By Arya Rudra ( Times News Network )

KOLKATA : Kamal Kumar Dass, middle-aged Secretary at an engineering firm on Park Street, could well have been the protagonist of a sequel to Amitav Ghosh’s The Glass Palace. Unlike most Calcuttans of his generation, he has been watching the political developments in neighbouring Myanmar with more than an academic interest. Dass fervently hoped that someday the forces of democracy symbolised by Aung Sann Suu Kyi will prevail over the military junta.

Why should a present day Bengali, caught in his mortal coils, be nvolved in the fortunes of another country ? The reason is simple. Born in Rangoon in 1951, Dass and his family were repatriated by the military regime of General Ne Win in 1969. Kamal’s father Khagendra Chandra Dass was with the British Royal Navy during World War II and subsequently settled down in Myanmar in the late 1940s. Till 1961, it was smooth sailing, but the military takeover in 1962 changed all that. "I remember listening to radio with my friends when this abrupt announcement –the military regime had over-thrown the existing government—came through. The carnage on July 07, 1962 when the army entered the Rangoon University Compound and butchered thousands of

students for raising their voice against the junta still makes me cringe".

Said Dass. The new government was highly repressive. There was press censorship, nationalisation of industries and no Indian could study beyond Tenth Standard, he informed.

The Dass family was heard-hit. Khagendra was the owner of a dye & chemical factory doing roaring business. The military took over their factory/shop and their property, recalled Dass. "We returned to India in 1969".

For the last decade or so, Dass has made it his life’s mission to get compensation from the Myanmarese government for all that they lost in 1969.

"I’ve petitioned the United Nations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Amnesty International without much success. All the agencies agree that ours is a fit case for receiving compensation, but plead their helplessness". It’s a matter between the governments of India and Myanmar, is the common refrain, rued Dass. He spends his pastime surfing the net, trying to reach out to the exiled Myanmarese worldwide and even re-establish contact with old friends and acquaintances. "I can’t help feeling a bit nostalgic when we make Khow Suey and Mohinga,," he says.

My name is Kamal Das (Tin Win), born in Rangoon in 1951, passed my matric exam in 1967 from St Michael School (124th St, Rangoon). Since the Indians were not allowed to pursue further studies, my academic career ends there. On the other hand my father’s business in Dyes & Chemicals was nationalised and overnight he became jobless. He owns a shop at Burabazar (Theingyi Zay) at that time. We were compelled to leave Burma in 1969 as a Refugee. After reaching Calcutta we were put up in a Refugee Barrack near erstwhile East Pakistan border. Fortune turns like a wheel.

In the absence of matric passed certificate (not provided by Education Authority in Burma), I could not obtain a small job. Verily misfortunes never come alone, they always come in battalions. It was difficult to bear up when one is beset with difficulties on all sides. From Calcutta, I proceeded to Delhi in 1971 to appear for an interview as Burmese Interpreter but not successful in getting the job. After that I struggled a lot to establish myself first as a Stenographer and then to the position of Secretary. Ultimately I have been able to purchase a MIG flat at AG1/173 B Vikaspuri, New Delhi in 1982 and stayed there till September 1994 when my services was transferred to Calcutta Office.

All throughout the above period, I could not find time to get in touch with my relatives, childhood friends and Burmese freedom fighters spread over the world. You can understand how difficult to start the life again from scratch. I have forgotten much in my past life but the memory of those days continues to linger in my mind. I am now thankful to BurmaNet, PD Burma, Free Burma, Burma Mission and Mizzima for keeping me posted with the latest news on Burma over E mail. From these news, at times, it seems to me that some change will definitely take place in the near future. Inspite of my numerous introductory E mails (address obtained from different WEB sites & BDMC) sent to Burmese colleagues, I have been able to establish come contacts over E mail with few of them.