Tour of the Secretariat Building and Martyr’s Day
Hello readers!
As I’ve mentioned previously in the blog, I live in downtown Yangon and one of the advantages to living downtown is that everything is within walking distance. I have several favorite cafes and shops, and also love to just wander around the streets and people-watch. Often on my urban adventures I have walked around a stunning colonial-style building, the Secretariat. It occupies an entire city block, and its rich burnt red and cream colors, mixed with bright green foliage, are in stark contrast to the surrounding buildings and impossible to miss.
The Secretariat is an important cultural landmark because it was the site of the July 19, 1947 assassinations of General Aung San and his entire cabinet, along with a bodyguard (nine people were killed) as they held a meeting. The country was in the process of gaining independence from Britain, and General Aung San, who advocated tirelessly for an independent Burma and is a revered figure, was in charge of the interim government. (Source, and for more information: http://www.thesecretariat.com/ ) General Aung San’s name might sound familiar, as he is the father of Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and leader of the National League for Democracy, the majority party in Myanmar Parliament.
The Secretariat is currently undergoing extensive renovations, but the Yangon Heritage Trust leads tours for the public. I waited out a particularly ferocious downpour and joined the tour. Our guide explained that the Secretariat used to be the seat of government for Burma. We walked through the old parliament meeting room, up beautiful, decaying stairways and through dusty passageways with towering ceilings. Eventually we arrived to the “assassination room”, and our guide walked us through what happened on that day, showing us the pathway of the hitmen, who had escaped via the large main staircase that we had just ascended.
Later that week, my roommate explained that on Martry’s Day, all the cars in Yangon stop in their tracks for several minutes and everyone sounds their horns. Several days later, it was July 19 and we were in the apartment with the windows open, sitting in the kitchen. Having forgotten what day it was, we suddenly noticed a heavy stillness and then heard the car horns. We ran to the windows and saw that for a few minutes, all of the hectic frenzy of everyday downtown Yangon had ceased, conversations had stopped, and the city came together to honor the memory of General Aung San and his cabinet. I was honored to be there in that moment to witness it.
-KLP