5 January
A ceremony to bestow titles for bravery was held yesterday morning in the Theatre Room of the Presidential Palace where President U Win Myint delivered a speech and presented the titles.
The ceremony was attended by First Lady Daw Cho Cho, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Vice President U Myint Swe and wife Daw Khin Thet Htay, Vice President U Henry Van Thio and wife Daw Shwe Hlwan, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat and wife Daw Yin May, Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than and wife Daw Nant Kyin Kyi, Union Chief Justice U Htun Htun Oo, Constitutional Tribunal of Myanmar Chairperson U Myo Nyunt and wife Daw Htay Yi, Union Election Commission Chairman U Hla Thein and wife Daw Aye Thida, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services and Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Pyithu Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Tun Tun Hein and wife Dr. Sein Sein Thein, Amyotha Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Aye Tha Aung and wife Daw Thein Yin Chay, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw’s Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission Thura U Shwe Mann and wife Daw Khin Lay Thet, Union Ministers, Union Attorney General, Union Auditor General, Union Civil Service Board Chairman, Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman and their wives, Central Bank of Myanmar Governor, Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), high ranking officials of offices of Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air), Hluttaw Affairs Committee chairmen, Deputy Ministers, representatives of Hluttaw title winners and their families.
In his speech the President first welcomed the invited guests with wishes for their auspiciousness.
“Our Republic of the Union of Myanmar has been in existence in the world with our own kings and palaces with pride since ages and has a long history and tradition of being a country where ethnic national brethren lived together in harmony. However in the 19th century we came under powerful British colonial expansionists. Everyone knew that national martyred leader and independence architect, father of the Tatmadaw Bogyoke Aung San and patriotic leaders, our parents, grandparents, lives, bloods, sweats had to be sacrificed to regain the lost independence on 4 January 1948 and become a free and sovereign Republic of the Union of Myanmar” said the President.
Independence was gained through the leadership of martyred leader Bogyoke Aung San and the courage, effort and united efforts, endeavors and strengths of all ethnic nationals in the country. It is our duty and responsibility and also of our descendants to retain the independence achieved through the lives, blood and sweat of such leaders, and our forefathers as long as the world exists.
It is the duty and responsibility of us, all the citizens, to abide by and implement with all ethnic nationals the aims of the Independence Day National Objectives and at the same time make our country modern, developed, peaceful and stable.
During the time when a peaceful, stable, modern and developed democratic federal union is being aimed for and established from all sides and angles, a ceremony is held on this auspicious 71st Anniversary Independence Day to award titles to honour persons who put in extraordinary contributions, disregarding their lives and limbs with firm minds, with exemplary and amazing bravery for the security of the nation, rule of law, peace, stability and nation building. Honoring such outstanding persons for their extraordinary contribution are a good tradition and honoring the honorable is in accord with Mingala Sutta and thus it is being conducted, said the President.
The President added that honorary tiles were bestowed upon the recommendation of the scrutiny board and two were being presented the Thura bravery award titles. The recipients went through difficulties and obstacles in their lives and still had fulfilled the tasks assigned to them with much bravery and sacrifice. Even though the recipients themselves were no longer able to accept the titles in person it will forever be an honour for their families and descendants as it is a symbol of a grateful State that recognizes their ultimate contribution.
On behalf of the State and the people the President expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the award recipients and their families.
The President concluded his message by urging all to cooperate hand in hand with the Government with collective strength in an exemplary manner for the country to become a peaceful, stable, modern and developed democratic federal union and last a long time.
The President then bestowed the Thura bravery titles posthumously to Lt.-Col Hla Htoo (BC 32760) of No. 35 Infantry Regiment and Lt.-Col Thant Zin Oo (BC 34022) of No. 11 Infantry Regiment. The titles were accepted by the wives of the award recipients Daw Thuza Moe and Daw Cho Cho Aung.
Afterwards the President took commemorative group photos with the families of the recipients and cordially greeted them. — MNA
(Translated by Zaw Min)
