NLD condemns regime’s nationwide campaign to erase General Aung San’s legacy in Myanmar

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.