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Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing stands in a automobile overseeing a army parade to mark Independence Day in Naypyitaw on January 4 this yr. / AFP
By The Irrawaddy 13 February 2023
A reshuffle of the regime’s cupboard on the two-year anniversary of the coup earlier this month noticed the junta boss providing “jobs for the boys”. A lot of the new appointees are ex-generals whereas some are additionally pals of Min Aung Hlaing.
Nepotism has been a characteristic of Min Aung Hlaing’s management since he grew to become army chief in 2011, with critics condemning a promotion coverage that eschews benefit in favor of connections.
He appointed former Brigadier-Basic Khin Yi as immigration minister following the coup, earlier than putting in him late final yr as head of the army’s proxy Union Solidarity and Growth Get together (USDP), a place important for Min Aung Hlaing’s deliberate ballot. The junta boss is expounded to Khin Yi by marriage.
Min Aung Hlaing had additionally appointed former Colonel Wunna Maung Lwin as international minister. The ex-colonel’s spouse Daw Lin Lin Tin is cousin to the junta’s chief’s spouse Kyu Kyu Hla.
Wunna Maung Lwin was changed earlier this month after the regime suffered growing diplomatic isolation for the reason that coup. Usually, he would have been pressured to step down after his efforts didn’t woo western international locations together with the US.
However Min Aung Hlaing has reserved a seat for his relative by marriage within the regime’s governing physique, the State Administration Council.
One other nepotistic appointment is former Main-Basic Maung Maung Ohn, who grew to become the Data Minister. His daughter Ei Moh Moh Aung is shut pals with the junta chief’s daughter, Khin Thiri Thet Min.
New international minister
U Wunna Maung Lwin was changed by U Than Swe, who was a part of the Protection Providers Academy (DSA) sixteenth consumption. He retired as a colonel in 2000.
Than Swe was a long-time Myanmar diplomat, serving as ambassador to the US below the earlier regime’s State Peace and Growth Council and ex-general Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian authorities. As ambassador, he organized for President Thein Sein’s go to to the US in 2012. U Thein Sein was accompanied on the journey by President’s Workplace minister U Aung Min, U Soe Thane, and immigration minister U Khin Yi. The Burmese delegation visited the Washington D.C. headquarters of Radio Free Asia, the place U Aung Min gave an interview stressing the significance of US assist.
Observers interpret Than Swe’s appointment as an try and rekindle ties with western international locations together with the US because the regime loses floor on the diplomatic entrance.
Former army intelligence officer U Aung Ling Htut, who has been dwelling within the US, believes the regime will discover it nearly not possible to re-engage with the US, partly as a result of it has no intermediaries just like the earlier army regime did, and partly as a result of the junta has turn into too near Russia.
Than Swe was assigned to steer the nation’s anti-corruption fee final yr earlier than he was made the international minister on Feb. 1. Because the anti-graft physique’s chair, he’s believed to have performed a job in prosecuting civilian chief Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on costs of corruption.
Generals turn into ministers, chief ministers
Former Brig-Gen Aung Thaw grew to become minister of lodges and tourism within the reshuffle. He was a classmate of Min Aung Hlaing within the nineteenth consumption of the DSA. He retired from the Navy after reaching the rank of Brig-Basic.
He served because the deputy protection minister within the U Thein Sein authorities. He contested the 2020 common election in Yangon’s Cocokyun Township on a USDP ticket.
He grew to become Myanmar-Russia Friendship Affiliation chairman following the 2021 coup and has accompanied the junta boss on his Russia journeys.
With no recognized expertise in tourism, will probably be fascinating to see how he makes an attempt to revive an business devastated by the double influence of COVID-19 and the coup. Maybe he has simply been tasked with wooing Russian vacationers to Myanmar.
4 former lieutenant-generals who retired after reaching pensionable age following the coup have been appointed to senior positions within the Feb. 1 reshuffle, with three changing into chief ministers – of Kayah (Karenni) and Shan states and Ayeyarwady Area – and one changing into a Union minister.
The latter is new Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Minister U Min Naung. He joined the 66th consumption of Officer Coaching College earlier than serving as chief of Japanese Central Command, chief of Bureau of Particular Operations 4, and Navy Inspector Basic.
Following the coup, he was appointed secretary of the junta’s Nationwide Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee.
The Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry grew to become infamous for ‘fringe advantages’ below the earlier junta, the State Regulation and Order Restoration Council. Since then, its ministers and directors-general have amassed large wealth, with one director-general rumored to have turn into as wealthy as a crony and capable of lend cash to banks.
The brand new Shan State chief minister, U Aung Zaw Aye, is a former lieutenant-general who led the Bureau of Particular Operations 2. He oversaw army operations in Kayah and Shan state after the coup.
Former Lt-Gen Zaw Myo Tin and former Lt-Gen air protection chief Tin Maung Win grew to become chief ministers of Kayah State and Ayeyarwady Area respectively.
Former Col Htein Lin, who served as Rakhine State safety and border affairs minister within the U Thein Sein authorities, was appointed Rakhine State chief minister within the Feb. 1 reshuffle.
Within the two years for the reason that coup, almost 1,000 army personnel have been transferred to authorities departments. And extra are anticipated to fill the ministries as army rule continues.
There can even be extra generals within the management. And there’ll undoubtedly be extra nepotistic appointments and promotions for family members and pals of Min Aung Hlaing and his household.
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