Soe Win
Encyclopedia
General Soe Win was the Prime Minister of Burma and Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council
from 2004 to 2007. He was known by Burmese dissident
groups as "the butcher of Depayin" for his role as mastermind of the 2003 Depayin Massacre
, in which 70 National League for Democracy
supporters were killed by a government-sponsored mob.
In 1997 he was named Regional Commander and a member of the junta, then called the State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC. In November 2001 he was named Air Defense General of the War Office. In February 2003 he was promoted to Secretary-2 of the junta, which was vacant after Lieutenant General Tin Oo
was killed in a helicopter crash two years before.
Soe Win is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the deadly attack against National League for Democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi
and her supporters in the 30 May 2003 Depayin Massacre
. The same year he accompanied Senior General Than Shwe
on state visits to Vietnam
and China. Soe Win also signed the order to dismiss Foreign Minister Win Aung
and his deputy in September 2003.
Soe Win was appointed prime minister by State Peace and Development Council
chairman Than Shwe
on 19 October 2004. Soe Win succeeded Khin Nyunt
, who officially had been "permitted to retire for health reasons", but the reformist-minded premier had actually fallen out of favor with Than Shwe. Khin Nyunt was later convicted by a special tribunal of corruption charges and sentenced to 44 years in prison.
As Secretary-1 in the SPDC and prime minister, Soe Win was third in the leadership structure under Senior General Than Shwe and SPDC vice-chairman, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye
. A senior member of the SPDC, Soe Win was close to Than Shwe, and the two men saw eye-to-eye on “nation building projects”, which included constructing dams, roads and bridges.
With his appointment as prime minister, he took a tougher line against political reform than did his immediate predecessor, Khin Nyunt. He was quoted as saying in January 2003 "the SPDC not only won’t talk to the NLD
but also would never hand over power to the NLD."
. The government was secretive about the nature of his illness, though it was reported in the media that he was suffering from leukemia
. He returned to Burma on 3 May 2007, but then returned to Singapore later that month. The Burmese embassy in Singapore said he was being treated for a "serious health matter". In April 2007, Lieutenant General Thein Sein
was appointed acting prime minister in Soe Win's absence. On 1 October 2007, in the wake of the anti-government protests
, Soe Win returned to Burma. His condition was reported as "very ill" and he was admitted to a military hospital in Mingalardon Township, Rangoon.
Soe Win's death was officially announced by the military authorities on 12 October. He died in Mingalardon Hospital, aged 59, from leukemia
. His twin brother Major-General Tin Htun had died on 19 September 2007 of leukemia.
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
from 2004 to 2007. He was known by Burmese dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
groups as "the butcher of Depayin" for his role as mastermind of the 2003 Depayin Massacre
Depayin massacre
The Depayin Massacre occurred on 30 May 2003, when at least 70 people associated with the National League for Democracy were killed by government-sponsored mob in Burma.-Commission observations:...
, in which 70 National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
supporters were killed by a government-sponsored mob.
Early career
Soe Win was born in 1948. A graduate of the Defense Services Academy (12th intake), he took part in the crackdown on democracy protesters in 1988, deploying troops around Rangoon University and ordering them to shoot at Rangoon General Hospital during the upheaval. He became Tactical Operations Commander 3 of the Northwestern Regional Command in 1990.In 1997 he was named Regional Commander and a member of the junta, then called the State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC. In November 2001 he was named Air Defense General of the War Office. In February 2003 he was promoted to Secretary-2 of the junta, which was vacant after Lieutenant General Tin Oo
Tin Oo
General Thura Tin Oo is a retired general, former commander in chief of the armed forces of Union of Myanmar, highly decorated soldier, pro-democracy activist and deputy leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar.- Military career:...
was killed in a helicopter crash two years before.
Soe Win is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the deadly attack against National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
and her supporters in the 30 May 2003 Depayin Massacre
Depayin massacre
The Depayin Massacre occurred on 30 May 2003, when at least 70 people associated with the National League for Democracy were killed by government-sponsored mob in Burma.-Commission observations:...
. The same year he accompanied Senior General Than Shwe
Than Shwe
Senior General Than Shwe is a Burmese military leader and politician who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011. During the period, he held key positions of power including commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and head of Union Solidarity and...
on state visits to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and China. Soe Win also signed the order to dismiss Foreign Minister Win Aung
Win Aung
Win Aung was a Burmese military officer and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1998 until 2004.Win Aung was born in Dawei , Tanintharyi Division in 1944...
and his deputy in September 2003.
Rise to prime minister
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
chairman Than Shwe
Than Shwe
Senior General Than Shwe is a Burmese military leader and politician who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011. During the period, he held key positions of power including commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and head of Union Solidarity and...
on 19 October 2004. Soe Win succeeded Khin Nyunt
Khin Nyunt
General Khin Nyunt is an officer and politician in Myanmar. Khin Nyunt is of Burmese Chinese descent. He held the office of Chief of Intelligence and was Prime Minister from 25 August 2003 until 18 October 2004. He is married to Khin Win Shwe, a medical doctor, and father to a daughter, Thin Le Le...
, who officially had been "permitted to retire for health reasons", but the reformist-minded premier had actually fallen out of favor with Than Shwe. Khin Nyunt was later convicted by a special tribunal of corruption charges and sentenced to 44 years in prison.
As Secretary-1 in the SPDC and prime minister, Soe Win was third in the leadership structure under Senior General Than Shwe and SPDC vice-chairman, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye
Maung Aye
Vice-Senior General Maung Aye is the former Vice Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council , which was until March 2011, the ruling military junta of Burma. Maung Aye was the second highest-ranking member of the SPDC....
. A senior member of the SPDC, Soe Win was close to Than Shwe, and the two men saw eye-to-eye on “nation building projects”, which included constructing dams, roads and bridges.
With his appointment as prime minister, he took a tougher line against political reform than did his immediate predecessor, Khin Nyunt. He was quoted as saying in January 2003 "the SPDC not only won’t talk to the NLD
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
but also would never hand over power to the NLD."
Health issues and death
In March 2007, Soe Win was admitted to a private hospital in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The government was secretive about the nature of his illness, though it was reported in the media that he was suffering from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. He returned to Burma on 3 May 2007, but then returned to Singapore later that month. The Burmese embassy in Singapore said he was being treated for a "serious health matter". In April 2007, Lieutenant General Thein Sein
Thein Sein
Thein Sein is a Burmese politician and military figure who has been president of Myanmar since March 2011. Previously, he was Prime Minister from 2007 until 2011...
was appointed acting prime minister in Soe Win's absence. On 1 October 2007, in the wake of the anti-government protests
2007 Burmese anti-government protests
The 2007 Burmese anti-government protests were a series of anti-government protests that started in Burma on 15 August 2007...
, Soe Win returned to Burma. His condition was reported as "very ill" and he was admitted to a military hospital in Mingalardon Township, Rangoon.
Soe Win's death was officially announced by the military authorities on 12 October. He died in Mingalardon Hospital, aged 59, from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. His twin brother Major-General Tin Htun had died on 19 September 2007 of leukemia.
Career timeline
- Commanding Officer No. 12 Light Infantry Regiment (1990)
- G.S.O. (1), Central Command (1993)
- Commander, No. 66 Light Infantry Division (1996)
- Commander, North West Command (1997) and Chairman of Sagaing DivisionSagaing DivisionSagaing Region is an administrative region of Burma , located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east...
, State Law and Order Restoration Council - Chief of Air Defense Forces (November 2001) and Member of State Peace and Development CouncilState Peace and Development CouncilThe State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
- Secretary-2, State Peace and Development Council (February 2003)
- Secretary-1, State Peace and Development Council (August 2003)
- Prime Minister of Myanmar (19 October 2004)
Decorations and Medals
- Naingngandaw Sit-Hmu-Dan Tazeit
- Pyithusit Taik Pwe Win Tazeit
- Naingngandaw Ayegyantharyaye Tazeit
- Mong Yang Methawaw Taik Pwe Tazeit
- Tatmadaw Gonzaung Ahmu-Dan Tazeit (First Grade)
- Tatmadaw Gonzaung Ahmu-Dan Tazeit (Second Grade)
- Tatmadaw Gonzaung Ahmu-Dan Tazeit (Third Grade)
- Sit-Hmu-Dan Thet Tazeit
- Naingngan Akyo-Zaung Tazeit
- Sit Pwe Tazeit (1974–1988)
- Sit Pwe Tazeit (1988–1990)
- Sit-Hmu-Dan Gaung Tazeit
- Tatmadaw Shwe-Yatu Tazeit