On April 12, people in Hpakant city, Kachin State, held a mass protest and Revolutionary Thingyan celebration against the violent military dictatorship. This event was organized to demonstrate public opposition to the military council’s brutality and show the strength of people’s unity. The citizens of Hpakant chose to boycott the military council’s official Thingyan festivities and instead organized their own Revolutionary Thingyan celebration as an expression of their resistance against the military dictatorship.
During the event, participants strongly condemned the military council’s nationwide campaign of aerial bombardments, arson attacks, sexual violence, and mass killings of innocent civilians. The people called for unity among all citizens in the Spring Revolution and urged everyone to join forces in completely eliminating the violent military forces. The Revolutionary Thingyan featured traditional thangyat performances that helped boost public morale and strengthen revolutionary spirit while maintaining cultural traditions. These performances served as both entertainment and a medium for expressing political messages.
This Revolutionary Thingyan represents a transformation of Myanmar’s traditional water festival into a movement of resistance against military rule. Despite living under the oppression of the military council, the event demonstrated that the people continue their struggle for democracy and freedom. The brave actions of Hpakant’s citizens in organizing this event have served as an inspiration for revolutionary movements across the country, showing that cultural celebrations can be powerful tools for expressing political dissent while maintaining Myanmar’s cultural heritage in the face of military oppression.
