great nations of the world. It is unity which has brought our struggle for independence to this early fruition and may unity continue to be the watchword for every member of the Sovereign Independent Republic to be henceforth known as the Union of Burma. Excerpt from "the White Umbrella" by Patricia Elliot (Pg. 206–207) On 4 January 1949, a mass rally was held outside City Hall to mark the first anniversary of Independence Day. As head of state, (he) addressed the crowd. To his credit, he didn't serve up the previous year's menu of brave words and high purpose. Instead he issued a warning. Co-operation and understanding cannot come about so long as the element of violence or threat of violence exists, for violence has no counterpart in freedom, and liberty ends where violence begins. The progressive retreat of democracy in the world today is mainly due to the worship by nations of the cult of physical force. The deterioration in this direction has been such that the much-vaunted democracies are nowadays hardly distinguishable from totalitarian states. He made a direct stab at his own country's deteriorating political situation with insurgencies and armed conflicts. Speaker of the Chamber of Nationalities After this term as president, he was the speaker of the Chamber of Nationalities, the upper house, from 1950 to 1962. In the military coup of March 1962 he was arrested by the Union Revolutionary Council headed by General Ne Win and died in prison in November 1962. One of his sons, 17 at that time, was killed in the March 1962 military coup, apparently the only casualty on the day of the coup. Notes References The Union of Burma: A Study of the First Years of Independence By Hugh Tickner. New York: Oxford University Press, 1957. xiv, 424. Maps, Bibliography at page 24 Bibliography External links Leaders of Myanmar (Burma) Sao Shwe Thaik's speech on Burmese independence, 4 January 1948 1895 births 1962 deaths Presidents of Myanmar Burmese people who died in prison custody Prisoners who died in Burmese detention Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League politicians People from Shan State Recipients of the Order of the Union of Myanmar Burmese people of Shan descent Yawnghwe Burmese military personnel of World War II