Myanmar's ruling party welcomes several former generals

THURSDAY, August 13, 2015

Yangon - Myanmar's ruling party, Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), officially announced the reshuffle of the Central Executive Committee that involved the dismissal of Thura Shwe Mann as the party's chairman.

According to the statement in Burmese issued after an urgent meeting today, it said Shwe Mann assumed the chairmanship after the previous chairman, Thein Sein, became the country’s president. It continued that Shwe Mann is dismissed due to his job at the Union Parliament, confirming that the 68-year-old man would maintain his post as Union Parliament Speaker.

“Being the patron of the Parliament and the Lower House speaker, Thura Shwe Mann has to devote full time to carry out important duties for the country. Now, as it is the time to put more emphasis into the party’s activities, President Thein Sein transferred Thura Shwe Mann’s post and duties to Htay Oo,” said the statement.

The new CEC will have 53 members, retaining President Thein Sein as the party chairman. Vice chairman Htay Oo was promoted to the party co-chair, to take over Shwe Mann’s role.

Newly-appointed co-chair Htay Oo and other key players of the party decided to restructure the party’s CEC with a mixture of both young and old members. After the close-door meeting today, the CEC was established with 53 members, USDP said in the announcement.

MP Thura Aye Myint maintains his position as the party’s vice chairman while Upper House speaker Khin Aung Myint, MP Tin Htut, and MP Soe Thar have been appointed as senior consultants. Seven former ministers - 6 Lower House MPs and 1 Upper House MP - were appointed as the party’s advisers.

Tin Naing Thein, a former President’s Office minister who retired from the government duties on his own will, replaces Maung Maung Thein as the party’s general secretary. Former border affairs minister Thet Naing Win has been appointed as the joint general secretary and 5 former deputy ministers who retired yesterday - Pite Htwe, Dr.Maung Maung Htay, Than Tun, Dr. Kyaw Kyaw Htay, and Win Maw Tun - will serve as secretaries in the new CEC.

Former defence minister Lt-General Wai Lwin and some well-known generals who recently retired from the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) such as Hla Htay Win and Thura Thet Swe are also included in the CEC. Recently-retired ministers such as Myat Hein, Khin Yi, and Than Htay are also in the committee. Eleven provisional heads of the party are also included.

Among the 14 regions and states, only heads of 3 States - Kayah, Kayin, and Rakhine - were left out of the committee.

Among the 53 members, there are only two women - Win Maw Tun and Wai Wai Thar. Former deputy labour minister Win Maw Tun will serve as one of the secretaries while the party’s head of women affairs department Wai Wai Thar is one of the CEC members.

Deputy speakers from both Lower House and Upper House Nanda Kyaw Swar and Mya Nyein - are also among the new CEC members without being included in the notification list which leaked out through social network such as Facebook at about 1pm. There were only 46 CEC members on the notification list but it turned out to be 53 members when the ruling party issued the official announcement.