NAY PYI TAW —The following is the translation of the message sent by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe on the occasion of the 89th Anniversary National Day.

Esteemed national people, today, the National Day is in its 89th anniversary that represents national education promotion movements launched with a strong sense of nationalistic fervour in the Myanmar’s struggles to regain independence and sovereignty from the colonialists.

Inspired by nationalistic spirit, the entire national people showed consolidated unity in the national level movement for bringing about an education system that conforms to the Myanmar socio-economic life. Then, the people stepped up the struggles in unity with a sense of nationalistic spirit, patriotism, and Union Spirit. As a result, the nation managed to regain independence. Therefore, the day on which the national movement began was designated as National Day.

Myanmar people are by nature strongly equipped with a sense of nationalistic fervour and patriotism with which they safeguard own lineage, religious faith, and education. So, national brethren have been capable of preserving and promoting national prestige and integrity by bravely and harmoniously repulsing alien invasions in the course of the Myanmar history.

Nowadays, certain neo-colonialist countries are interfering in the internal affairs of their targeted countries with the intention of widening the scope of their domination in various fields. Accordingly, the entire people are to tackle such political attempts with national awareness based on true patriotic spirit.

Myanmar is an independent country, so all are duty-bound to cohesively ward off alien threats with national objectives such as Our Three Main National Causes “Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of national solidarity, and Perpetuation of sovereignty” to be able to improve the future of the nation and the people, and ensure perpetuation of sovereignty.

Today, the world sees dramatic advancements in science and technology. The youth are being nurtured and groomed in accordance with the 30-year national education promotion plan, which can help the nation keep abreast of global partners in terms of education, with the aim of bringing about reliable human resources in the interest of the nation and the regions concerned. Now, all regions of the Union including border areas and rural regions have enjoyed equitable development.

Now, the State’s seven-step Road Map is in the process of being implemented to shape the nation into a peaceful, modern and developed discipline-flourishing democratic one. The constitution of the Union of Myanmar has been approved with massive support of the people at the referendum. The government is gearing up to hold the election according to the new constitution in 2010.

The government is determined to see to the policies it has laid down for better future of the nation and the people. Therefore, the people on their part are to elect reliable candidates in the public interest. Therefore, I would like to urge the entire people to work hard with nationalistic vigour in line with the 89th Anniversary National Day objectives: —

(1) To strengthen nationalistic spirit and uplift national prestige and integrity
(2) To promote national education,
(3) Perpetuity of independence and sovereignty
of the State,
(4) To achieve success in implementing the seven-step roadmap