By Cho Gyi, Photos: Ye Htut
We collected the talks of the families of martyrs in memory of those martyrs on the occasion of the 76th Anniversary of Martyrs’ Day 2023.
U Aung San Oo, son of General Aung San
I in my view would always like to place my nation and national races. I don’t have any remarks. As those martyrs strived for regaining the independence of Myanmar, I think the constitution drawn in the independence period depending on the trust is very important. In the constitution, Myanmar’s people consist of Bamar, Shan, Chin, Kachin and Kayin ethnics. Our country is Myanmar, not Bamar country. Only when we do everything in conformity with Myanmar country can we enjoy the high culture. I would like to see Myanmar as a developed country. Today, I will dispense Metta to the whole country and the people and then to all martyrs for two to three minutes after laying a wreath. It is important to consider all truths. If the inheritance comes out, I will try to enhance my perception of the education system as quickly as possible. Now, someone attempts to wedge an instigation of disunity among the persons with a lack of consideration. Hence, people should consider it and live in unity. It is very important. I had not attended the ceremony to mark the martyrs’ day for many years. This year, I came here to attend the ceremony.
U Ye Myint Aung, son of Thakin Mya
I am satisfied with all for remembering the martyrs today. They made sacrifices. They loved the country. They focused on nothing except endeavours to regain independence. Their spirits are honourable. The emergence of Martyrs’ Day was based on united efforts to escape from the yoke of another country to regain independence.
U Thant Zin Cho, grandson of Deedok U Ba Cho
My mother told me when she was alive to attend the Martyr’s Day ceremony. One of our siblings has to attend the ceremony. We attend the ceremony without absence yearly while taking pride in our grandfather. I take pride for all in paying our tributes to fallen martyrs till the 76th-anniversary ceremony. I firmly believe such a ceremony can be marked yearly.
Nant Soe Soe Khaing, granddaughter of Mahn Ba Khaing
Thanks to God, I am in good health and can attend the ceremony. I thank all and take pride in grasping a chance to attend the Martyrs’ Day ceremony. My grandfather sacrificed for the State to secure the post of martyr leader. As his strong spirit, my grandfather strived for the State and became a martyr. I take pride in it. My father told me to love the State whatever we do anything. I also served the State in the respective sector with the spirit of loving the country. This is a ceremony organized by the State. Especially, health is the most important for all age-group of people. I thank God as we are in a Christianity family. I came here with the spirit. My grandfather built loving-kindness. My family built loving-kindness. If everybody can build loving-kindness, it will be the best. My grandfather came back to heaven as a martyr. I take pride in it as a granddaughter.
Myint Myint Khaing, daughter of Mahn Ba Khaing
My father Mahn Ba Khaing was a Kayin national leader who strived for initiating the Kayin-Bamar friendly relations and fraternity. I lost my father, so I have felt a great loss for our country. I take pride in my life as a family of the martyred leader. I have served the State duties for 42 years and then took retirement. Now, I am still serving everything in relevant sectors. While trying to have a nationalistic spirit and friendship spirit like my father, I would like to urge all to build a peaceful and stable country.
Sao Kai Pha, son of Mongpun Saopha Sao San Tun
I would like to express thanks a lot to all for organizing the ceremony yearly. I attended the ceremony without an absence. Today, I came here to attend the ceremony by wheelchair due to my health condition.
U Hla Kyi, son of U Razak
I yearly attend the ceremony as usual. I have to talk about nothing special. The annual ceremony is good. Teachers from schools can fully share knowledge about Martyrs’ Day with new generation youths. They can talk about a wider range of knowledge about Memorial Day. Those teachers have to feel and comprehensively understand it. It will be good if teachers recount facts about martyrs. In my student life, most people did not know me as a child of a martyr.
When I was an adult, teachers as well as service personnel treated me with respect. So, I was satisfied with it. Presidents Sao Shwe Thaik and Dr Ba Oo did not take care of us. In his tenure, President Mahn Win Maung invited our family to attend the ceremony in memory of the State funeral service. The President himself paid tributes and saluted the martyrs. So, we were glad to see it and thanked him.
Dr Min Myint, son of U Ohn Maung
I attend the event to pay respect every year. The government holds it systematically yearly. Before my mother died, she instilled in me that the national leader Bogyoke Aung San and martyrs leaders including my father were instrumental in securing the independence. We should attend the event on Martyrs’ Day as long as we are in good health to honour the independence, as a gesture of gratitude. The Martyrs’ Day event is celebrated by the government and we are ready to attend, no matter who the leader of the occasion is. I attended last year. I also attend this year. I will attend the coming year if I am in good health. There is nothing special to say. It is a well-organized event on a grand scale. If we are patriots, once I said… Bogyoke Aung San is a martyr and he is totally different from other martyrs in international countries. He is unique, brave, qualified and smart. In addition, he did two unique actions. Japan invaded China in World War II. Then, it occupied Asia and Myanmar. It invaded Myanmar again and ruled it. The Japanese did not grant independence. Bogyoke Aung San led 30 commanders who attended military training in Japan. Then, they launched a revolution on 27 March. Bogyoke Aung San led these 30 commanders and attacked the Japanese. Afterwards, the British did not grant independence and procrastinated. Bogyoke tried for the Panglong conference. My father served as commissioner in Myitkyina as he completed ICS in a foreign country. Bogyoke knew about that. He called my father and appointed as secretary and relied on him. He was treated like his brother. Based on the Panglong conference, Bogyoke Aung San went to England and urged the British Prime Minister. After Aung San-Attlee Agreement, he was assassinated. Then, Prime Minister U Nu kept on implementing it. Then, it became Nu-Attlee Agreement. Finally, Myanmar regained its independence. In short, the new generations should look up the martial power and wisdom and bravery of Bogyoke Aung San and try hard like him if necessary.
Lt-Col Aung Ko Ko (retired), nephew of Yebaw Ko Htwe
On 76th Martyrs’ Day, I felt sorry for losing the State leader, and national leaders of those days including nine martyrs who fell 76 years ago. Because these national leaders carried out three main duties. The first one is to achieve independence and sovereignty in Myanmar, the second one is to ensure national solidarity and the third one is to make efforts for the prosperity of the country after the country regained its independence. Although they could not implement these operations at that time, they set plans. They passed away unexpectedly while they were performing these three causes. However, successive governments carried out these three duties after achieving independence. They served with their own ways and policies. But, what we face after 76 years is that there are people who disturb these three main duties. When we consider why they do that, Myanmar occupies a critical geostrategic position between China and India. Therefore, the Western countries that compete with China surround China politically … through containment policy. Under this policy, they tried to make Myanmar reach under their containment. Meanwhile, Myanmar did not accept and so they made Myanmar weak. To do so, they made Myanmar encounter the politics of loneliness first. Secondly, to be in the red and thirdly, to destroy the social tradition and customs. Besides these three matters, they launched an invasion. It is the beginning of the eastern parts of the country. In doing so, they obviously conducted these doings and they persuaded those who were unpatriotic and power-mad persons. Some locals received their assistance and killed innocent people today. The number is nearly one hundred thousand including the staff, teachers and doctors. Then, they also torched the basic infrastructure, launched bomb attacks and destroyed the roads and bridges. They also killed the monks. Therefore, they make the customs and religious culture weaken socially. We are very sad whenever we hear about these cases. Bogyoke is a young man. He was only 32 years old when he passed away. Ye Baw Ko Htwe was under 18 years of age. These young men tried for their country. Bogyoke tries many things for the country. Ko Htwe did only a few cases. He was not 18 years old man. The youths made efforts. Currently, the people oppose these three main duties. I am really sad about it. Young men should be the ones who make efforts for the country. They should be in unity for the development of the country by knowing the destructive elements of foreign countries. — MNA/TTA, KTZH
