The New York Times, Asia Pacific
Myanmar state television broadcast a memorial ceremony for the father of the opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time in decades on Thursday, the latest sign of change in the nation.
Thursday was the 65th anniversary of the assassination of Gen. Aung San, who was gunned down in 1947 at the age of 32, along with six cabinet ministers and two other officials. He is considered the architect of Myanmar’s independence from Britain, which it achieved several months after his death.
Myanmar’s former military junta played down the event for more than 20 years as part of efforts to stem the popularity of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, who has led a pro-democracy movement since 1988 and was kept under house arrest for 15 years. The junta ceded power last year to a civilian government, which has since embarked on a program of major political and financial changes.
On Thursday, Martyr’s Day ceremonies were broadcast live on state television, and the government sent one of the nation’s two vice presidents to attend.
Flags flew at half-staff, and Vice President Sai Mauk Hkam joined Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi as she laid three baskets of flowers in front of her father’s tomb here in Yangon. The vice president laid a wreath of white orchids.
