Demand to end the 26 year iron fist rule of BSPP (Burmese Socialist Programme Party) were spread into the streets. By then, People had already seen the deployment of hundreds of Riot Police with shields and sticks on the road. Those determined voices pulled the people out from their homes. It was June 21st 1988.
Hundreds of students were seen marching towards downtown Rangoon along Prome Road, which was totally blocked with Riot Police. Hundreds of students with bare hands faced hundreds of Riot Police with full gear. At the back of the police lines, there stood hundreds of people watching the situation with a slim hope of peaceful disperse. It was not meant to be. Suddenly, the fighting peacock flag at the head of the students’ line was seen falling down followed by scenes of students falling. The beating had begun.
It was the scene, the moment, which prompted the people to act. It was when the people felt they had to protect their sons and daughters. It triggered the anger of the people which had been kept in their minds and souls for 26 years. A stone crushed the Riot Police truck windscreen and all hell broke lose. Sticks were waived, stones were thrown, punched were delivered, kicks were made.
Overall, scores of students were beaten to death along with a few Riot Police. The official Burmese TV news announced on that night 6 people (each side or total I don’t remember) were killed at that incident.
It was not a beautiful day but it was the day that woke Burma up. It was a day we should not forget.
From here, I bow. “We will never forget!”
Notes: On, 21 June, 1989, the day of Myenigone June 21st anniversary, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi placed a flower ring (လြမ္းသူ႔ပန္းေခြ) in memory of those killed at Myenigone traffic point. A shot was fired and from police station and that accidently killed a party member of NUP (National Unity Party), a former BSPP.
Disclaimer : The event of June 21, 1988 was rewritten as remember and not guarantee to be 100% correct.
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