Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Only when we study the past can we know what we must take pride in, what we must conserve, what we must abandon, what we must take lessons from, and what we must avoid so mistakes are not repeated.
Knowing our own history or the history of our culture is important because it helps us to know who we are and it helps us mould our future. The wisdom that we acquire from learning history gives us the ability not only to learn from past mistakes, but also successes.
Taking matters into our own hands without an understanding of the past has caused uncountable grievances and losses in our history.
In the modern history of Myanmar, the role of Bogyoke Aung San is very important. He was a national leader and martyr who started a revolution as a student leader to gain our independence from colonial rule. Deciding to stage an armed struggled against the colonialists, he founded the Tatmadaw. To fight colonial rule through dialogue, he entered politics as a leader of the Anti-Fascist Peoples’ Freedom League.
His prestigious place in our history was shaped by his commitment to the cause of independence from colonial rule. He displayed loyalty to his cause by working hard.
Once he decided to work for independence, he resigned from the post of chairman of the Rangoon University’s Students’ Union and started his political movement as Thakhin (Master) Aung San. A look into his life shows he never wavered in his struggle for independence.
After he made up his mind to take up arms against colonial rule, he became Bo Teza and General Aung San.
After the Fascist revolution, he quit the Tatmadaw and continued his struggle for independence as a politician. It was evident that people would support him even if he continued as General Aung San in the political struggle for independence. But, he adhered to his principle and became the leader of the AFPFL. His stance reflects his dedication to working for the people as a politician.
However, as fate would have it, our young leader was assassinated while the country was still on the path to independence.
Thanks to his dutiful work and his farsightedness, the country regained its freedom, and his name has become irrevocably tied to Myanmar’s history.-GNLM
