at the end of the Second Anglo-Burmese War were fully recorded in these files. An important political episode in 1866 that nearly changed the course of Burmese history was recorded fully in reports, and correspondence to the Chief Political Officer at the Burmese Capital of Mandalay was an eyewitness to this Palace Uprising of the Myingoon and Myingondaing Princes who assassinated the Crown Prince Kanoung.

Most records from the Ministry of Home Affairs are case files of general administration department of pre-independence and post independence period, such as the reports of the Commissioners and Simla Government of British Administration, which started from 1903. Records of the Second World War Period, are only related to the military documents. Records relating to the post independence period are conserved as records of the states and divisions, as well as meeting minutes, laws, speeches, notifications, instructions and reports of the Revolutionary Council period. Moreover, the records of economic, social and administrative activities of the Revolutionary Government Period, the principles of the Burma Socialist Programme Party, rules and regulations of the Workers' Council, proceedings of Central Peasants' Association and Central Workers' Association are also preserved in National Archives Department.

Records of the Cabinet Meeting, cases of international relations, reports, border limitations and agreements between Myanmar and neighbor countries such as Thailand and China, are also kept at the National Archives Department.

Laws, orders, notifications, instructions, meeting minutes, reports by State Law and Order Restoration Council and the State Peace and Development Council, from 1988 to 2011 are housed at National Archives Department. After that, it also consists of development activities of the progress of Border Areas and National Races Development Affairs Committee.

Furthermore, we also keep the records of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar consisting of laws, orders and amendment laws of both ministries and organizations. And then some records related to the meeting minutes of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw are arranged systematically at National Archives Department.