Shedding Skin: Junta Ministers Quit Army Ranks

26 April 2010: All ranking generals and senior army officers holding ministerial portfolios within Burma’s ruling State Peace and Development Council have resigned their military posts, a Chinland Guardian source has revealed.

Part of the junta’s planned transition process; the mass resignation of ranking army officials has been predicted for some time. It signals a move toward ‘civilianizing’ some leading members of the Burmese military ahead of the elections planned for later this year.

“[Prime Minister] General Thein Sein will now become U Thein Sein and [Information Minister] Brig-General Kyaw Hsan, U Kyaw Hsan and so on,” the source says. It adds, however, that the ‘ex-military’ leaders will keep their ministerial positions for now.

Burma’s military regime is yet to announce a date for the elections planned for this year. However, the majority of leading opposition parties has already decided not to participate due to elements in the junta’s electoral laws that effectively pre-disqualify them from contesting.

© Chinland Guardian