68th Karen Martyrs’ Day to be Held in Various Cities

The 68th Karen Martyrs’ Day will be held in cities like Yangon, Myaungmya, Kangyidaunt, and Pantanaw on August 12, the ceremony coordinators said to Karen News.

Kangyidaunt Township Karen Literature and Culture Committee’s chair Mahn San Win told Karen News that the Karen Martyrs’ Day ceremony will be held at Karen martyr Saw Ba U Gyi’s birthplace in Be Ga Yet Village of Kangyidaunt Township, Ayeyarwady Region and over 2,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony.

“We will start the prayer service at 7 am. We will lay down wreath and pay respect at Saw Ba U Gyi Monument between 9 am and 10 am. A talk program will be held from 10 am to noon. The roads are still bad to come to the village. We have arranged ferry boats,” he said.

The ceremony coordinator Saw Tun Tun said Karen people living in Yangon will gather at Sts. Peter & Paul’s Catholic Church in Insein Township, Yangon from 11 am to 2 pm to mark the 68th Karen Martyrs’ Day.

Concerning the Karen Martyrs’ Day ceremony in Myaungmya Township, Ayeyarwady Region, Myaungmya Township Karen Literature and Culture Committee’s vice-chair Mahn Tun Lin said: “We will hold it at Thein Lar Village, Myaungmya Township this year. We will hold a wrist-tying ceremony in the morning and hold the Martyrs’ Day ceremony in the afternoon. It’s only Myaungmya District level. We will jointly hold it with Einme Township.”

Pantanaw Township Karen Literature and Culture Committee member Mahn Win Maung said the Karen Martyrs’ Day ceremony will be held at Hpyat Lan Gyi Village of Let Pan Kone Village Group in Pantanaw Township. Prayer service and memorable speeches programs will also be held at Let Pan Kone Church and a ceremony will be held at the Township Karen Culture Museum.

The Karen Martyrs’ Day ceremony is held annually in respective areas under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) and other Karen armed organizations also hold it nearly every year.