Sittwe: Monks and youths in Sittwe have embarked on a month long programme for Arakanese nationalist hero venerable Monk U Ottama from August 9 by distributing statements and leaflets among the people, said a youth campaigner.

However, the programme is being adopted secretly as the authorities do not allow any kind of commemoration for the monk even though he (Ottama) scarified his life for Burma’s independence.

“We started the programme on August 9 by distributing statements and leaflets among the people. We also put up posters on walls and trees. It is a part of our programme. We will carry out many such programmes,” he said.

U Ottama was a famous monk of Burma. He was a nationalist leader of Burma’s independence struggle as he took Burma’s nationalism to the Burmese people to fight against British rule for the country’s independence.

U Ottama died on 9 September 1939 during Burma’s independent movement under British rule.

“On September 9, it is the monk’s 70th death anniversary. We would like to honour him on the occasion. So we have drawn up programmes for this,” he said.

U Ottama is Burma’s impendence hero but the Burmese junta has never honoured him because he ( the monk) was Arakanese.

Monks and youths held many meetings in Sittwe to go ahead with the program successfully. A number of students from Sittwe, Mrauk U, Min Bya, KyauK Taw went to the temples in their respective towns on August 9 to light candles and pray for the monk.

The Arakanese community honours Ottama secretly everywhere in Arakan as the authorities have banned functions in his honour.