Speech at City Hall
There’s a number of speeches from Aung San held at City Hall Rangoon, Birma:
- Resistance Movement - Address delivered at the meeting of East and West Association held on August 29, 1945, at the City Hall of Rangoon
- Welcome India - Address of welcome delivered at the reception given in honour of Mr. Sarat Bose, a member of the Working Committee of the Indian National Congress, at the City Hall of Rangoon on July 24, 1946
- An Address to the Anglo-Burmans - Address delivered at a meeting of the Anglo-Burman Council, at the City Hall, Rangoon, on December 8, 1946 (thanks to www.aungsan.com)
- And there’s the speech of 13 July 1947 from the balcony of City Hall and I believe this is the recording we have here.
A set of 12 78’ records altogether – recorded and published by E.M.I. - which we were asked to digitize. The attached soundbite is the beginning of the recording where you hear all kinds of street noises which leads me to believe this is said speech.
Six days later Aung San would be dead, murdered. The day of the murder - July 19 - is still remembered as Martyr’s day in Burma. Not only Aung San, but in total 9 people were murdered in the secretariat Building that day. Next to Aung San, also councillors Thakin Mya, Mahn Ba Khaing, Abdul Razak, U Ba Choe , Sao Sam Htun, U Ba Win, and further U Ohn Maung and Ko Thwe.
These days in different Burmese states people are out on the streets protesting against plans of their local government to erect Bogyoke (General) Aung San statues (in Loikaw, Kayah State recently, but also in Mon State, Karenni State and Chin State)
The Secretariat Building in Yangon is currently being completely renovated, after years of neglect.
On the record label it says (transl. from Burmese): State Department of Information. General U Aung San - Speech at City Hall No. 1
