Troubled Ceremonies: Myanmar's Military Leadership Honors Martyrs Amid Crisis

Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, attended Martyrs' Day for the first time since ousting Aung San Suu Kyi. The day honors the assassination of General Aung San, Suu Kyi's father. Meanwhile, anti-government factions persist as the military plans elections, despite ongoing conflict and Suu Kyi’s imprisonment.

In a rare public appearance, Myanmar's military leader, Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, laid a wreath on Martyrs' Day, commemorating General Aung San, the nation's independence hero and father of imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi. This marks his first attendance since the army seized power in a 2021 coup.

Martyrs' Day holds significant historical value, marking the assassination of Aung San just before Myanmar's — then Burma — independence from British rule. Aung San was killed alongside other officials in 1947, allegedly by a political adversary, a crime for which former Prime Minister U Saw was later executed.

As military rulers prepare for elections amid criticism, resistance remains strong. Pro-democracy groups protest against what they view as a bid for legitimacy by the generals. Violence has surged since the takeover, with nearly 7,000 people killed and over 29,000 arrested, according to activist groups.

(With inputs from agencies.)