Statues of Myanmar’s independence hero General Aung San have been quietly removed from public spaces across the country amid a broader political struggle involving his legacy. General Aung San, who played a pivotal role in securing Myanmar’s independence from colonial rule but was assassinated in 1947 months before independence was achieved, is widely regarded as the father of modern Myanmar and the father of detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Several statues of Aung San, many of which were erected during the decade in which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) was in power from 2016 to 2020, have disappeared in recent months. This removal has been observed in locations including Yangon’s Thu Mingalar Park, where a prominent statue installed nearly ten years ago was replaced with newly planted grass. Authorities have officially cited concerns over “incorrect proportions and shapes” of some statues as the reason for their removal.

Government spokeswoman Khaing Khaing Soe confirmed that since 2016, statues of Aung San across more than 100 townships have undergone review, resulting in some being taken down due to features deemed inconsistent with the historical figure’s dignity. She described the efforts as part of a “systematic maintenance” program designed to preserve respect for Aung San’s legacy and ensure that future generations study Myanmar’s history accurately.

However, analysts and observers suggest the removals may be politically motivated attempts by the military-led government under Min Aung Hlaing to diminish symbols associated with Suu Kyi and the NLD, which the military ousted in a 2021 coup that plunged Myanmar into civil conflict. Moe Thuzar, a Myanmar specialist, commented that many view Aung San’s legacy as closely intertwined with that of his daughter, and that the military seeks to render both politically irrelevant.

Despite the disappearance of statues, Aung San’s memory remains deeply ingrained in Myanmar’s national identity. His assassination and those of his colleagues are commemorated annually on Martyrs’ Day, a public holiday observed by thousands who visit the Yangon mausoleum where they are entombed. “They can remove the statues, but they can never erase Bogyoke’s image,” said one Yangon resident, using the Burmese honorific for general.

The legacy of Aung San is not uniformly embraced across Myanmar’s diverse ethnic groups. Researcher Morgan Michaels noted that while Aung San is revered mainly by the ethnic Bamar majority, many ethnic minorities who have long sought greater autonomy have contested efforts by the NLD government to erect statues or name infrastructure after him. Tensions over his symbolic representation have occasionally emerged under Suu Kyi’s administration, reflecting deeper ethnic fault lines in the country’s politics.

Several local residents have expressed frustration about the statue removals. One Yangon resident noted that a statue taken down from Mya Kan Thar Park earlier this month appeared to have “good proportions” and was in no need of replacement. In southern Mon state, authorities removed a statue installed in 2019 and covered its foundation shortly after, with local people reportedly hesitant to voice objections due to security concerns.

The ongoing statue removals thus highlight the contested nature of historical memory in Myanmar amid the country’s ongoing political turmoil and ethnic complexities, as competing forces seek to shape the public narrative of the nation’s founding.