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Why Thein Seins Quasi Civilian Government Do Not Want People to

Commemorate the Martyrss Day in Front of the Statute of Bogyoke Aung

San Riding a Horse

By Saneitha Nagani

In the news, on the eve of the Martyrs Day which falls on the 19th

of July, the government of

the day (U Thein Seins quasi-Civilian Government) was said to have restricted people from

commemorating the event in some parts of the country. In particular, in some towns where the

event was done in front of the statute of the founding father of Burmas Independence Bogyoke

Aung San on a horse back. The reason was given but it seems to me that it was not because of the

reason they gave that they wanted the prevented people not to commemorate the day there. It

must be because of the history behind the statute of Bogyoke Aung San on a horse.

If the event was allowed to happen in front of those statutes and the dignitaries who might attend

the ceremonies could be from the military or might be those who have left the service but still they

being former military personnel might find it hard to do so. As the history goes:

Once there was a time when the late U San Yu was President and the late U Ne Win the Chairman of

the Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP) the incident took place. As we all know that President U

San Yu was very keen on exercise and he was a fanatic when it comes to jogging. He used to jog in

the Kandawgyi Park where there was a statute of Bogyoke Aung San with his arms stretched out but

in the standing pose. President U San Yu likes to stop in front of the statute and gave a salute as a

mark of respect.

One day, the statute of Bogyoke spoke to U San Yu. The President was shocked but in the military, in

particular the Burmese military the Tatmadaw, consciousness of rank and blind obedience was the

way to ensure ones career U San Yu did not see it as an absurdity. The statute said to him, Hey San

Yu, Ive been standing here for a long time now. I want a horse to ride so bring me one when youre

coming this way next time.

The President could not believed his ears but as things are then even though he was the President

he still have the duty to report to the Chairman. Otherwise he could be in trouble like U Tin Oo.

When Captain Ohn Kyaw Myint and his colleagues went to U Tin Oo to inform him about their plot

to assassinate U Ne Win, according to some speculation U Tin Oo was considered to have been

implicated in the junior officers plot against him by U Ne Win. President U San Yu had no choice but

to report the absurd incident to the Chairman. Hearing the strange story the Chairman said that he

would come along with U San Yu when he went for his jog.

So they went the next morning, jogging in the Kandawgyi Park. They got in front of the statute, U San

Yu gave a salute as usual; U Ne Win did not. He just stand there hoping to hear the (statute of the)

General spoke. There was not a sound. Irritated and as he has always behave when irritated U Ne

Win punished the President with the art of his verbal abuse. U San Yu could not do anything about

it. As the dogs, when the young dog was introduced to a home where there was an older dog before

him, it was natural that the old dog would put his junior partner into its rightful place by giving him a

treatment he would never forget. Since they were inducted into the military at the boot-camp

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soldiers have been treated by their seniors in the same way. San Yu being a junior to both bogyokes

he would not have the guts to disobey either of them?

Feeling hurt U San Yu was on his jogging round in the park the next day. Then when he went to pay

his respect to the statute again, it spoke. Feeling angry and hurt at the same time President U San Yu

said to the statute, But Bogyoke you didnt spoke a word when I brought the Chairman along! The

statute replied, San Yu, I told you to bring me a horse but the one you brought was a Cow!

If people were to commemorate the Martyrs Day in front of the statute of Bogyoke Aung San riding

a horse, can any one of those who organised the event guaranteed that the statute of Bogyoke will

not speak. There ought to be those who are still in the service and those who were in the service but

because of being in the service they are in the positions where they could feel obliged to attend. At

the same time they might be worried that the statute might spoke again. END