Myanmar Junta Destroys Statues of Independence Hero Gen. Aung San in Yangon

Myanmar junta forces destroyed two bronze statues of General Aung San—the country’s independence hero and the father of ousted civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi—in Yangon’s South Okkalapa and Thaketa townships on the night of July 1, according to residents. The military regime has escalated its campaign to systematically erase the historical legacy of Gen. Aung San, cutting power to local areas before deploying heavy machinery under the cover of darkness to demolish the monuments. In South Okkalapa, junta forces cut electricity to Thumangalar Park around 10:30 PM before using a backhoe and a jackhammer to dismantle a statue erected in 2017 to mark the General’s 102nd birth anniversary. The female resident of South Okkalapa said, “I feel deeply saddened. Our own money went into building this destroyed statue. However, I believe adhering to a great leader’s teachings and deeds is far more important than physical monuments. The General lives eternally in our hearts. His physical absence does not diminish his legacy. If we love, value, and respect him, we must follow his guidance.” Around 11:00 PM the same night, another statue was destroyed near the local administration office in Thaketa Township’s Mya Kan Thar Park. An official from the Rangoon Scout Network (RSN), which tracks military movements in Yangon, reported that public access to the park has since been blocked, with police and plainclothes security personnel tightly monitoring the site. Analysts and activist networks suggest the military aims to suppress any icons that inspire anti-coup resistance. There are also speculations that the demolitions could be linked to Yadaya—superstitious rituals traditionally used by Myanmar’s military dictators to avert political misfortune and maintain their grip on power. An RSN representative remarked: “They appear to be systematically erasing images of General Aung San. As an icon of independence, his image inspires resistance, which is why they are targeting it. Similar to the Than Shwe era, they likely want to preserve only the narrative that he founded the military.” This follows a string of similar demolitions across Myanmar, including statues destroyed in Ye-U, Taungoo, Pathein, Bago, Mandalay, and the military-built capital, Naypyidaw, over recent years.