Martyrs’ Day

 Date and Significance

• Date: Annually on July 19th.

• Significance: It commemorates the assassination of General Aung San and eight of his colleagues—key leaders of the pre-independence interim government—on July 19, 1947. These figures are revered as the architects of Myanmar’s independence from British colonial rule.

• The Fallen Heroes (The Nine Martyrs): The leaders who were assassinated while holding a cabinet meeting in the Secretariat Building in Yangon were:

  1. General Aung San (Prime Minister)

  2. Thakin Mya (Minister Without Portfolio)

  3. Mahn Ba Khaing (Minister of Industry and Labor)

  4. Ba Cho (Minister of Information)

  5. Abdul Razak (Minister of Education and National Planning)

  6. Ba Win (Minister of Trade)

  7. Sao San Tun (Saopha of Mongpawn, Minister of Hills Regions)

  8. Ohn Maung (Deputy Minister of Transport)

  9. Ko Htwe (Bodyguard)

The Historical Event

The assassinations were carried out by an armed gang led by Galon U Saw, a political rival who viewed himself as a better candidate to lead the new nation. The tragedy left a massive leadership vacuum just six months before Myanmar achieved full independence on January 4, 1948.

General Aung San, often referred to as Bogyoke (Major General), is seen as the Father of the Nation for his success in uniting diverse ethnic groups (through the Panglong Agreement) and driving the final negotiations for independence. His premature death is considered one of the greatest losses in modern Burmese history.

Observance and Commemoration

Martyrs’ Day is a day of national mourning and respect, not celebration.

• The Moment of Silence: At precisely 10:37 AM (the exact time the shooting occurred), people across Myanmar often pause, and vehicle horns are sounded in the streets of Yangon to mark the moment of the assassination.

• Martyrs’ Mausoleum: The central event is the ceremony held at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum (Aung San’s and some colleagues’ final resting place), located near the northern gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. High-ranking government officials, political leaders, and family members of the martyrs visit the mausoleum to pay their respects and lay wreaths.

• Public Observance: For the public, the day is marked by visiting the Mausoleum, reflecting on the country’s struggle for sovereignty, and reciting a traditional poem in honor of the martyrs. The day is a reminder of the sacrifice made for the birth of the independent nation.