by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

July 19

• Celebrated in Burma as Arzani Nay (Martyrs’ Day).
• On July 19, 1947, Bogyoke Aung San & several ministers were gunned down.

Memories of my cousin

• Daw Myint Thwe (Betty, now GBNF) was born on July 19, 1934.
• She was celebrating her birthday on July 19, 1947 when the sad news were announced via the sirens. The birthday celebration was put on hold.

Arzanis

• Bogyoke Aung San — Untimely death at the age of 32
• Thakin Mya — Minister without Portfolio; “Deputy Prime Minister”; Leader of AFPFL faction
• Deedok U Ba Cho — Journalist; Publisher
• Mahn Ba Khaing — saved Bogyoke from the British police
• Sao San Htun (Mongpawn Sawbwa) — died the following day at the hospital
• U Ba Win — Elder brother of Bogyoke; Father of Dr. Sein Win
• U Razak — Early graduate from National College; Principal of National School in Mandalay
• ICS U Ohn Maung — Was asked to give a presentation on behalf of Saw San Po Thin
• Yebaw Ko Htwe — Body guard of U Razak

Absentees & Survivors

• Three ministers (U Tin Tut, U Kyaw Nyein & Saw San Po Thin) did not attend the meeting on July 19, 1947.
• U Tin Tut became a victim of political assassination shortly after Independence. He was already assigned to be Burmese Ambassador of the United Kingdom.
• U Kyaw Nyein and U Ba Swe led Ti Mye (တည်မြဲ Stable AFPFL faction). They lost the No-confidence motion against U Nu and the Thant Shin (သန့်ရှင်း Clean AFPFL faction). The AFPFL split led to Caretaker Government (pseudo Coup d’etat).
• Saw San Po Thin was on a tour of duty.

• According to Phaw Kaung ဖေါ်ကောင် Ba Nyunt, he could not find U Nu (Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies) at his office.

• A few ministers (Pagan U Ba Gyan, U Aung Zan Wai, Pyaw Bwe U Mya …) who were seated at the far side of the meeting table escaped.
• U Ba Gyan is the elder brother of U Ba Shan (Secretary of Maths Curriculum Committee). He sat down on the floor but was holding the edge of the table. He had a gunshot wound on a finger.
• U Aung Zan Wai was a signer of the Pinlon (Panlong) Agreement.
• Pyaw Bwe U Mya’s spouse is a distant cousin of Bogyoke. His plan to have more security at the Secretariat was turned down by Bogyoke.
• Bogyoke’s body guards include Natmauk Phone Kyaw (writer) and Bo Tun Hla (Tekkatho Nay Win, writer & actor). Bo Tun Hla and Deputy Secretary U Tin Ohn were in an adjoining room in the Secretariat. Dr. Tin Wa (son of U Tin Ohn) was interviewed by BBC Burmese program.

Family members & relatives of Arzanis

• U Aung San Oo, Aung San Lin (GBNF) and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi — children of Bogyoke
• Dr. Khin Hla Cho & Daw Khin Myint Cho (UCC) — grand children of Deedok U Ba Cho
• Daw Myint Myint Khaing (Maths Sayama) — daughter of Mahn Ba Khaing. She transcribed the tapes for the book about Saya U Ba Toke. Her spouse Dr. Khin Maung Swe (Tekkatho Maung Thin Char) interviewed Saya and wrote the book.

• Sao Hso Holm & Sao Khai Pha — sons of Sao San Tun. Sao Hso Holm was First Class English Honors and had two Law degrees. He was a regular columnist for WPD Supplement on Modern Burmese Writings. In 1962, the Sawbwas requested his legal services. He was detained by the Revolutionary Council. After serving in the Education Ministry, he and his family migrated to Australia.
• Saya Dr. Sein Win (Maths) — son of U Ba Win
• U Tin Myint (GBNF) & U Hla Kyi — sons of U Razak. Both are Geologists and Old Members of RUBC.
• Saya U Tin Maung Thein (EE), Francis & Saya Dr. Min Myint (Chem) — sons of U Ohn Maung
• Daw Nge Ma Ma Than (UCC) — niece of Bogyoke & U Ba Win; She became a Prisoner of Conscience.

Arzani Beikman / Martyrs’ Mausoleum

In our younger days, we walked to Shwe Dagon Pagoda on Saturdays.

We would occasionally stop by at the “Arzani Beikman” (Martyr’s Mausoleum). Nine Oke Gu’s were on display. Four Oke Gus flanked on each side of Bogyoke’s Oke Gu.

Near the Beikman were two more Oke Gu’s : one for ICS U Tin Tut and another for Bo Sein Hman.

Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint’s article about the “Empty Tomb” mentioned that his Bagyee U Tin Tut was cremated at the special crematorium set up at Kyandaw Cemetery and that his ashes were scattered into a river.

Fast forward.

The “attempted massacre of Chung Doo Wan and his party” was carried out by three North Korean agents.

One set of bombs did not go off and thus spared the lives of the Burmese contingent led by Minister U Aung Kyaw Myint. U Soe Min, Deputy Director of Myanmar Ah Than TV, was hit by shrapnel, but he survived. The award winning Kyemon reporter, who switched duties to cover the event, was killed.

The higher authorities dictated the design of the new Arzani Beikman. No roofs were placed on top of the monolithic “Gu”. Some architects posted about their role in the project.

Several writers noted that the then Number One never attended the ceremonies. A few hinted that he was a member of the Thakin Ba Sein faction of AFPFL and had some grudges for those from the Thakin Mya faction. He banned horse racing for the public and closed the Rangoon Turf Club. He supposedly had fun (e.g. attending derbies) most July in UK.

Protocol change

Over the years, the protocol changed. The families of the fallen leaders were no longer invited to State functions and dinners.

First tier leaders did not attend the Martyrs’ Day functions. Only Second tier leaders showed up as token of duty.

The family members of the Arzanis were not allowed time to pay physical respect. They were given time only to lay the “Lwan Thu Pann Khwe”.

At one time, the public was barred from paying respect, and those who tried were detained.

The Martyr’s day regained importance during the Pwint Linn era,

Articles, books and documentaries

I have read several articles (e.g. by Tekkatho Nay Win).

I read the earlier edition of the book “Who killed Aung San?” by Kin Oung (former Naval Officer living in Australia). His father U Tun Hla Oung arrested Galon U Saw. His father-in-law U Thaung Sein (then Secretary of Insein Prison, later Justice) kept watch of U Saw so that U Saw and his team can be tried by a Special Tribunal headed by U Kyaw Myint (father of Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint).

I saw the BBC’s production titled, “Who REALLY killed Aung San?”

Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote: On the BBC Programme, U Kin Oung, was interviewed. He is the author of three editions of “Who killed Aung San”. The fourth edition was more comprehensive as he had access to government documents thanks to freedom of information act. The last version was titled “Eliminate the Elite”.

Notes

• I wrote “AUNG SAN” for Bogyoke’s Centennial in 2015.
• Bo Tun Hla (Tekkatho Nay Win, Bogyoke’s PSO) wrote memoirs in the Arzani Nay Supplement.
• The articles in Kyemon and several posts on the Internet groups reiterated the values of the fallen leaders.
• Thakin Mya was considered as Deputy Prime Minister.
• Deedok U Ba Choe was a distinguished journalist and a “Hin Lay Oh”.
• Daw Marie Hla Taw drove Bogyoke to Mahn Ba Khaing’s place (preventing Bogyoke’s arrest by the police). Mahn Ba Khaing helped Bogyoke get back to the safe area.
• Sao San Htun was hospitalized. He passed away (the following day) on July 20, 1947. There is a hospital in Taunggyi named in his honor.
• U Ba Win was a dedicated teacher. He entered politics late to support Bogyoke (his younger brother & former student). His son Dr. Sein Win served as Prime Minister of the Burmese Government in exile.
• U Razak (Principal) was highly regarded by staff & students of Amyotha Kyaung (National High School). Several sayadaws from Mandalay nominated him to be Minister of Education.
• Ko Htwe (U Razak’s yebaw) was gunned down by the assassins during their exit.
• According to Dr. Tin Wa, his father U Tin Ohn was in an adjoining room in the Secretariat. U Ohn Maung (who was in the room earlier) was requested by Bogyoke to make a presentation.
• Per Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, gun shots were fired at his father’s house. The family members laid low and were not hurt. U Kyaw Myint was then Head of the tribunal that tried Galon U Saw. It was another episode in the “Who killed Aung San?”
• Mounting evidence — from declassified documents — suggest the involvement of several British politicians and officers in the murder of Arzanis.
• July 19, 1947 was a Dark Moment in the history of Burma. July 7 and July 8, 1962 would join as Dark Moments in Burma.

Posts

• Anniversaries
• AUNG SAN
• Dark moments in Burma
• The Empty Tomb
• U Kyaw Myint