1st time celebrations allowed after 24-year military rule

August 7, 2013

theonlinecitizen August 07, 2013

By Leong Sze Hian

After attending the ASEAN People’s Forum meeting at Yangon, Myanmar, I was invited to attend the 88 Celebrations event on 6 August.

This is the first time ever that the people of Myanmar are allowed to hold such an event, to commemorate the military coup on 8 August, 1988, and the 24 years of military rule from 1988 to 2012.

Last year, elections were held after a lapse of 24 years without any elections. Thus, what the people of Myanmar call the democratisation process in Myanmar is just over a year old.

Myanmar, as the Chair of ASEAN next year, will host the annual ASEAN People’s Forum in Yangon.

As all the proceedings during the 88 Celebrations event were in the Myanmar language, I have done a photo essay and audio interviews with some of the people of Myanmar who attended the event.

Gore content advisory – As some of the photos may be quite gruesome, you may want to skip it all together, or do not see them if you have a full stomach or have just eaten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=53j78a0Pq28

 

 

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.