Assassins Attack Burmese Council Room

Chronicle (Levin), 21 July 1947, Page 5

Assassins Attack Burmese Council Room

Press" Assn-

By Telegraph

-Copyright

ReQpiygd gifflLd&y, ,7,0 p.m. t LQNh.QN, JUiy 1.9. . Piye MhUsters a»d a 'Gp.verumeiit officigl were kiUed in an attack on members of fne Burmese jGrpyernmgnv. at a mpeting pf the Bxecufive Cqun.cn at Rangoon ihis morning- Their namewere: — Mr.- Aiung Sap, Minister of Externa. Afxairs. Mr, U" Ea Win, Minister of Commerce. Mr. AbcLnl Razak, Minister of -Education. Mr. Mahn Ba . Khaipg, Minister 01 Industry. ' Mr. Thakin Mya, Mipiste'r of Pin ance. ' Mr. Qhn Maung, Secretary of Transport! A Burma office statement on the assassination says six men drove up to the Execntiye Council 's office this piorning while the council was in ses sion. One stayed in the jeep and five went upstairp to the council chamber, three carrying sten guns and two with rifles. The armed guard who attempt ed to stop them wa's shot and seriously wounded. The ■ three with. sten guns entered the council chamber and spray•3d the members - of . the council with bullets. All the assassins then escaped in the jeep. In addition to those killed the following were wounded: Mr. U Ba Choeh, Minister of Inforrnation, and the Sawbwa of Mong Pawn, Counsellor for the Frontier Areas. Reports suggest that the situation is fully under control. Sir Hubert Rance, Governor, in a broadcast from Rangoon deplored "this distardly act which has robbed Burma qf a statesman and leader and niinis ters who can ill be spared. ' ' He an nounced that Mr. • Thakin Ny had agreed to form a new council and would have the assistance of Mr. Pyaw Bwe, Mr. Umya, Mr U Aung San Wai, and Mr. U .Ba Cyan.

"I call upon the people of Burma to remain cairn and eontinue to follow a wise course towards the independence set up by their leaders," he added. Mr. Aung San was aged 32. He was a leading figure in the first Burmese Executive Council formed on September 26, 1946. He was president of the AntiPascist Freedom League and former commander of the Burmese "patriotic forces." He was Minister of _De-fen-ce as well as External Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Council. He joined the British 4ih 1945 against the Japanese. The Burmese regarded him as their Jiberator. Mr. -j,ung San was born of peasant stock and educated at Rangoon University. He studied law and' gave it up for politics.

Mr. Ba Win was a former Mavor ot Rangoon. The British arrested him in 1941 under the Defenee of Burma Act. Mr. Thakin Mya was president of the Soeialist Party an'd chairman of the Consti'tilent Assemb'ly. He visitod London in January 1947 with the party of leaders of the Freedom Leagpe. Mr. Abdul Razak was chairman of the National PJanning Board established in May to plan the development of Burma. Mr. U Ba Win, who wras an elder brother of Mr. Aung San, was a sehool teaeher for many years in the Yenang yaung area. Mr.' Mahn Ba Khaing was a Karen leader formerlv associated with the anti-Faseist People's Freedom League. He joined the Executive Council in Oetober 1946. Mr. Ohn Maung was a member of the civil service. j\Ir. U Ba Choe is a leading Burmes' journalist and president of the Burmese Press Union. He supported the Anti Fascist People's Freedom League from the inception and became Minister of Inforrnation in thc Executive Council early in 1947. The Sawbwa of Mong Pawn is the Governor 's eounsel for thc frontier areas and was a member of the committee set up under the chairman ship of the Commoner, Mr Rees Wil lianis, to consider tlie best method 01 associating the people of the frontiei areas with the worMng.out of the new constitution. -v " f eLV - Thq Government and His Majesti have sent niessages expressing deepesl sympathy to the Burmese Executive Council and relatives of the victims Mr. Nehru, from New Delhi, sent tliitmessage: "India, Burma and Asia in dulge in violenee at the peril of their freedom. I mourn for Mr. Aung San a friend and eomrade who even in hif youth had beeome the architect qf Burma 's freedom and acknowledged leader of her people."