Senior General Min Aung Hlaing speaks at the IX Moscow Conference on International Security in Moscow, Russia on June 21, 2023. (Reuters)
Myanmar’s military leadership is expected to undergo a reshuffle following the annual Armed Forces Day parade on March 27, Reuters reported, in a rare public indication of transition by the powerful institution that has long dominated Naypyidaw. The anticipated changes came just days before Myanmar’s newly convened parliament is scheduled to meet on March 30 to begin the process of selecting a new president, a role that current military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has reportedly been seeking.
During a meeting with retired officers of the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, on March 26, deputy commander-in-chief Vice Senior General Soe Win said “leadership changes” would take place after the Armed Forces Day ceremony. The event traditionally features a large military parade in the capital Naypyidaw.
“Irrespective of who leads, the Tatmadaw will continue to follow the guidance of successive leaders, advisers and mentors, as well as established military doctrines and policies,” Soe Win said, according to Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.
The announcement comes as Myanmar undergoes a political transition following a general election held in December and January. The vote, widely criticised as a sham, was won by a military-backed party, potentially paving the way for Min Aung Hlaing to assume the presidency.
The election took place amid an ongoing civil war sparked by the military coup in 2021, which removed the democratically elected government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and plunged the country into deeper turmoil.
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