Than Shwe May Not be President

By WAI MOE
Burma’s junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his deputy Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye may not be in Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) post-election list of presidential nominees since they are not members of the party, said USDP leader Htay Oo. 

Htay Oo's remark came when answering a question on the USDP’s presidential nominees at a press conference at a USDP party office in Rangoon on Wednesday, according journalists in Rangoon. Htay Oo is general secretary of the USDP and minister of Agriculture and
Irrigation.

Htay Oo at Wednesday's Press Conference (Photo: Reuters)

Although rumors in Rangoon suggest the junta head may be the next president if he retires as commander in chief of the armed forces, the state media has repeatedly highlighted Than Shwe position as the commander in chief of defense services in what observers say is intentional signalling that he is keeping the top military position.

As the commander in chief, Than Shwe is the most powerful person in military-ruled Burma and he is also the minister of defence in the government under Prime Minister Thein Sein.
“The senior general cares about the nation and always thinks about its progress, so he formed the organization [the USDP] to take care of development,” Htay Oo said, “But he is not with the USDP.” 

Although there are 10 days to go before the election, the USDP seems confident of victory as Htay Oo said the party has between 16 and 18 million members out of 29 million voters.
In anticipation of winning at the polls, the USDP has listed its presidential nominees for the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma) and prepared for transfer of power, said Htay Oo, but he declined to name the presidential candidates as it is not “the right time.”
Regarding the decision to boycott the election by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy's (NLD), Htay Oo said, “whether it is right or wrong depends on the outcome.”

Despite the plans to hold the election on Nov.7, the junta still holds about 2200 political detainees and faces potential armed conflict with the ethnic armed groups on Burma's frontiers as well as targeted sanctions from the United States and the European Union.
“The sanctions definitely impact on the people but do not affect the government,” Htay Oo said, adding that sanctions created no obstacle to trade between the military regime and neighboring countries.

“We do not need to ask for sanctions to be lifted as we plan to make them ineffective,” he said.