The War Office in Napyidaw has issued a directive for state-controlled media not to describe the  Burmese  government as a “Tatmadaw government,” according to military sources.

Tatmadaw,  in Burmese, means “military.”

A high ranking officer said that on April 26, state-owned media such as newspapers, radio, television run by the Defense Ministry and Information Ministry were given instructions not to use the term.

Burmese soldiers sit alert in a car escorting Snr-Gen Than Shwe from a military parade marking the country's 65th Armed Forces Day at a parade ground in Naypyidaw on March 27. (Photo: Getty Images)

“This instruction is aimed at the government led by PM Thein Sein,” said the officer. “Many high-ranking army officer have already resigned from their army positions in order to set up a political party and to become candidates in the upcoming election. In that case, if you continue to use the term 'Tatmadaw government,' it won’t be relevant. So, the media must use the term 'government of the union of Burma.'”

The instruction was issued after the resignation of selected army officers who will join a state-backed political party to stand as candidates for seats in parliament, said the officer.

The term “Tatmadaw government” has been widely used in regime-controlled media after the military coup since 1988.

According to an army veteran, after April 26, there are no army officers in the structure of the current government and the military government has been transformed into a civilian government.

“If you use the term tatmadaw government, it won’t be relevant with the current government. So you are not allowed to use the term,” he said.

Under the current government, there are 38 ministries. In the cabinet, there are 39 ministers and 39 deputy ministers.

It was reported last week that Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein and other key members of the ruling junta have registered a political party to contest the upcoming general election.

Thein Sein and 26 other leaders had registered the party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), at the Union Election Commission in April. The 26 other party leaders were not identified but are known to be current ministers and deputy ministers.

A list of army officers who resigned:

Ministers:

Gen Htay Oo, agriculture and irrigation  minister
Lt-Gen Soe Thein, Industrial (2) minister
Gen Thein Swe, transportation minister

Brig-Gen Lun Thi, energy minister
Gen Aung Min, railway minister
Brig-Gen Tin Naing Thein, economy and trading minister

Gen Soe Naing, hotel and tourism minister
Gen Hla Htun, finance and taxation minister
Brig-Gen Thein Zaw, communication minister

Brig General Thuya Myint Maung, minister for religion
Gen Khin Aung Myint, minister for culture
Gen Tin Htut, minister for cooperative

Col Thein Nyunt, minister for border areas development
Col Zaw Min, minister for electricity (1)
Gen Khin Maung Myint, minister for construction and electricity (2)

Brig-GenThuya Aye Myint, sports minister
Brig-GenKyaw San, information minister
Brig-GenThein Aung, forestry minister

Gen Maung Oo, home and immigration minister
Brig Ohn Myint, minister for mining
Gen Maung Maung Swe, social affairs minister

Brig-Gen Maung Maung Thein, husbandry and fishery minister
Gen Lin Maung, auditor-general
Brig-Gen Aung Thein Lin, mayor of rangoon
Brig Phone Zaw Han, mayor of mandalay

Deputy Ministers:

Lt-Col Khin Maung Kyaw, industrial (2)
Gen Kyaw Swar Khine, industrial (2)
Col Thuyein Zaw, national planning

Col Nyan Htun Aung, transportation
Brig Tin Htun Aung, labor
Brig Aung Myo Min, education

Brig Than Htay, energy
Brig Aung Htun, economy and trading
Brig Aye Myint Kyu, hotel and tourism

Col Hla Thein Swe, finance and taxation
Gen Thein Htun, communication
Brig Thuya Aung Ko, religion

Brig Myint Thein, construction
Brig Win Sein, immigration
Col Tin Ngwe, border area development
Brig Win Myint, electricity (2)
Brig Bhone Swe, interior
Brig Kyaw Myint, social affairs

Col Maung Par, deputy mayor of Rangoon

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