Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma’s Tyrant

Reviewed by Reinhard Hohler, Chiang Mai, 27 June 2010

The just-published book about Senior General Than Shwe, Union of Myanmar’s secretive leader of the military government, is timely and overdue. Also, it can easily serve as a basis for future research. It is a moot point to argue, if it is worthwhile that the author has used the name “Burma” and “tyrant” in his preferred book title to show to the reader, where he is politically standing and from which side of our ideologically divided world he comes from.

Following the text of the backside of the book cover, which features a close-up photograph of Than Shwe at the front cover, the writer Benedict Rogers is a human rights advocate being the author of A Land Without Evil: Stopping the Genocide of Burma’s Karen People (London, 2004). Working with Christian Solidarity Worldwide, he has conducted over thirty fact-finding missions to the country and its borders. His articles appeared in newspapers such as International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, and TheGuardian.

The book’s contents are divided into a foreword written by Vaclav Havel, Former President of the Czech Republic, acknowledgements, author’s note, abbreviation list, introduction, eight chapters, with notes, bibliography and index. There are some six pages with black and white photographs included. Giving thanks to Ms. Trasvin Jittidecharak and her team at Chiang Mai’s Silkworm Books for taking on this project and all their support at every stage of the process, the author also mentions his employer, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, giving him time and space to research and write this book.

In chapter 1, “From postman to tyrant,” the question is asked who is Than Shwe and how did he become the dictator in Burma. Than Shwe was born on February 2, 1933, near Kyaukse, which is nearer to Mandalay on the main railway line between Yangon and Mandalay. Than Shwe’s parents were most likely rice paddy farmers so that Than Shwe’s early formal education was probably limited. The official biography claims he graduated from high school in 1951. Certainly serving some time as a novice monk, Than Shwe ended up as a clerk at the post office in Meiktila further south. In 1953, Than Shwe decided to join the “tatmadaw” (Burmese Army) in the old colonial hill station of Maymyo, now known as Pyin Oo Lwin. As an OTS (Officer Training School) cadet, Than Shwe is likely to have studied military science and upon graduation served as a platoon commander operating in the area around Hpa-an, Kayin State.

It was while serving in the infantry that Than Shwe met his wife-to-be, Daw Kyaing Kyaing from the Pa-O ethnic group, and they married on February 21, 1957. Not long after, Than Shwe was promoted to the rank of acting captain, and only one year later Than Shwe was appointed to the Office of the Director of Education and Psychological Warfare. It seems clear that it was here that Than Shwe learned how to become a dictator.

Chapter 2, “The land of green and orange,” details the process how Burma changed to be ruled by a military government under General Ne Win. Than Shwe was a supporter of the coup d’etat, which was set on March 2, 1962, and became an instructor and then a dean at the Central Institute of Political Sciences, which was to promulgate the ideology of Ne Win’s military government, namely the Burmese Way to Socialism. After turbulent war years fighting the Communist Party of Burma (CPB), Than Shwe was promoted in 1983 from commanding positions to the head of the entire Southwest Command based in Bassein, now called Pathein in the Irrawaddy Division, where he eventually became a brigadier general. There, he was obsessed with building bridges and roads to improve people’s lives.

Chapter 3 starts the discussion of the “democratic challenge” reaching its peak during the events of August 8, 1988. Into the midst of the following turmoil stepped Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of Burma’s independence hero General Aung San, who was brutally murdered in 1947. On July 27, 1988, Than Shwe had been appointed deputy defense minister and after Saw Maung’s coup on September 18, Than Shwe became the Number Two in the newly created State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Promised elections were held on May 27, 1990, which were overwhelmingly won by the National League for Democracy (NLD), but the military government refused to accept the results. Thus, on April 23, 1992, Than Shwe finally became the new Head of State.

Last but not least, in chapter 4, Than Shwe is accused of crimes against humanity, while Chapter 5 describes him in his role as the new emperor ruling the Union of Myanmar. There exists a leaked video of the opulent wedding ceremony of Than Shwe’s daughter Thandar Shwe in June 2006, which caused outrage among the Burmese population. Than Shwe is known to suffer diabetes and hypertension, but shows no sign of giving up. After the purge of the intelligence chief Khin Nyunt on October 18, 2004, Than Shwe’s power is stronger than ever.

Chapter 6 features the establishment of Naypyidaw — “The Seat of Kings” — as the new capital on November 6, 2005. Billions of dollars have been spent constructing a major building project near Pyinmana in the central part of Myanmar. The regime is even building a new international airport at Naypyidaw and expects ten million visitors a year to come.

But destiny struck again. In chapter 7, “The monks and the storm,” the author describes the “Saffron Revolution” in September 2007 and the “Cyclone Nargis” devastation in 2008 to the Irrawaddy Delta region of the country. Both events damaged the reputation of the military government, and as a consequence, the Burmese people stay determined to continue their struggle for freedom.

The concluding chapter 8, called “The rivals, the heirs, the cronies, and the future,” mentions that Than Shwe’s newly drafted constitution bars Aung San Suu Kyi from contesting the upcoming elections proposed to be held on October 10, 2010. And so far, the “tyrannical” country boy Than Shwe enjoys “unquestioned authority.” The book should not be missed in any library with books about things Burma/Myanmar.

Reinhard Hohler is a PhD candidate at Heidelberg University in Germany and studied ethnology, political science and geography, having travelled widely in all countries of Southeast Asia since 1973.