Statues of General Aung San, the founding hero of Myanmar and father of former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is currently detained, are being gradually removed from various locations across the country. The military government claims this is due to statues having incorrect proportions, while analysts see it as an attempt to reduce the political influence and symbolic connections to Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Statues of General Aung San, widely honored as the "Father of Myanmar's Independence" and father of Aung San Suu Kyi, the former civilian government leader detained after the 2021 coup, are disappearing from parks and public spaces nationwide amid political controversy surrounding the removals.
AFP reporters reported that the large statue of General Aung San which had stood for nearly a decade in Thumingala Park in Yangon has been dismantled, replaced only by newly planted grass. Similarly, residents near Mya Kantha Park in Yangon and in Mudeung town, Mon State in southern Myanmar, said statues of General Aung San were removed by authorities in late June. Locals did not express dissatisfaction openly due to safety concerns.
The military government led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing acknowledged removing some statues but said only those with "incorrect proportions and shapes" were taken down. They are undergoing systematic inspection and restoration to appropriately honor the historic figure and ensure accurate history education for future generations.
General Aung San led the military struggle against both British colonial forces and the Japanese army to reclaim Myanmar’s independence. However, he was assassinated on 19 July 1947, just months before the country achieved independence. He is honored as the father of modern Myanmar, with statues erected nationwide for decades.
Mo Thuzar, a Myanmar expert, analyzed that during the period when Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) governed from 2016 to 2020, the party accelerated construction of General Aung San statues and reinstated his image on local currency, aiming to revive his historical legacy and emphasize their familial connection.
However, after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military has sought every means to render the NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi politically irrelevant. The statue removals are seen as targeting her symbolic influence. Yet, a 34-year-old Yangon resident remarked, "They can remove the statues, but they will never erase Bo Jok’s [General Aung San’s] image from the people’s memory. They have power, weapons, and the army—what else are they afraid of?"
Myanmar military spokeswoman Khaing Khaing So responded after local media began reporting on the issue, stating the authorities do not intend destruction but are conducting systematic inspection and renovation, affecting only statues with "incorrect proportions and shapes."
The statement said that inspections of over 100 General Aung San statues across urban areas since 2016 revealed some did not align with the honor due to a historic figure. The authorities thus needed to maintain them systematically to prevent disrespect and ensure future generations can study Myanmar’s historical heritage correctly and appropriately.
Morgan Michaels, a Myanmar researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), pointed out another perspective: although General Aung San is a national hero, most ethnic group leaders do not share that view, as he is chiefly celebrated by the dominant Bamar elite group rather than by minority ethnicities.
During Suu Kyi’s government, efforts to erect statues of General Aung San or name bridges and infrastructure after him sparked severe conflicts and protests from ethnic groups like the Kachin and Kayah (Red Karen). They have their own heroes and view the imposition of Aung San statues in their areas as a symbol of Burmese dominance and control.
This aligns with comments from an anonymous ethnic politician who acknowledged General Aung San’s merits in achieving independence but stated that the NLD created many statues for its own political gain. He added, "There’s no need to keep so many statues of him. Their era is over."
. SourceAFP