Suu Kyi’s 64th Birthday Celebrated amid Repression

While celebrations of the 64th birthday of Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi were freely held around the world on Friday, her supporters in Burma celebrated her birthday under the junta’s tight repression.

National League for Democracy (NLD) sources said supporters held a religious ceremony to mark her birthday early Friday morning at party headquarters. However, authorities harassed one monastery not to send monks to perform the ceremony.

Two guitarists perform songs dedicated to pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a celebration to mark the detained leader's 64th birthday at the headquarters of the National League for Democracy on Friday. (Photo: AP)

About five hundred people including journalists attended the birthday ceremony at NLD headquarters in Rangoon.

“First we invited five monks from the well-known Maha Si Monastery. However, authorities prevented those monks from coming,” a NLD source told The Irrawaddy.

“So we invited monks from other monasteries,” he said. “But only four monks dared to come to our office. We held the Buddhist ceremony for her birthday with four monks.”

In the Buddhist tradition, at least five monks should be present to conduct a religious ceremony.

A highlight of the celebrations at the Rangoon headquarters of the National League for Democracy on Friday morning was a musical rendition by NLD youth members of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If,” a popular composition encouraging strength of character and steadfastness. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Burmese monks, who led the mass demonstrations in September 2007, are under close watch by security forces. Authorities do not want to see close ties between monks and members of the main opposition NLD party, say observers.

According to NLD sources, four monks who participated in the birthday ceremony were later contacted by authorities. It is not known if they were arrested or just questioned.

In keeping with a tradition on Suu Kyi’s birthday, the NLD granted scholarship to 130 children of political prisoners.

“Last year, we gave grants to 80 children,” said Than Aye, a NLD member who directs the NLD scholarship program.

Apart from the Buddhist ceremony, the NLD also held other observances for the birthday event. Suu Kyi’s supporters freed 65 birds and prayed for her release. Rangoon residents said that authorities banned bird selling around some pagodas to prevent people from celebrating her birthday. In Burmese tradition, people free birds when they want a loved one to be free of a hindrance or obstacle.

Birthday celebrations at the Rangoon headquarters of the National League for Democracy were attended by NLD members and their leaders and also a number of ethnic representatives. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Also, NLD members read Rudyard Kipling’s poem entitled “If,” which was translated by Suu Kyi from English to Burmese.

Ordinary citizens celebrated Suu Kyi’s birthday in various ways.

“Today I went to Shwe Dagon Pagoda and lighted 64 candles before a Buddha statue at the Tuesday corner of the pagoda,” said a student at Dagon University in Rangoon. Suu Kyi was born on Tuesday. “I pray for her health and for her to be able to work freely on political activities.”

Since last Thursday, security forces in Rangoon and other large cities have been on alert. Rangoon residents said securities forces have assumed positions at significant intersections and military trucks patrol the city.