The National League for Democracy (NLD) party has strongly condemned the military regime’s escalating campaign to dismantle statues of Myanmar’s independence hero, General Aung San.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NLD described the regime in Naypyidaw’s systematic removal of the monuments as a deliberate attempt at “destroying Myanmar’s national identity and history.”
The NLD highlighted that the statues were erected using public donations during the party’s civilian administration, which governed the country from 2016 until the military coup on February 1, 2021.
A midnight demolition campaign
The NLD’s condemnation comes amid a surge in demolitions ahead of Martyrs’ Day on July 19, the annual national holiday commemorating the 1947 assassination of General Aung San—the father of jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi—and his cabinet.
Independent media reports suggest the regime plans to remove all Aung San statues erected during the NLD administration by the July 19 anniversary.
According to DVB data, at least 16 statues of the General have been removed across the country since the 2021 coup.
The campaign has recently heavily targeted Magway Region, where at least five statues were demolished by regime authorities in July across Kamma, Yesagyo, Taungdwingyi, Sinbaungwe, and Minbu townships.
In Yesagyo Township, a resident speaking anonymously confirmed that a nine-foot (2.7-meter) statue weighing roughly 4,900 kilograms was removed on July 5. The monument had been unveiled on July 14, 2019.
The Burma Lawyers’ Council (BLC) denounced the removals on July 2, warning that the intentional destruction of the monuments constitutes a criminal act of mischief under Section 425 of the Penal Code, which carries a prison sentence of up to seven years.
The regime has not officially commented on the nationwide removals.
Targeting the NLD and 54 University Avenue
The military’s eradication efforts extend beyond public squares to the historical heart of the NLD.
Officials have also reportedly stripped NLD party vinyls and a prominent photo of General Aung San from the walls outside Aung San Suu Kyi’s historic family residence at 54 University Avenue.
The Yangon property is the famed address where Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest prior to her release in 2010.
Calls for “Proof of Life”
As the regime dismantles her father’s physical legacy, concerns over Aung San Suu Kyi’s well-being continue to mount.
She was reportedly transferred from prison to house arrest at an undisclosed location in Naypyidaw on March 30, but the regime has provided no evidence to confirm the relocation.
In response to the secrecy, Suu Kyi’s son, Kim Aris, has launched a global “Proof of Life” campaign, demanding the regime provide independent verification that his mother is alive and receiving proper medical care for ongoing health issues, including osteoporosis.
Despite the military’s attempts to physically dismantle his grandfather’s memory, Aris noted in a previous video message that General Aung San’s foundational ideals remain deeply rooted in the pro-democracy movement.
He emphasized that Aung San’s vision of a unified nationalism—one that champions the welfare of all people regardless of race, religion, class, or sex—”still inspires” the people of Myanmar today.
A staggering toll on the pro-democracy movement
The erasure of General Aung San’s image and the dismantling of NLD symbols follow the regime’s official dissolution of the party in 2023.
Since the 2021 coup, the NLD has documented a severe, ongoing campaign of state-sponsored violence and persecution against its ranks:
- Casualties: 118 NLD party members and eight democratically-elected Members of Parliament (MPs) have been killed by pro-regime forces.
- Arrests: 2,880 party members and 149 elected MPs remain arbitrarily detained.
- Asset Seizures: The state has formally confiscated the private homes and properties of 199 NLD MPs and 261 high-profile party members.
- Infrastructural Vandalism: Party office buildings nationwide have been damaged, raided, or completely razed 167 times.
