Burmese Martyr's Day
Encyclopedia
Martyrs' Day is a Burmese national holiday observed on 19 July to commemorate Gen. Aung San
and six other leaders of the pre-independence interim government—Thakin Mya
, Ba Cho
, Abdul Razak
, Ba Win, Mahn Ba Khaing
and Sao San Tun
—all of whom were assassinated on that day in 1947. It is customary for high-ranking government officials to visit the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Yangon
in the morning of that day to pay respects.
in downtown Yangon
. The assassinations were planned by a rival political group, and the leader and alleged master-mind of that group Galon U Saw
, together with the perpetrators, were tried and convicted by a special tribunal presided by Kyaw Myint with two other Barristers-at-law, Aung Thar Gyaw and Si Bu. In a judgment given on 30 December 1947 the tribunal sentenced U Saw and a few others to death and the rest were given prison sentences. Appeals to the High Court of Burma by U Saw and his accomplices were rejected on 8 March 1948. In a judgment written by Supreme Court Justice E Maung (1898–1977) on 27 April 1948 the Supreme Court refused leave to appeal against the original judgment. (All the judgments of the tribunal, the High Court and the Supreme Court were written in English. The judgment of the tribunal can be read in "A Trial in Burma" by Dr Maung Maung
(Martinus Njhoff, 1963) and the judgment of the High Court and Supreme Court can be read in the 1948 Burma Law Reports.)
The President of Burma Sao Shwe Thaik
refused to pardon or commute the sentences of most of those who were sentenced to death, and U Saw was hanged inside Rangoon's Insein jail on 8 May 1948. A number of perpetrators met the same fate. Others, who had played relatively minor roles and were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, also spent several years in prison.
The assassinated were:
Tin Tut
, Minister of Finance, was seriously wounded but survived. Many Burmese believe that the British had a hand in the assassination plot one way or another; two British
officers were also arrested at the time and one of them charged and convicted for supplying an agent of U Saw with arms and munitions enough to equip a small army, a large part of which was recovered from a lake next to U Saw's house in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Soon after the assassinations, Sir Hubert Rance
, the British governor of Burma appointed U Nu
to head an interim administration and when Burma became independent on 4 January 1948, Nu became the first Prime Minister of independent Burma. July 19 was designated a public holiday and to be known as Martyr's Day.
View the original Burmese language script
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....
and six other leaders of the pre-independence interim government—Thakin Mya
Thakin Mya
Thakin Mya was a Burmese lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Home Affairs in Myanmar's pre-independence government. Mya and six other cabinet ministers were assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon. July 19 is commemorated each year as the Martyrs' Day in Myanmar.The Thakin Mya Park...
, Ba Cho
Ba Cho
Ba Cho was a Burmese newspaper publisher and politician who served as the Minister of Information in Myanmar's pre-independence government. Ba Cho and six other cabinet ministers were assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon...
, Abdul Razak
U Razak
U Razak was a Burmese politician and an educationalist. He was a cabinet minister in Aung San's pre-independence interim government, and was assassinated on 19 July 1947 along with six other cabinet ministers. July 19th is commemorated each year as Martyrs' Day in Myanmar...
, Ba Win, Mahn Ba Khaing
Mahn Ba Khaing
Mahn Ba Khaing was a Burmese politician who served as the Minister of Industry in Myanmar's pre-independence government. Ba Khaing, an ethnic Karen, was chairman of Karen Youth Union. He and six other cabinet ministers were assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon. July 19 is commemorated each year...
and Sao San Tun
Sao San Tun
Sao San Tun was the hereditary chief of the Shan State of Mongpawng, and Minister of Hill Regions in Myanmar's pre-independence interim government. He was a signatory to the Panglong Agreement that was the basis for the formation of modern Myanmar...
—all of whom were assassinated on that day in 1947. It is customary for high-ranking government officials to visit the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
in the morning of that day to pay respects.
History
On July 19, 1947, at approximately 10:37 a.m., BST, several of Burma's independence leaders were gunned down by a group of armed men in uniform while they were holding a cabinet meeting at the SecretariatMinisters' Building
The Ministers' Building , was the home and administrative seat of British Burma, located in Kyauktada Township in downtown Yangon, Burma. Built in the late 1800s, the structure is more than 120 years old...
in downtown Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
. The assassinations were planned by a rival political group, and the leader and alleged master-mind of that group Galon U Saw
U Saw
U Saw aka Galon U Saw was a leading Burmese politician and Prime Minister during the colonial era before the Second World War. He is best known for his role in the assassination of Burma's national hero Aung San and other independence leaders in July 1947, only months before Burma gained...
, together with the perpetrators, were tried and convicted by a special tribunal presided by Kyaw Myint with two other Barristers-at-law, Aung Thar Gyaw and Si Bu. In a judgment given on 30 December 1947 the tribunal sentenced U Saw and a few others to death and the rest were given prison sentences. Appeals to the High Court of Burma by U Saw and his accomplices were rejected on 8 March 1948. In a judgment written by Supreme Court Justice E Maung (1898–1977) on 27 April 1948 the Supreme Court refused leave to appeal against the original judgment. (All the judgments of the tribunal, the High Court and the Supreme Court were written in English. The judgment of the tribunal can be read in "A Trial in Burma" by Dr Maung Maung
Maung Maung
Dr. Maung Maung was the 7th President of Union of Myanmar, and a well-known writer.-Biography:Maung Maung was the son of lawyer U Sint and his wife Daw Aye Tin. He graduated from BTN High School. He attended the fourth intake of the Defence Services Academy. In 1946, he received the degree of...
(Martinus Njhoff, 1963) and the judgment of the High Court and Supreme Court can be read in the 1948 Burma Law Reports.)
The President of Burma Sao Shwe Thaik
Sao Shwe Thaik
Sao Shwe Thaik was the first president of the Union of Burma and the last Saopha of Yawnghwe. His full royal style was Kambawsarahta Thiri Pawaramahawuntha Thudamaraza. He was a well-respected Shan political figure in Burma...
refused to pardon or commute the sentences of most of those who were sentenced to death, and U Saw was hanged inside Rangoon's Insein jail on 8 May 1948. A number of perpetrators met the same fate. Others, who had played relatively minor roles and were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, also spent several years in prison.
The assassinated were:
- Aung SanAung SanBogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....
, Prime Minister - Ba ChoBa ChoBa Cho was a Burmese newspaper publisher and politician who served as the Minister of Information in Myanmar's pre-independence government. Ba Cho and six other cabinet ministers were assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon...
, Minister of Information - Mahn Ba KhaingMahn Ba KhaingMahn Ba Khaing was a Burmese politician who served as the Minister of Industry in Myanmar's pre-independence government. Ba Khaing, an ethnic Karen, was chairman of Karen Youth Union. He and six other cabinet ministers were assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon. July 19 is commemorated each year...
, Minister of Industry - Ba Win, Minister of Trade
- Thakin MyaThakin MyaThakin Mya was a Burmese lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Home Affairs in Myanmar's pre-independence government. Mya and six other cabinet ministers were assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon. July 19 is commemorated each year as the Martyrs' Day in Myanmar.The Thakin Mya Park...
, Minister of Home Affairs - Abdul RazakU RazakU Razak was a Burmese politician and an educationalist. He was a cabinet minister in Aung San's pre-independence interim government, and was assassinated on 19 July 1947 along with six other cabinet ministers. July 19th is commemorated each year as Martyrs' Day in Myanmar...
, Minister of Education and National Planning - Sao San TunSao San TunSao San Tun was the hereditary chief of the Shan State of Mongpawng, and Minister of Hill Regions in Myanmar's pre-independence interim government. He was a signatory to the Panglong Agreement that was the basis for the formation of modern Myanmar...
, Minister of Hills Regions - Ohn MaungOhn MaungOhn Maung was a Burmese politician who served as the Deputy Minister of Transport in Myanmar's pre-independence government. He, along with seven other cabinet ministers , was assassinated on 19 July 1947 in Yangon. July 19 is commemorated each year as the Martyrs' Day in Myanmar.-References:...
, Deputy Minister of Transport - Ko HtweKo HtweKo Htwe was killed in the assassination of Burmese pre-independence government leaders on 19 July 1947. He was a bodyguard of U Razak, the Minister of Minister of Education and National Planning. Ko Htwe was the lone non-office holder who was killed...
, Bodyguard of Razak
Tin Tut
Tin Tut
Tin Tut was the first Foreign Minister of the Union of Burma, and the Minister of Finance in Aung San's pre-independence government. Dulwich and Cambridge educated Tin Tut was the first Burmese to become an Indian Civil Service officer. He was Prime Minister Aung San's deputy in the government...
, Minister of Finance, was seriously wounded but survived. Many Burmese believe that the British had a hand in the assassination plot one way or another; two British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
officers were also arrested at the time and one of them charged and convicted for supplying an agent of U Saw with arms and munitions enough to equip a small army, a large part of which was recovered from a lake next to U Saw's house in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Soon after the assassinations, Sir Hubert Rance
Hubert Rance
Major General Sir Hubert Elvin Rance GCMG GBE CB was the last British Governor of Burma between 1946 and 1948, while the country moved towards independence. Later he became Governor of Trinidad and Tobago.-Career to 1945:...
, the British governor of Burma appointed U Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...
to head an interim administration and when Burma became independent on 4 January 1948, Nu became the first Prime Minister of independent Burma. July 19 was designated a public holiday and to be known as Martyr's Day.
Poem for Martyr's Day
Aung San Zarni Born on February 13 was he Born in 1915, son of Lawyer U Hpa Of Natmauk, in Magwe District Mother's name was Daw Suu The year 1947 died he On July 19 everyone wept He is the cause of our Independence He is the father of this nation. The blessings he had given us, the words he had uttered... How can we ever take those out of our minds... |
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View the original Burmese language script
External links
- Who Really Killed Aung San? BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, July 19, 1997