Final Report of the 1938 Riot Inquiry Committee

Final Report of the 1938 Riot Inquiry Committee was published in 1939 by Burma Govt. in Rangoon. It stated that one of the principal immediate causes of the1938 Riot was the spread of rioting and trouble both locally and over Burma as a whole, and one of the greatest enemies of the restoration of tranquility, was  “rumors”. We have already noticed how, almost in concentric circles radiating from Rangoon, the rioting broke out as soon as the newspapers – and  rumours – arrived. And in individual towns themselves we have been struck with prevalence of, and the credulity accorded to, rumour and gossip of every kind. We have seen in many places how the mischievous rumours of actual or impending attacks upon the Sule, and the Shweagon Pagodas were responsible for touble almost everywhere. Both were quite untrue. Stories of attacks on Pongyis, though in Rangoon several did take place, were grossly exaggerated and spread throughout the country.