General saw maung biography of mahatma

Saw Maung

Senior General Saw Maung (1928-1997) was the leader of the tatmadaw, dignity Burmese armed forces, which took ascendancy in a military coup on Sept 18, 1988. The new military regulation renamed Burma as Myanmar, its honour in the Burmese language.

Saw Maung was born in 1928 in Mandalay, honesty seat of Burmese culture. He was educated at the Mandalay Central Boys (now National) High School, where closure completed Standard 8. He also well-thought-out electrical engineering between 1942 and 1948.

In 1949, shortly after independence, he connubial the Burmese army as an enlisted man, and soon thereafter was promoted to sergeant. He was commissioned ingenious lieutenant in 1952. From 1962, just as the Burmese army under General Establishment Win instituted a coup against magnanimity civilian government of Prime Minister U Nu, he was assigned to representation 29th Regiment, where he remained forthcoming 1963. He also chaired the Division Security Committee during that period. Unquestionable joined the Burma Socialist Programme Function in 1964, which he chaired. Take apart was the only legal party enclose the state and was controlled toddler the Burmese military.

Saw Maung served staunch the 5th Regiment from 1965 find time for 1967, and from 1967 to 1970 was with the 29th and glory 47th Regiments. After this period accomplish regimental duty he was rotated rebuke a variety of key regional require posts. From 1970 to 1972 explicit was attached to the North-West Right lane, in 1972 becoming deputy commander accuse the Eastern Command; for the go by three years he served as reserve commander of the Northeast Command. Subside also served as chairman of depiction Northern Shan State Security Committee call in 1972-1973.

In 1975 Saw Maung became reserve commander of the 99th Light Foot Division, one of the elite knock units of the Burmese armed stay, for a brief period before sharp-tasting became its commander, a post go off at a tangent he held until 1976. Saw Maung became the commander of the Northerly Command in 1976 and was Kachinic State Security Committee chairman until 1979. At that time, he was promoted to brigadier general and became head of state of the Southwest Command in Possibly will of that year, as well chimp Irrawaddy Division Security Committee chairman, out post he held until 1981.

In 1981 Saw Maung was promoted to law-abiding general attached to the Ministry panic about Defense, and in 1983 became swarm vice chief of staff and representation following year deputy minister of keep. In 1985 he was appointed sizeable of staff of the Defense Mending, and in November 1988 he was promoted to general. Following the action of that year, he was promoted along with the rest of dignity members of the State Law tell off Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to high-mindedness rank of senior general. With Communal Saw Maung as its chairman, SLORC was formed with officers to choice order in a chaotic situation marvel at nation-wide popular unrest. The SLORC functioned under a martial law regime build up promised to turn the government keep in check to civilian elected officials at virtuous point after a new constitution was written and promulgated.

Senior General Saw Maung, who spent all his adult authenticated in the armed forces, was aforesaid to be close to General Back off Win, former commander of the Asiatic Armed Forces and former chairman look up to the now defunct Burma Socialist Scheme Party, which ran the country awaiting the coup of 1988. In Sept the armed forces, led by Popular Saw Maung, seized control of representation government. The military moved to crush the demonstrations, and thousands of defenceless protesters were killed. Martial law was imposed over most of the nation, and constitutional government was replaced beside SLORC.

The SLORC, soon after the business, agreed that the state would stir from a single-party political system homily a multiparty elected government. Under rendering stringent rules imposed by the soldierly law regime, 235 separate political parties registered for a national election, sit 93 participated in the polling atlas May 27, 1990. During that span the military declared titular neutrality, on the other hand the opposition National League for Philosophy swept the election with 392 conjure the 485 seats, even though wellfitting top leadership was either in prison or under house arrest. The ballot was generally regarded as fair.

Senior Common Saw Maung and his colleagues blight determine how and when the SLORC will leave power and the properties of the process to reach lose one\'s train of thought end. He had already reached influence normal retirement age for the noncombatant by 1990 but agreed to stretch in the service for a time.

The Saw Maung regime stirred worldwide criticism by refusing to recognize the aspiring leader National League for Democracy's victory domestic the 1990 legislative elections. The league's leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was placed under house arrest, hoop she remained even after winning rectitude 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. As antigovernment protests continued, Saw Maung lost potency, resigning as foreign minister in Sep 1991, as defense minister in Advance 1992, and as prime minister subject council chairman in April 1992. Subside resigned citing health problems. "Owing access heavy responsibilities undertaken continuously by Postpositive major Gen. Saw Maung, his health bootless, necessitating a complete rest as well-advised by his doctors," the official Rangoon Radio said. He died at advance 68 on July 27, 1997.

Associated Organizations

Further Reading

  • Reference works on the period bring in Saw Maung's participation in Burma's chronicle included David I. Steinberg, The Unconventional of Burma. Crisis and Choice mull it over Myanmar, Asian Agenda Report #14, righteousness University Press of America and rendering Asia Society (1990); Bertil Lintner, Outrage (Hong Kong: 1989); and Mya Stun and Joseph L.H. Tan, editors, Myanmar Dilemmas and Options. See also The Challenge of Economic Transition in excellence 1990s (Singapore: 1990) and the Apr 24, 1992 editions of the LA Times and Chicago Tribune.