Ramree Island on the literary stage of the world: a brief intro

Photo credit: http://www.cienciahistorica.com/2014/11/28/cuando-los-cocodrilos-se-aliaron-con-los-ingleses/

Ramree Island is the biggest island in Myanmar, with a width of 1350 square kilometres which is nearly twofold of the size of the Republic of Singapore. With a wealth of natural resources like natural gas and petroleum nowadays, it is also now known for Shwe Gas Project at Kyaukphru at the northwestern part of the island, for which there have been a lot of complaints arising from local people.

This island is also famous for the Ramree Island Battle during the Second World War between the Japanese Army and the Allied Troops in 1945. It has been even more vivid in the minds of the people all over the world for ''the largest catastrophe against humans by animals in history'' as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. While the Japanese Army were retreating into the jungle, nearly 1000 Japanese soldiers were killed by saltwater crocodiles there.

This fateful event has inspired several writers all over the world for decades. As a result, they wrote novels and novelettes on the scenes. Some of them are as follows:

1) Sunset on Ramree (Robert Appleton)

2) The Mangroves (John L. Cambell)

3) Meat (Lee Laughead)

4) Dragon of the Mangroves (Yasuyuki Kasai)

They are popular books among the world readers, especially Sunset on Ramree by Robert Appleton which won EPIC Award in 2011. Out of the four books, the last one "Dragon of the Mangroves" was written by a Japanese writer.

Recently, I heard a good piece of news concerning the Ramree Island. A famous Hollywood film company named "Eric Sun Productions" will come to Ramree Island and make a film about the Guinness-recorded crocodile attack on the Japanese soldiers and the Ramree Island Battle. The title of the movie will be "Into the Quagmire". No doubt it will be a good movie! The Ramree Island is a beautiful island . Very soon, its beautiful spots will also be seen along with some exciting plots in the forthcoming movie!!!

By: Zwe Thit (Rammarmray)

5.5.2015 (Tue)