US embassy cable - 04RANGOON805

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL/IRF, EB 
TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2014 
TAGS: SCUL, PGOV, PTER, EFIN, KISL, BM, Ethnics 
SUBJECT: THE MADRASSAS OF RANGOON 
 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) 
 
1. (S) Summary: Despite pervasive and sometimes aggressive 
religious discrimination that favors Burma's Buddhist 
majority, Islamic religious education has survived and 
flourished in Rangoon Division.  Though Rangoon's madrassas 
operate under vigilant MI attention, there are up to 130 
schools -- some of which offer full-time boarding programs. 
Rangoon's madrassas, and Burma's main Islamic groups, rely on 
international assistance for their operation.  However, we've 
no evidence that these institutions are hotbeds of any 
anti-American sentiment or teachings.  End summary. 
 
Islamic Education Flourishes in Rangoon 
 
2. (SBU) According to GOB data, there are 111 madrassas in 
Rangoon Division, with 20 major boarding schools -- which 
take students between the ages of 11 and 24.  Muslim leaders 
in Rangoon say that the total number of madrassas is closer 
to 130, though they agree that there are 20 major 
institutions.  The remaining schools are small 
community-based institutions that teach local youth, boys and 
girls from the age of three, about the Qu'ran and Islam. 
 
3. (SBU) Though we don't know the total number of students in 
Rangoon-area madrassas, one large madrassa principal told us 
the "Big 20" have around 1800 total students and the largest 
community-based schools have around 150 students at any one 
time. 
 
4. (SBU) At the larger schools the course of study is from 
four to 10 years, depending on whether the student is 
striving for "Maulvi" status or simply the "Hafiz" title. 
Particularly bright madrassa students in Rangoon are 
sponsored by local Muslim groups to continue their studies 
abroad -- especially in India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and 
Egypt.  According to one madrassa administrator the most 
popular foreign universities for Rangoon madrassa students 
are the Kassimia Deobandhi University in India, the Mazawahir 
rul Ulum in India, and the Al Azhal University in Egypt.  Of 
course this overseas travel by Muslims is often complicated 
by discriminatory GOB policies that make it difficult for 
members of "sensitive" populations to get a passport.  Thus, 
there is a thriving passport brokerage industry (mostly for 
genuine passports acquired with bribes or fake names) in 
Rangoon's Muslim community. 
 
5. (SBU) There is surprising freedom in the Rangoon 
madrassas, which may or may not exist in other parts of the 
country.  They are allowed to teach a wide array of basic and 
advanced Qu'ranic studies, including Qu'ranic doctrine and 
recitation of the Qu'ran.  Also, the GOB exempts those 
students attending the boarding madrassas from attending 
regular government school -- a benefit not offered to 
students at tolerated Christian or Hindu religious schools. 
The madrassas offer Arabic, English, and Burmese classes and 
often one or more other language such as Urdu or Farsi.  One 
local madrassa even offers a basic computer course, though 
this is rare because of lack of funds and instructors in 
fields other than language and religious studies. 
 
Foreign Influence Exists Under MI's Watchful Eye 
 
6. (C) Despite this fairly positive situation, the madrassas, 
the instructors, the students, and the curriculum fall under 
the ever watchful eye of the Ministry of Religious Affairs 
and the ubiquitous military intelligence (MI).  Through MI 
infiltration and spot checks by other authorities, the GOB 
tries to ensure the madrassa instructors do not stray into 
political or other sensitive matters -- including 
anti-Americanism.  Likewise the authorities try to keep tabs 
on the students at these madrassas by requiring the schools, 
especially the larger boarding schools, to present a daily 
list of overnight students and their activities.  The MI also 
keeps an eye on the comings and goings of the day madrassa 
pupils. 
 
7. (C) This does not always stop outside influence at the 
local madrassas.  Traveling Islamic teachers from Pakistan, 
India, China, and Iran in particular, occasionally appear as 
guest speakers at local mosques and madrassas.  Usually these 
visitors come in on tourist visas and are camouflaged and 
protected by the local community as much as possible from 
prying eyes.  However, we suspect the MI knows about these 
cases and allows them to happen anyway. 
 
8. (S) The madrassas, and the Muslim community in Burma as a 
whole, survives to a large extent on outside funding.  Such 
funding is very difficult to track, as it comes in almost 
always by courier or via Burma's vast informal "hundi" 
remittance network directly to local individuals or 
organizations.  However, local Muslim groups tell us 
charitable organizations from Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, 
and Pakistan send money regularly.  One name mentioned was 
the Al Rashid-Muslim Brotherhood Foundation from Karachi. 
(Note: We were unable to determine if this is the same as the 
Al Rashid Foundation on the terrorist finance list.)  Other 
funds are raised from wealthy local Muslim businesspeople. 
 
Comment: Even Activists are Politically Neutral 
 
9. (S) Though the madrassa system is large and active, and 
external funding is widespread, we have no evidence that 
these schools are harboring anti-American elements or 
teaching anti-western doctrine.  Though we believe perhaps 50 
percent of the major madrassas in Rangoon are headed by 
individuals who could be classified as "fundamentalist," fear 
of MI intervention keeps their preaching and teaching from 
being explicitly anti-American or anti-western.  In fact, the 
madrassa system is a bright spot in Burma's otherwise dim 
religious freedom picture.  End comment. 
Martinez