A merciless round of bullets ricochetted across the Cabinet meeting room of the former Secretariat (former Ministers’ Office) where the then eight National Leaders — Bogyoke Aung San, Thakhin Mya, Deedok U Ba Cho, Mongpawn Chieftain Sao San Tun, Mahn Ba Khaing, U Ba Win, U Razak, U Ohn Maung, plus a bodyguard Yebaw Ko Htwe — were deliberating on State affairs and assassinated them all on this very day 73 years ago. It was the gloomiest day for the entire nation and people of Myanmar. It was the most historically unforgettable incident, too. They all sacrificed their lives for the country and people. How admirable they are!

Certainly, in sadness, the whole nation commemorates an unhappy event or occasion on 19 July annually as a day of the Martyrs, ‘Arzarni’ in the Myanmar Language. Commemorative news, articles, stories, biographies, cartoons, books, documentaries, radio and TV programmes, etc. are also published and broadcast in a memorial gesture of this very day 73 years back on 19 July 1947.

Family members of the Arzarnis go and lay wreaths at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum, and hold religious ceremonies and memorial services. People can go and salute the Martyrs at Arzarnis Mausoleum. Also, they can view documentary displays at the Bogyoke Museums both in Yangon and in Natmauk and the Secretariat Building (former Ministers’ Office) in downtown Yangon. However, all should heed the health protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and Sports, in this time of the coronavirus era.

Here, we would like to pay our heartfelt tribute to the Martyrs by quoting the speech by Bogyoke Aung San. “If you wish for the country to be prosperous and developed, you should use all financial, natural and human resources together for the development of all races equally. If the Bamar do what they want, if the Kachin do what they want, if the Shan, Kachin and Chin do not cooperate, there will be no benefits for anyone. Only when you try working in unison will you know its benefits.” Bogyoke stressed that ‘only working in unison can benefit all’. The State Counsellor also highlighted that we need to be creative and innovative and figure out how to make our existing resources to be more valuable for ourselves as well as for the whole world. Likewise, we all need to work in unison in combatting the coronavirus pandemic. We all need to be more united, more collaborative and more cooperative amongst us in the face of the deadly pathogen. Be united and work together in unison for the benefit of all!

GNLM