38th Commemoration of former UNSG U Thant’s Movement

Published on Wednesday, 12 December 2012 12:13

The 38th Memorial Commemoration of former United Nations Secretary-General U Thant’s movement was held at Pauk Zedi Monastery in Mayangon Township, Yangon yesterday (December 11).

This is the first time commemoration to hold in the country under permission of the civilian government.

The students movement broke out in 1974 based on a disagreement in choosing the decent burial site for U Thant between university students and the military regime.

“I was a final year student of physic major when the movement was happened. The memorial commemoration was held for young generations to know who U Thant was and how respectful person he was. He was served at UN as a Secretary-General. Moreover, many other movements were occurred under the dictatorship which had caused instability of the country. The country has also been left behind due to the dictatorship. This commemoration will show the image of the history for the next generations,” said Yar Kyaw who was in the movement back in 1974.

U Thant served at United Nations as a Secretary-General from 1961 to 1971 representing Myanmar.

He died with cancer on November 25, 1974 in New York City. His body was brought home (Myanmar) on December 1, 1974 to bury with regular funeral service by the government.

The students requested the government to give a respectful burial service in Yangon University Campus where the empty lot near the Rangoon University Students Union.

However, the army cracked down the student’s movement on early December 11.
Yar Kyaw retold the history at the commemoration yesterday.

Political parties, civil service associations, generation students from 1962, 1974 and 1988 and other invited guests attended the commemoration.

Patron Tin Oo of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Hla Myint (Medicine-2), a leader Hla Shwe of the University Student Movement of 1962, Nay Yi Ba Swe and a leader Ko Ko Gyi of 88 generation students delivered the speeches and read the statements.