BURMA - UPDATE
(9
November 2004)
Aung San Suu
Kyi (ASSK)
§
Aung San Suu Kyi, 59 years, is still under house arrest - altogether,
she has been under detention for the equivalent of 9 years on 24 October 2004.
State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC)
§
In an 18-page booklet (7 Nov 2004), General Thura
Shwe Mann, Joint Chief of Staff and third man in the military hierarchy, detailed
Khin Nyunt's role in a major corruption scandal. Confronted
by Than Shwe, Khin Nyunt reportedly retaliated by investigating regular army
generals, which Shwe Mann said could have led to the disintegration of the
military and posed a serious threat to the nation. He was, therefore, permitted
to retire.
§
On 5 Nov 2004, Home Minister Colonel Tin Hlaing was permitted to retire;
§
Labour Minister Major 'U' Tin Winn was also permitted to retire. He had
been concurrently appointed as Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office
on 17 Sep following the removal of Foreign Minister Win Aung. He was the senior
official that led this year's Myanmar delegation to the United
Nations General Assembly in New York;
§
Maj-General Maung Oo, Commander - Western Military
Region became Home Minister.
§
Minister for Science and Technology 'U' Thaung
was appointed Labour Minister.
§
The National Intelligence Bureau (established in 1983) which gave
wide-ranging powers to Khin Nyunt as head of intelligence, was abolished on 22 Oct 2004. The NIB coordinated intelligence between the Ministries of Defense,
Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, National Planning and Economic Development, and
Immigration and Population.
§
On 22 Oct, new Foreign Minister Major-General 'U' Nyan
Win told diplomats in a confidential briefing that Khin Nyunt had to bear his
share of responsibility for the corruption within the ranks of Military
Intelligence.
§
On 18 Oct 2004, Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt, 65 years, was permitted to retire for health reasons by order of
Senior General Than Shwe, 71 years;
§
Lieut-General Soe Win, SPDC
Secretary-1, 56 years, was appointed Prime Minister. He is said to have been
behind the Depayin massacre in May 2003.
§
Lieut-General Thein Sein, SPDC Secretary-2, was
appointed Secretary-1;
§
On 17 September 2004, Foreign Minister Win Aung,
61 years, was permitted to retire. Early in his career, he was a military
intelligence officer and served as an aide to the newly appointed Intelligence
Chief Khin Nyunt in 1984;
§
Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win, was also permitted to retire.
§
Agriculture Minister Major-General Nyunt Tin, was permitted to retire;
§
Transport Minister Major-General Hla Myint Swe, was permitted to retire;
§
Major-General 'U' Nyan Win, Vice-Chief of
Defense Services Training, with no experience in international relations became
Foreign Minister, replacing Win Aung;
§
Colonel 'U' Maung Myint was appointed Deputy
Foreign Minister;
§
Major-General Htay Oo, Cooperatives Minister,
was appointed Agriculture Minister;
§
Major-General Thein Swe, Prime Minister's
Office Minister, became Transport Minister;
§
Major-General Pyi Sone,
Minister of Commerce, became PM's Office Minister;
§
Brig-General Tin Naing Thein,
Forestry Dty Minister, became Minister of Commerce;
The National
Convention
§
According to Lieut-General Thein Sein, SPDC Secretary-1 and
Chairman of the National Convention Convening Commission, the Convention
recessed in July, will be re-convened in January 2005. He also reiterated the SPDC's commitment to the 7-point Road Map announced by the
then Prime Minister Khin Nyunt in August 2003.
Cease-Fire
Armies
§
Contrary to what was reported in September, the cease-fire armies in
October decided to return to the National Convention if it reconvened. This
followed intensive lobbying by Khin Nyunt and senior military intelligence
officials prior to current developments.
Karen National Union (KNU) - SPDC Talks
§
The Karen National Union (KNU)
ceasefire negotiating team led by Colonel Htoo Htoo Lay left for Rangoon on 18 Oct 2004, the day that Khin Nyunt was detained. After the Khin Nyunt purge, MI
officials held a day of informal talks with the KNU team and recommended that
they return home. They arrived back safely on 21
Oct 2004.
Arakan, Chin, Karenni, and Shan Groups
§
It is now unlikely that the SPDC will be initiating peace talks with
the Arakan, Chin, Karenni, SSA (South), and other smaller ethnic Pa-O, Palaung, Lahu and Wa armies;
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