20 July
At the 2019 72nd Martyrs’ Day ceremony held yesterday at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum in Yangon, President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi laid wreaths at the monument of Bogyoke Aung San.
Present at the ceremony were 2019 72nd Anniversary Martyrs’ Day Convening Central Committee Patron Vice President U Myint Swe, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat, Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, Union Chief Justice U Htun Htun Oo, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Pyithu Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Tun Aung (a) U Tun Tun Hein, Amyotha Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Aye Tha Aung, 2019 72nd Anniversary Martyrs’ Day Convening Central Committee Chairman Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko, Union Ministers, Central Convening Committee Vice Chairman Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, senior Tatmadaw officers from Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), Yangon Command commander, Deputy Ministers, Hluttaw representatives, 2019 72nd Anniversary Martyrs’ Day Central Committee and Work Committee members, departmental officials, families of the martyrs and invited guests.
Before laying the wreaths, President U Win Myint, daughter of Bogyoke Aung San State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the 2019 72nd Anniversary Martyrs’ Day Convening Central Committee Patron Vice President U Myint Swe, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat, Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, Union Chief Justice U Htun Htun Oo and Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing cordially greeted the families of the Martyrs.
Afterwards, President U Win Myint, Central Committee Patron Vice President U Myint Swe, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat, Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, Union Chief Justice U Htun Htun Oo, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Pyithu Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Tun Tun Hein, Amyotha Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Aye Tha Aung and Union Ministers paid tribute to Bogyoke Aung San and the Martyrs by placing wreaths in front of the monuments of Bogyoke Aung San and the Martyrs.
At the moment the flag of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar was lowered to half-mast, the guard of honour presented arms and a military bugle sounded the Last Post. A two-minute silence was observed to honour and pray for Bogyoke Aung San and the martyred leaders.
Next, on behalf of Bogyoke Aung San’s son U Aung San Oo, nephew U Ye Aung Than , daughter of Bogyoke Aung San State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and families of the Martyrs also laid wreaths in front of the monuments.
Central Convening Committee Vice Chairman Yangon Region Chief Minister and regional ministers, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Yangon Region Hluttaw, Hluttaw representatives, representatives from political parties, associations, UN agencies, European Union and foreign embassies then paid tribute to Bogyoke Aung San and the Martyrs.
The organizations and associations that laid wreaths and paid tributes include Myanmar War Veterans Organization, Myanmar Fire Services Department, Myanmar Red Cross Society, Myanmar Motion Picture Asiayone, Myanmar Music Asiayone, Myanmar Thabin Asiayone, Myanmar Artists and Sculptures Asiayone (Central), Myanmar Printers & Publishers Association, Myanmar Writers Asiayone, Myanmar Journalists Association, Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation and Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association. Finally, the public paid their respect to the Martyrs.
Starting from 1958 during the time of the parliamentary democracy government, Martyrs’ Day events were held and the then President Mahn Win Maung attended it. During the Revolutionary Council government’s time Revolutionary Council Chairman General Ne Win attended it and after more than fifty years the current President U Win Myint attended it to pay respects and tributes to the Martyrs. — MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)
