The funeral, led by Shwenyawa Sayardaw, was held in the Burmese Buddhist tradition, while the Sayardaw and other monks performed funeral rites. Hundreds of people were present to attend the ceremony and pay respects to Ko Par Gyi, including National League for Democracy member Tin Oo and Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, prominent leaders of the 88 Generations Peace and Open Society (88 GPOS).

“Freelance reporter Ko Par Gyi, who was a member of the Tri-Color Group, disappeared even though he was a Burmese citizen. Now, we will get to find out what happened and we can bring his corpse here [the Yay Way Cemetery]. So, we believe that beyond our rights as citizens, we will soon be able to have the rights of democracy, federalism, and justice, which we have been thirsting for,” said Ko Jemi a leading member of the 88 GPOS.

NLD chairwoman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the 88 GPOS, the All Burma’s Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) and various political forces and civil society organizations sent bouquets of flowers and wreaths to the funeral.

At the funeral, a group of democracy activists protested demanding an investigation into the murder of Ko Par Gyi, and the arrest of those responsible. The group also demanded that the President and chief of military defense apologize to the civilians and take responsibility for the killing, as they hold them ultimately responsibility for the reporter’s death.

“We have nothing to say because his [Ko Par Gyi’s] funeral was held according to his wife's wishes and has satisfied the majority of people [as demanded]. But, this case must be concluded according to justice and the rule of law," said U Win Cho, an activist present at the funeral.

Ko Par Gyi was a member of the Tri-Color student group and served as opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s bodyguard. In 2010, he began working as a freelance journalist, focusing on news concerning peace in Burma.

Respective government authorities have reported that Ko Par Gyi was shot dead in response to allegedly attempting to grab a gun from the soldier guarding him whilst he was being detained by government troops in late September 2014. However, the facts uncovered by the investigation, including that he was shot five times, do not back up the authorities version of events.

After Ko Par Gyi’s body was forensically analysed, the Moulmein Township Civil Development Committee released a statement on 6th November 2014 ordering the burial of Ko Par Gyi’s body within 24 hours, whereupon his corpse was taken to Rangoon and laid to rest in Yay Way Cemetery.