68 years after independence leader Aung San was gunned down with cabinet members on the second floor of the Secretariat in Yangon, members of the public were allowed to walk around the grounds of the colonial-era complex on Sunday and even take pictures outside the second-floor room where the assassinations took place.
The killings occured on July 19, 1947, and the date is now a national holiday.
It was the second year in a row that the government opened the gates of the architectural jewel located in the heart of downtown Yangon. There has been more transparency since a private company leased the structure and openly discussed plans for a museum.
The day was unforgettable, as many wandered into the manicured grounds for the first time in their lives, gazing up at the fading red brick and walking through the long stone hallways. We managed to get some video of the once-a-year event, embedded below.
Video by Coconuts Media
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