Will Likely Vice President Be Brave?

Burma's highest medal of honor after it proclaimed independence in 1948 was called the “Aung San Thuriya.” This medal was the highest recognition for valor and gallantry “in the face of the enemy” that could be awarded to members of Burma's Armed Forces of any rank or in any service. Only six Aung San Thuriya medals have ever been awarded.

No Aung San Thuriya medals have been awarded since 1988, when Aung San Suu Kyi rose to prominence as the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement. To diminish her political influence, the regime tried to obscure the history and name of her father, Burmese independence hero Aung San. Consequently, the regime has only conferred the second- and third-highest medals, the “Thiha Thura” and the “Thura.” To this day, 46 Thiha Thura and 517 Thura medals have been awarded.

Tin Aung Myint Oo addresses at a ceremony to mark the 63rd anniversary of Independence Day on Jan. 4, 2011, in Naypyidaw. (Photo: AP)

Currently, the most prominent person among the award winners is former Gen Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, the incumbent Secretary 1 of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), who was nominated by the military as vice-president in the soon-to-be-formed government. According to those who have dealt with him, he is ambitious, arrogant and corrupt. He is, however, a favorite of junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe, although observers say that if the former general doesn't change his ways after the new government is formed, he could be on his way out. He wouldn't be the first to be purged for egregious abuse of power.

Tin Aung Myint Oo received his medal in 1989, when Burma's army was fighting back against a heavy offensive that had been launched by the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) along the Sino-Burmese border. This took place as the regime was crushing the nationwide pro-democracy uprising, which the junta accused the CPB of instigating. At the time, Tin Aung Myint Oo, who had graduated from the Defense Services Academy Intake 12, was a major and the deputy commander of Light Infantry Battalion 11. By the end of the fighting, however, he had become the commander after his predecessor, Maj Soe Lwin, died in a battle. His fellow soldiers said the major, who always hid behind trees, was later wounded and awarded the Thiha Thura medal.

After this, Tin Aung Myint Oo quickly rose through the ranks. He served as a tactical officer in Light Infantry Division 33 in 1992-93, and the following year was named the deputy division commander and then division commander. In 1996-97, he served as the commander of the North-East Regional Command. When the regime changed its name from the State Law and Order Restoration Council to the SPDC in 1997, he became one of its members.

In the army, Tin Aung Myint Oo is known for being short-tempered and rude. Those close to him say that when he was in the military service, he always walked around with a cane and verbally abused his soldiers with obscene language. He was widely feared by his subordinates.

Some say that Tin Aung Myint Oo's bad character was what endeared him to Than Shwe, who favors him over “milksops” like Thura Shwe Mann, late Prime Minister Soe Win and current Prime Minister Thein Sein. As a favor to his pet, in 2001 Than Shwe appointed Tin Aung Myint Oo to the position of quartermaster-general, responsible for the budget of the whole armed forces. As a further sign of Than Shwe's favor, Tin Aung Myint Oo was nominated by the new Parliament's military appointees as vice-president.

However, it will be interesting to see how Tin Aung Myint Oo will deal with Thein Sein, who is almost certain to be the president in the new government, as they are not getting along well. When former Prime Minister Soe Win died, Thein Sein, the then Secretary 1 of the SPDC, filled his spot and had to transfer his current position to Tin Aung Myint Oo. Soon after taking the new position, Tin Aung Myint Oo began to undermine Thein Sein's authority by not allotting any of the military's budget to projects run by the latter. This led many ministers to say that “the Secretary 1 has taken over the PM's power.”

Tin Aung Myint Oo also became the chairman of the Trade Policy Council, a position previously held by Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, the regime's second-in-command.