Strife-torn Myanmar marks 77th anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Gen. Aung San

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government held a wreath-laying ceremony in the country’s largest city Friday to mark the anniversary of the assassination of the country’s fallen independence heroes, including Gen. Aung San, the father of the country’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Neither Suu Kyi, who is imprisoned, nor Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the current head of the army-led government, attended this year’s main ceremony at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum near the foot of the towering Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Min Aung Hlaing led the army’s 2021 seizure of power from Suu Kyi’s elected government.

Aung San, who led the independence struggle against Britain, was 32 years old when he was gunned down along with six Cabinet ministers and two other officials 77 years ago. He is considered the architect of Myanmar’s independence from Britain, which was achieved less than six months after his death. A political rival, former Prime Minister U Saw, was tried and hanged for plotting the attack.

The anniversary of his death has been an important day in Myanmar’s calendar for years, but the main ceremony at the mausoleum has had a lower profile since the 2021 military takeover.

The highest-ranking officials present at Friday’s ceremony were Gen. Maung Maung Aye, chief of the combined armed forces and Mahn Nyein Maung and Hmu Htan, all members of the military's ruling council. Suu Kyi’s estranged older brother, Aung San Oo, laid a wreath in front of their father’s tomb with a flag flying at half-staff.

In Yangon, neighborhoods heard wailing sirens and car horns bellowed out for one minute at 10:37 a.m., the time of the 1947 attack.

Scattered rallies by the pro-democracy and the members of armed resistance forces were also held in several cities across the country to commemorate the death of the independence heroes.

Suu Kyi, who led a decades-long struggle against military rule, was detained when the army took over in 2021, and is currently serving a 27-year prison term on what are widely regarded as charges that were contrived to keep her from political activity. She has not been seen in public since her arrest.

The 2021 military takeover was met with widespread nonviolent protests. But after peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict.

The military is now estimated to control less than half the country, but is holding on tenaciously to much of central Myanmar, including the capital, Naypyidaw, which was recently targeted by small rocket and bomb attacks.

The army has justified holding absolute power through a state of emergency it declared after its takeover, which must be renewed every six months, with the latest expiring at the end of July.

The renewal may face procedural issues this time because Acting President Myint Swe, who usually executes it, is ailing. This raises the question of whether he will be able to hold the National Defense and Security Council meeting to carry it out, and if not, who could legally act in his absence.

A report in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Friday said that Myint Swe, 73, was suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease. It said he has been receiving medical treatment since early this year and still can not do normal daily activities, including eating food.

Myint Swe became acting president after the 2021 military takeover when President Win Myint was arrested along with Suu Kyi. Myint Swe, a member of a pro-military party, took over the presidency because he was First Vice President.

The move, whose legitimacy was questioned by legal experts, allowed the council to be convened to declare a state of emergency and hand over power to Min Aung Hlaing