Local youths from Muse Town, nothern Shan State, are calling for the installation of nine martyrs' statues rather than installing only the bronze statue of Bogyoke (General) Aung San in the Muse Town.
The local youths made the objection after the National League for Democracy (NLD) formed the township management committee on February 26. The committee has to look for a suitable location to install the monument and Bogyoke Aung San's statue in order to hold the Union Day and Independence Day ceremonies in Muse.
“The Muse Township NLDs are planning to install Bogyoke's statue. In our opinion, it would be comprehensive to install the bronze statues of all nine martyrs including Ye Baw Ko Htwe rather than only installing the statue of Bogyoke Aung San. It’s true that Bogyoke Aung San is a martyr leader for the lowlanders. The ethic people have their own martyr leader. So, if [the local authorities] want ethnic people to have equal rights, don’t install only Bogyoke’s statue. Install the statues of all nine martyrs,” Sai Leik, a local youth from Muse, told the Shan Herald.
Muse resident Sai Myat said local residents will sign a petition against the installation of only Bogyoke’s statue and submit it before the administrative meeting is held on March 7.
The local residents will agree to the installation of all nine martyrs but they will continue to object if only Bogyoke’s statue would be installed, he added.
Muse Town Management Committee is currently searching for a suitable location and will submit their findings to the upcoming meeting on March 13.
The management committee involves ward-administrators from nine wards in Muse, the executive officer of Muse Township Municipal Department, township chief officer of the Department of Agricultural Land Management and Statistics, community elder Sai Kham Myat, and Muse NLD’s chairman.
