By former Prime Minister U Nu
Excerpts from his speeche made soon after Bogyoke’s assassination

I want to explain how far we have now progressed on the path to Freedom along which Bogyoke had led us. As a preface to that, I want to explain Bogyoke’s political goal and the strategy he adopted to attain the goal. His political goal is no less than the setting up of Burma as a completely independent Republic.

As for his strategy he had been at such pains to explain it to the country that it is quite clear already. I shall repeat it only by way of remininding the masses. In order to win complete freedom he would first explore whatever chance of peaceful amicable settlement that might be there, to the utmost. If that failed, only then would he resort to force. That is the extremely clear statement of Bogyoke’s strategy. There are some who dislike this strategy. They believe that freedom can only be wrested by force.

For seeking peaceful amicable settlement Bogyoke was accused by his political opponents of kneeling down to the Imperialists. To those who know Bogyoke well, this accusation was merely laughable. Bogyoke was not a one-track minded politician. If the objective was to be gained only by voilence he was violent. If the objective could be gained by peaceful means, he chose peaceful means…..

You may well ask, why is such a fighter now treading the path of peace ? I think I can answer that question better than any other person. Although Bogyoke and I are not brothers by blood we are brothers in politics. Since 1935 we have been brothers-in-arms in political struggles. Each of us knows the other’s thoughts and actions intimately. Therefore, I know very well why Bogyoke, the fighter, is now treading the path of peace. There are three reasons:

1. World situation is changed now.
2. He desires friendly relations between Britain and Burma.
3. He does not wish to cause unnecessary suffering to the masses of Burma

Now for the third reason why Bogyoke chose the path of peace. It is because he had no wish to cause unnecessary suffering to the masses of Burma. They have suffered enough already after having become a battlefield twice over. Bogyoke could not bear the thought of causing them unnecessary suffering on top of their terrible sufferings. That was why he sought for the ways and means which would impose as little hardship as pollible on the masses.

In the teeth of the barrage of false accusations such as weak-kneed Bogyoke, capitulation Bogyoke, Imperialists’ stool-pigeon Bogyoke, from his political enemies, Bogyoke’s solicitude for the masses was unshaken. And so, that is the third reason why Bogyoke not only sought the peaceful means that would do the least possible hurt to the masses but also left directives for further ways and means of relieving the suffering of the masses…..

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