Suu Kyi attends ceremony to commemorate hero father's death

0 Comments | Asian Political News, July 22, 2002

YANGON, July 19 Kyodo

Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi attended a state ceremony paying tribute Friday to fallen national heroes, including her father Gen. Aung San.

The Martyrs' Day ceremony is held every year at the Martyrs' Mausoleum near the foot of Shwedagon pagoda in central Yangon in memory of Aung San and eight others who were assassinated by gunmen at a cabinet meeting July 19, 1947.

At the 55th anniversary, Suu Kyi, wearing a black skirt, white blouse and black shawl, laid three baskets of orchids before her father's tomb and kneeled to pay tribute. She followed military government officials led by Minister for Culture Tin Win, who laid a wreath and paid respect at the tomb.

Suu Kyi, head of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), was released from nearly 20 months of house arrest in early May and was forced to miss the ceremony last year.

She attended the ceremony for the first time on July 19, 1988 after returning to Myanmar from abroad, where she had lived for many years.

Her attempt to hold a rival Martyrs' Day ceremony on July 19, 1989 was quashed by the military government and she was placed under house arrest the following day.

She attended the Martyrs' Day ceremony in 1995 after being freed from the house arrest on July 10 the same year, and had done so every year since then until 2000. She was again placed under house arrest in late September of that year.

Surviving family members of other martyrs and representatives of foreign missions and various organizations also paid their respects at the mausoleum.

The NLD will hold a separate Martyrs' Day ceremony at the party's headquarters later Friday.