General of Myanmar (Burma)

Thein Sein, President and former Prime Minister of Myanmar (Burma) (elected President on Feb 4, 2011)

Thein Sein, Prime Minister of Myanmar (Burma)

Thein Sein (born 20 April 1945) is the current prime minister of Burma (officially Myanmar). He was appointed in April 2007 by the nation’s ruling military junta as interim prime minister, replacing Soe Win, who was undergoing medical treatment. Thein Sein became Soe Win’s permanent successor on 24 October 2007 after Soe Win’s death on 12 October 2007.

Thein Sein held the position of first secretary in the ruling State Peace and Development Council junta. He is the country’s fourth-highest ranking general, and also serves as the chairman of the government-sponsored National Convention Convening Commission. Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Bangladesh and Cambodia.

Sometime after his official appointment as prime minister, he was promoted to the rank of full general from lieutenant general. On his first official visit outside Myanmar as prime minister, Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Than Shwe, General of Myanmar (Burma)

Than Shwe, General of Myanmar (Burma)

Senior General Than Shwe (born 2 February 1933) is the dictator of Myanmar (Burma), serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw and chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) since 23 April 1992. SPDC is the name of the former State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), established in 1988. He is also the head of Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA). These positions and titles effectively amount to Than Shwe being what is generally referred to as the “head” of Myanmar’s ruling military junta.

On 27 August 2010, rumors surfaced that Than Shwe and and his deputy, Gen. Maung Aye, along with six other top military officers, had resigned their military posts, and that he was expected to remain head of state until at least the end of the 2011 fiscal year, when he would transfer his position to the elected president. The rumor was proven false as the Burmese state media referred to him as Senior General three days later

Than Shwe was born in Minzu village, near Kyaukse, Mandalay Province, British Burma. After working as a postman he enlisted in the Burmese army, where he participated in the government’s powerful counter-insurgency campaign against ethnic-Karen guerrillas in eastern Burma.

After the military coup in 1962 by General Ne Win, Than Shwe continued to rise steadily through the ranks. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1972, Colonel in 1978, Commander of the South West Regional Command in 1983, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Brigadier-General and Deputy Minister of Defence in 1985 and then Major-General in 1986.

He also obtained a seat on the ruling Burma Socialist Programme Party’s Central Executive Committee.

The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) was created after the military organised another coup in response to the democracy uprising of 1988, and Than Shwe was appointed as one of 21 members of the cabinet headed by General Saw Maung.

On 23 April 1992, Saw Maung unexpectedly resigned, citing health reasons, and Than Shwe replaced him as Chairman of the Council, head of state, Secretary of Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

He is known to be a diabetic, and he is rumoured to have intestinal cancer. He rarely makes public appearances.

Than Shwe flew to Singapore on 31 December 2006. Concerns about Than’s health intensified after he failed to appear at an official Independence Day dinner for military leaders, officials, and diplomats on 4 January 2007. It was the first time since he took power in 1992 that Than did not host the annual dinner. Than Shwe had checked out of Singapore’s General Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment, and returned to Burma two weeks later.

In 2006, a home video footage of Than Shwe’s daughter Thandar Shwe’s wedding was leaked on the Internet, which sparked controversy and criticism from Burmese and foreign media for the lavish and seemingly ostentatious reception.

After days of anti-government protests, there were unconfirmed reports that Than Shwe’s wife and pets fled the country on 27 September 2007, possibly to Laos.

Than Shwe ranked No. 4 on Parade Magazine’s 2009 “World’s Worst Dictators” list.