Among the crowds visiting the Secretariat on the second annual open day over the weekend were blue-shirted staffers from the Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT).
The group is advising the private developer holding the lease for the building on how to proceed with plans for a museum and additional preservation work.
Shwe Yin Mar Oo, information officer for YHT, told the Voice Weekly that 500 surveys were passed out to members of the public seeking their advice. Half filled the paperwork out and returned them on the spot.
“We distributed them to 500 people but we got answers only from 250 people. We asked why the Secretariat building is important to them, how they want to see the room where the leaders were assassinated, and how they want it to be,” she said, referring to the second-floor area where Aung San and cabinet members were gunned down on July 19, 1947.
Myo Myint, a visitor from North Okkalapa township, told the Voice that the room where the killings took place needs work.
“The room where the leaders were assassinated became a prayer room. They should not do this. They should take care of it for the future generations to learn,” he said. “They said they are renovating, but they just neglect this building. Floors are dangerous. The signboard in the front side is ruined. There is also no indicator inside the compound.”
If you haven’t seen our video capturing the open day at the Secretariat, you can watch it here.
Photo / Aung Naing Soe
