The picture below appeared on the front page of The Nation on 5 February 1962.

The caption below the picture stated the following:

GOOD DEED FOR EVERYONE’S GOOD: “If we have ill-treated you in the past, forgive us. If you have done us wrong, we also forgive you. Let us not seek revenge on each other.” With these words and a prayer that the good deed for the day may result in happiness for al the people of this country, the Prime Minister gave sanctuary to 602 animals at a ceremony held at the Rangoon Mounted Police lines yesterday morning. He is shown above sprinkling water from a silver bowl with the aid of a “thabye” branch over the three pigs included among the 602 animals.

Three questions popped into my mind when I read this. The first regards the statement, “Let us not seek revenge on each other.” Hmmm, how exactly do pigs seek revenge on human beings???

Second, why 602? My guess would be that there was something significant about this number. What?

Third, this prime minister was overthrown less than a month after this picture was taken. What happened to these 602 animals after that?