13 July
We owe a great debt of gratitude to our martyrs, led by Bogyoke Aung San, for their sacrifice for our independence.
The 71st Martyrs’ Day will be celebrated this year. It marks the day when Bogyoke Aung San and seven Arzarni (martyred) leaders — Thakhin Mya, Deedok U Ba Cho, U Abdul Razak, U Ba Win, U Mahn Ba Khaing, U Sao San Tun, and U Ohn Maung — were gunned down. Ever since then, 19 July, 1947 has been observed as a day of mourning by the entire nation.
All the people of Myanmar pay tributes on this day by performing meritorious deeds and sharing the merits thus gained.
The martyred leaders are always on our mind, and have an important place in our collective memory. What is the reason we can never ever forget them? Because, each and every one of us knows that the martyrs sacrificed their lives for the country.
Whenever we mention Bogyoke Aung San, we speak of his integrity.
Without any doubt, we have accepted Bogyoke as an ideal and exemplary leader of high moral character, and one who had an excellent mental and physical constitution. As Bogyoke happened to be the greatest and most perfect of organizers, leaders of today are sure to emulate Bogyoke as their role model in the line of duty, as we work together in elevating the image of the country.
Bogyoke had high moral character, and practised complete honesty and displayed a work-hard attitude, truth-loving patriotism, and showed selfless but extreme love for the country. He showed no sign of self-interest, but an attitude of sacrifice till his death. He discarded power and authority and chose a life of extreme simplicity, without flamboyance. He never took a dime from the government budget for personal use, and displayed devotion and faithfulness to family life. One can praise him endlessly.
His greatest trait was his absolute dislike of corruption and graft. When he received any gifts in cash or kind, he used them to fund the independence struggle.
He was a man of vision who only thought for the good of the nation and its people, a man with a pure and simple heart, who just wanted to work for the country.
The integrity of a community or society will be high, if it has people of great integrity like Aung San.
Such integrity is needed to raise our national prestige.
Integrity cannot be faked as it is accompanied by honesty, sacrifice, love of truth.
GNLM
