Than Shwe—Man in the Iron Mask

Even high-ranking officers are not sure where they stand

By Aung Zaw

Last month, rumors in Rangoon indicated a bitter quarrel had broken out among the regime’s three top leaders and that the generals had a bizarre gun battle, resulting in the death of a bodyguard. A major military reshuffle was expected, and some senior high ranking officials, including the prime minister, were about to be axed, so the rumors went.

Some observers think the gun battle story was sparked by the death “on duty” of Lt-Col Bo Win Tun, 42, Dep Snr-Gen Maung Aye’s personal assistant. Many believe he was killed in the cowboy-style shoot out. There was no official explanation of how he died.

The rumor mills were further fed by the mysterious public disappearance for weeks of newly appointed Prime Minister Lt-Gen Soe Win. It prompted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to say that political tension in Burma was rising.

As anticipated, all top brass subsequently appeared in public in an obvious show of unity. But many remained unconvinced that all was well.

Since the removal of former military intelligence chief and prime minister Gen Khin Nyunt in October last year, the regime’s stability and unity have been continually questioned.

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