MANDALAY — Preparations are underway for the pre-celebration of the late General Aung San’s centennial birthday, as organizers get ready for a planned year-long remembrance of Burma’s independence hero.
Events will be hosted by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and party Chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, Gen. Aung San’s daughter. The main event will be held in his hometown of Natmauk, Magwe Division, on the date of his birth, Feb. 13.
In the lead-up to the event—which is expected to draw enormous crowds of supporters—artists and musicians are roaming the streets of Burma’s second largest city to get the excitement going. Myo Ma, a much-loved band that performs traditional music, is traveling throughout the city belting out songs dedicated to the late Aung San, often referred to simply as Bogyoke, or General.
“We are holding these pre-celebrations to draw attention among the public, mainly the youth, who now have little knowledge about General Aung San,” said Win Myint, president of the Mandalay Division Committee for Gen. Aung San’s Centennial Celebrations.
“Some things about General Aung San have been long forgotten in our country; some children don’t even know who he is,” he added.
Also on the agenda will be literary talks by well-known Mandalay authors, concerts and academic contests for young students. Similar events are being held in Monywa and Kalaymyo in Sagaing Division and Pakokku in Magwe Division. The committee is also organizing fundraisers including Bogyoke T-shirt and book sales.
Gen. Aung San is regarded as the leader of Burma’s independence movement, spearheading the struggle against British colonial rule. He and seven of his cabinet members were assassinated on July 19, 1947, shortly after negotiating independence but less than one year before it was formally granted.
When Burma became independent on Jan. 4, 1948, the new government instilled his image on the county’s currency and stamps in honor of his contribution to modern Burma. When military rule took hold after a 1962 coup, however, the regime erased much of his legacy. For decades, those wishing to pay tribute to Aung San’s mausoleum on what is now known as “Martyrs’ Day,” marking the date of his assassination, were heavily restricted.
Since 2010, however, the new quasi-civilian government has eased up and the mausoleum was reopened to the public. New movements to revive the memory of the beloved Bogyoke have faced little interference from authorities, though there have been some reports that a monk attempted to deter organizers in Natmauk, where the biggest celebrations are to be held.