CHAIRMAN of the State Security and Peace Commission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla attended the State funeral service of the late Pro Tem President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Myint Swe at Nyein Aye resthouse of the Defence Services General Hospital in Nay Pyi Taw and the Tatmadaw Military Cemetery (Nay Pyi Taw) yesterday afternoon.
The ceremony was attended by venerable members of the Sangha led by the Secretary of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, Presiding Patron of Masoeyein Taikthit Monastery of Mandalay, Abbot of Dhamma Thameikdi Monastery, Aggamaha Pandita Aggamaha Saddhammajotikadhaja, Maha Dhammakathika, Bahujanahitadhara Bhaddanta Vasettha Bhivamsa.
Likewise, the State funeral service was attended by Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, President (Retired) U Thein Sein, Vice-Presidents (Retired) Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo and U Nyan Tun, Vice-Chairman of the Commission, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Commander-in-Chief (Army), Vice-Senior General Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe, retired senior Tatmadaw officers, Commission member, Prime Minister and Union Minister for National Planning U Nyo Saw and his wife, Commission members and their wives, the Secretary of the Commission and his wife, Union-level dignitaries, Union ministers and their wives, retired Union-level dignitaries and retired Union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, representatives from social organizations, Daw Khin Thet Htay who is wife of the late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe and family members, relatives, guests and religious associations.
First, the remains of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe were conveyed to the hearse platform, with the military parade. President (Retired) U Thein Sein, Vice-Presidents (Retired) Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo and U Nyan Tun, retired senior Tatmadaw officers, the Vice-Chairman of the Commission, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Commander-in-Chief (Army) and his wife, Union-level dignitaries, commission members and their wives, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and family members of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe paid tribute to the remains.
The Senior General and his wife arrived at Nyein Aye resthouse, where the State funeral service will take place, and paid tribute to the remains of the late Pro Tem President.
The Senior General and his wife cordially comforted Daw Khin Thet Htay, wife of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe and family members.
The Senior General and his wife, and the congregation attending the State funeral service, took the Five Precepts from Secretary of SSMNC Masoeyein Taikthit Sayadaw while members of the Sangha recited three verses of Sabbe Sankhara Aniccati.
Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe donated robes and alms to members of the Sangha.
Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members, the Senior General and his wife and attendees listened to Samvega Katha delivered by the Secretary Masoeyein Taikthit Sayadaw and shared merits gained.
Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members paid tribute again to the remains of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe.
Eight Union Ministers conveyed the remains onto the artillery carrier to send it to the Tatmadaw Military Cemetery (Nay Pyi Taw). Meanwhile, the Guard of Honour saluted the remains and conducted other funeral conveyance procedures.
The artillery carrier conveying the remains of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe and the convoy of the State funeral service left Nyein Aye resthouse of the Defence Services General Hospital of Nay Pyi Taw to the Tatmadaw Military Cemetery (Nay Pyi Taw), followed by the Senior General and his wife, the Vice-Senior General and his wife, Commission members and their wives, Daw Khin Thet Htay who is wife of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe and family members, relatives, Union-level dignitaries, Union ministers and their wives, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, departmental officials, guests and religious associations.
The artillery carrier carrying the remains of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe and the convoy of the State funeral service rolled along the Pobbathiri circular road from Nyein Aye resthouse of the Nay Pyi Taw DSGH to the Tatmadaw Military Cemetery (Nay Pyi Taw). Along the route, Tatmadaw members from Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) and families, departmental personnel and people paid tribute and bowed in farewell as a mark of mourning.
When the convoy arrived at the Tatmadaw Military Cemetery (Nay Pyi Taw), the remains was conveyed to the ceremonial area with the military parade, followed by the wife of the late Pro Tem President and family members, the Senior General and his wife, the Vice-Senior General and his wife, Union-level dignitaries and their wives, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, officials from relevant organizations and guests.
Eight Union Ministers conveyed the remains of Pro Tem President U Myint Swe onto the hearse platform.
The Senior General, the Vice-Senior General, Union-level dignitaries and senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief took their positions, and the Tatmadaw Guard of Honour carried out the ceremonial procedures as per the military parade protocol, presenting arms with lowered rifles in tribute and raised rifles in tribute.
The Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission read out the gazette order of the National Defence and Security Council, after which the order was placed inside the coffin containing the remains of Pro Tem President U Myint Swe.
After that, the Tatmadaw Guard of Honour fired three rounds in salute, then, for the final time, presented arms with raised rifles and sounded the bugle in tribute.
Ambassadors from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, India, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, the People’s Republic of China, and Laos, Chargés d’Affaires ad interim from Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei, the First Secretary on behalf of the Vietnamese Ambassador and 16 military attachés from foreign military attaché offices to Myanmar paid tribute to the remains of late Pro Tem President individually.
After that, late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe’s wife and family members paid their final respects, and the remains of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe were placed into the cremation chamber for cremation.
Captain Kyaw Phone Myint (Retd), son of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe, together with family members, conveyed the urn of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe to the venue where the tomb will be built.
The Chairman of the Leading Organizing Committee for the State Funeral Service, the Vice-Chairman and members, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and attendees observed the processes of keeping the urn in the tomb and closing the tomb.
Family members then paid tribute to the tomb of late Pro Tem President U Myint Swe. — MNA/TTA
