Siren wailings and honks to mark 66th Martyrs’ Day sounded in Yangon and most cities

Siren wailings and honks to mark 66th Martyrs' Day sounded in Yangon and most cities

Published on Saturday, 20 July 2013 22:59

Vice President Dr Sai Mauk Kham and Aung San Suu Kyi, chairperson of the National League for Democracy, paying tribute to the fallen heroes at the Martyrs' Mausoleum on July 19 (Photo - EMG)

A large number of people in most cities in Myanmar stood in one minute silent tribute to General Aung San and the other fallen heroes at the same time when they were assassinated at 10.37 in 1947.

The silent tribute was accompanied by sounding siren wailing and honks to commemorate the 66th Martyrs Day. 

This event was the grandest ever yet since the political reform was put in place two years ago. 

Similar ceremonies were held in busy places and traffic junctions in Yangon. 

In Yangon, at 10.37 when General Aung San and other fallen heroes were assassinated, over 30 civic organizations and some 500 people took positions in front of Bogyoke Statue on Kandawgyi ring road, laid wreaths at the statue, stood in one minute silent siren wailing and then marched to the Martyrs' Mausoleum.

At the same time, an ambulance of free funeral service was sounding siren and cars were honking and hand phones were ringing sirens to pay tribute to the martyrs. The leaders of civic organizations also read out their statements. 

The students from the Institute of Economics, Dagon University and the University of Computer Studies collectively organized the program of paying tribute. Some 200 people joined us. We did not ask for permission from authorities in this regard. The authorities did not stop our movement. The students and the people gathered at the office of 88's Generation Group and then marched towards the Martyrs' Mausoleum. Thanks to the people being engaged in the march bravely, said Tun Min Khant, the student from Dagon University.

The martyrs' day ceremony was held since the death of General Aung San and other fallen heroes every year and it was also a tradition of the country. We had never seen the ceremony since birth and it is like a legend. Now we have managed to do that and we are very proud of that, said Han Htoo Khant Paing, a student from the Institute of Economics.

Likewise, the martyrs' day ceremony was held in Mawlamyine, Myawady, Meiktila, Pyinmana, Dawei, Pathein, Kalay, Myaungmya, Myingyan, Hinthada, Loikaw, Pantanaw and Myeik by various political, social and student organizations.

The siren call was stopped after the famous student uprising in 1988. For that reason, civil organisations gathered at Judson Church on Pyay Road in Yangon on July 8 to demand that the government replace the siren call on July 19 to commemorate Martyrs Day. But, Deputy Information Minister Pike Htwe told the Parliament that the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television has no plan to resume its siren programme on Martyrs' Day.

The public paying tribute to the martyrs on the street (Photo - EMG)

The number of students and people joining the 66th Martyrs' Day ceremony was much more than those of military junta-organized Armed Forces Day, Independence Day and Union Day after 1988. In the time of new government, the ceremony of Armed Forces Day was held in a customary way, but not on a grand scale. 

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/siren-wailings-and-honks-to-mark-66th-martyrs-day-sounded-in-yangon-and-most-cities/