Shwe Mann
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Shwe Mann Out of Favor?
Although groomed to take over as commander in chief of the Burmese armed forces, Joint Chief of Staff Gen Shwe Mann is suddenly keeping a low profile, according to military sources and businessmen in Rangoon. The former regional commander of Irrawaddy Division, who was promoted to general in 2003, is reportedly distancing himself from other military leaders as rivalry for the leadership succession intensifies. Sources said that Snr-Gen Than Shwe and Vice SnrGen Maung Aye have received complaints from senior officers about the Shwe Mann family’s growing business empire and alleged favoritism toward his sons. Shwe Mann began backtracking when his family’s business dealings were exposed by the exiled media, including The Irrawaddy, and by his business associates. Two of his sons, Aung Thet Shwe Mann (Illustration: Harn Lay/The Mann and Toe Naing Mann, run the Ayer Shwe Wah Irrawaddy) rice-exporting company, which is closely linked to Htoo Trading Company, owned by Burma’s most prominent businessman, Tay Za. Both companies and their directors are on the US sanctions list. Shwe Mann was never previously involved in business, but lobbied the government for his sons to receive concessions, as well as import and export licenses. In 2000, Ayer Shwe Wah acquired more than 30,000 acres of wetlands and rice paddy in the Irrawaddy delta region. The company also received lucrative government contracts to supply fertilizers to farmers throughout the delta and has been involved in construction projects in the administrative capital, Naypyidaw.
Four Rising Stars Military sources have reported that there are four army officers favored by Snr-Gen Than Shwe who could potentially become commander in chief of Burma’s armed forces: Lt-Gen Myint Swe, head of the Bureau of Special Operations (5) and a member of the ruling junta; Lt-Gen Myint Hlaing, the air defense chief; Maj-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, commander of the Triangle Region Command; and Gen Thura Myint Aung, currently serving as adjutant general at the Defense Ministry. Although Myint Swe has an advantage thanks to his close personal ties to Than Shwe and his wife, the other contenders also warrant close attention. Thura Myint Aung was formerly posted in Irrawaddy Division as the commander of the Southeast Regional Command—a position that often leads to promotion to the top post. Min Aung Hlaing, who has recently appeared in state-run newspapers and has held a series of meetings with ceasefire groups in northern Shan State, also looks like a serious candidate for the position. The reports follow the apparent fall from grace of Gen Thura Shwe Mann, whose two sons’ highprofile business activities have attracted the disapproving attention of Than Shwe and his deputy, army chief Gen Maung Aye.
Although groomed to take over as commander in chief of the Burmese armed forces, Joint Chief of Staff Gen Shwe Mann is suddenly keeping a low profile, according to military sources and businessmen in Rangoon. The former regional commander of Irrawaddy Division, who was promoted to general in 2003, is reportedly distancing himself from other military leaders as rivalry for the leadership succession intensifies. Sources said that Snr-Gen Than Shwe and Vice SnrGen Maung Aye have received complaints from senior officers about the Shwe Mann family’s growing business empire and alleged favoritism toward his sons. Shwe Mann began backtracking when his family’s business dealings were exposed by the exiled media, including The Irrawaddy, and by his business associates. Two of his sons, Aung Thet Shwe Mann (Illustration: Harn Lay/The Mann and Toe Naing Mann, run the Ayer Shwe Wah Irrawaddy) rice-exporting company, which is closely linked to Htoo Trading Company, owned by Burma’s most prominent businessman, Tay Za. Both companies and their directors are on the US sanctions list. Shwe Mann was never previously involved in business, but lobbied the government for his sons to receive concessions, as well as import and export licenses. In 2000, Ayer Shwe Wah acquired more than 30,000 acres of wetlands and rice paddy in the Irrawaddy delta region. The company also received lucrative government contracts to supply fertilizers to farmers throughout the delta and has been involved in construction projects in the administrative capital, Naypyidaw.
Four Rising Stars Military sources have reported that there are four army officers favored by Snr-Gen Than Shwe who could potentially become commander in chief of Burma’s armed forces: Lt-Gen Myint Swe, head of the Bureau of Special Operations (5) and a member of the ruling junta; Lt-Gen Myint Hlaing, the air defense chief; Maj-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, commander of the Triangle Region Command; and Gen Thura Myint Aung, currently serving as adjutant general at the Defense Ministry. Although Myint Swe has an advantage thanks to his close personal ties to Than Shwe and his wife, the other contenders also warrant close attention. Thura Myint Aung was formerly posted in Irrawaddy Division as the commander of the Southeast Regional Command—a position that often leads to promotion to the top post. Min Aung Hlaing, who has recently appeared in state-run newspapers and has held a series of meetings with ceasefire groups in northern Shan State, also looks like a serious candidate for the position. The reports follow the apparent fall from grace of Gen Thura Shwe Mann, whose two sons’ highprofile business activities have attracted the disapproving attention of Than Shwe and his deputy, army chief Gen Maung Aye.
