• Burmese
Friday, June 20, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
26 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Tatmadaw Chief Offers Cryptic Definition of Military’s Political Role

Nyein Nyein by Nyein Nyein
December 2, 2017
in Burma
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0 0
A A
Myanmar Army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends an event in Naypyitaw on Oct. 15 to mark the second anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.    / Reuters

Myanmar Army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends an event in Naypyitaw on Oct. 15 to mark the second anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.    / Reuters

8.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Myanmar Army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the military as an institution must be free of political influence, while at the same time asserting the principle that the Tatmadaw continues its efforts in support of “national politics.”

During an address to newly graduating officers of the Defense Service Academy’s intake 59 in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region, on Friday, the Army chief also singled out for praise his troops’ handling of the Rakhine State crisis and peace-building efforts in the country.

His remarks drew criticism from observers and political analysts, who pointed to the fact that 25 percent of seats in the legislature are reserved for military appointees, while the Tatmadaw also retains control of three key ministerial posts.

RelatedPosts

Tree-Planting Hides Logging Frenzy; Moving Mountains for Steel Production; and More

Tree-Planting Hides Logging Frenzy; Moving Mountains for Steel Production; and More

June 14, 2025
605
China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

June 12, 2025
1.4k
Myanmar Rights Commission Silent as Junta Media Lists Child Among Assassination Suspects

Myanmar Rights Commission Silent as Junta Media Lists Child Among Assassination Suspects

June 9, 2025
735

The Tatmadaw “must be a professional army that is apolitical; to be out of the shadow of political influence, it must not be involved in party politics or national politics,” said Dr. Yan Myo Thein, a political analyst.

Only when the Tatmadaw is a professional institution will it be able to assist in the country’s democratic transition, he said.

To achieve that, he said, the Tatmadaw “needs to end its involvement in the government and parliament sooner rather than later.”

While the Army Chief has stressed the importance of making the Tatmadaw a “standard” army, this is different from the professional institution advocated by many observers.

Defining what is meant by being “free of the shadow of political influence” is tricky, said Kheung Sai, an adviser to the Restoration Council of Shan State. Only Sen Gen Min Aung Hlaing can really say what this means, Kheung Sai said.

He suggested two possible meanings for the general’s remark: that the Tatmadaw is a professional army that does not participate in politics; or that the Tatmadaw is not influenced by a particular political party.

Allegations of rights abuses denied

Despite accusations of human rights violations against ethnic minority areas during the civil war over the past seven decades, most recently in northern Rakhine State, the Army chief insisted that his troops strictly followed orders, rules and regulations.

“No one is above the law,” he said, adding that the Tatmadaw has a constitutional duty to protect citizens and the state without harming the state’s sovereignty.

He urged the new graduates to be good officers who are loyal to their superiors, respected by their subordinates and trusted by the people.

Highlighting the Tatmadaw’s role in the current Rakhine crisis, he said that while the military’s efforts have been in accordance with the law, international institutions and some Western media misunderstood the Rakhine crisis due to the dissemination of incorrect information and propaganda.

Though he did not mention any specific reports, it is likely that he was referring to those published by international human rights organizations during the past three months.

Human Rights Watch has accused Tatmadaw troops of killing Rohingya and committing mass rapes against Rohingya women and girls. The United Nations and the U.S. have described the situation in Rakhine State as “ethnic cleansing”, and Amnesty International has labeled the political situation there as “apartheid”. Some Western media have suggested the Rohingya are the victims of genocide. Most people in Myanmar use the term “Bengali” rather than Rohingya.

Sen Gen Min Aung Hlaing reiterated that his men “strictly followed orders and acted in accordance with the rules of engagement [ROE] during the recent Rakhine crisis.” He said the Muslim militant group known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) – which the government regards as a terrorist group – coordinated attacks on 30 police outposts and an Army base and brutally killed local villagers. The general did not specify any groups of victims by name, but they are known to have included Rakhines, Mro and Hindus.

Groups of minority Hindus were brutally killed in an ARSA attack on Aug. 25. Their bodies were unearthed one month later, on Sept. 24.

“The Tatmadaw will provide full protection for those minority groups in Rakhine State to protect them from ‘genocide’,” he added.

Push for NCA implementation

Regarding the peace building process, he affirmed the Tatmadaw’s view that the six-point policy for peace should be followed by all sides, as it was drafted based on past experiences and the current circumstances.

He emphasized the importance of signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the eight ethnic armed groups, adding that “NCA principles don’t impose any restriction nor prohibition on the rights of the people and allow them to enjoy their rights as much as possible. Thus peace can be achieved by quick implementation of the NCA.”

The Army chief’s remarks about the NCA were welcomed by Kheung Sai, who said the military leader’s comment would help smooth the path for further negotiations.

Negotiations at a recent meeting of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee and a review of the NCA’s implementation involved heated debates over each term of the NCA, he explained.

However, he said, “it should be clear that there are still some terms on which the ethnic armed organizations [EAOs]’ leadership and the Tatmadaw have yet to agree.”

One of these sticking points concerns the definition of security reintegration, he said, with questions remaining over whether reintegration refers to assimilation into society or disarmament. This still needs further clarification, Kheung Sai said.

EAO leaders want detailed discussions of security sector reforms (SSR). However, the Tatmadaw wants to limit discussions to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) under the topic of security sector reintegration.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: EAOHuman RightsNCARakhineRohingyaSenior General Min Aung HlaingTatmadaw
Nyein Nyein

Nyein Nyein

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Battle of Paletwa Loss Turns Tide Against Myanmar Junta on Western Front
Analysis

Battle of Paletwa Loss Turns Tide Against Myanmar Junta on Western Front

by Moe Sett Nyein Chan
January 23, 2024
22k

The military’s demoralized Western Command is feeling the heat as the Arakan Army closes in on towns in northern Rakhine,...

Read moreDetails
Junta Watch: Sinking Feeling as Myanmar Navy Faces Onslaught in Rakhine; and More
Junta Watch

Junta Watch: Sinking Feeling as Myanmar Navy Faces Onslaught in Rakhine; and More

by The Irrawaddy
January 27, 2024
14.3k

Also this week, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s home to be sold, Karen mission fails, ultimate penalty for beaten generals,...

Read moreDetails
Yangon, Mandalay Deserted After Dark as Myanmar Junta Hunts for Conscripts
Burma

Yangon, Mandalay Deserted After Dark as Myanmar Junta Hunts for Conscripts

by Hein Htoo Zan
December 16, 2024
12.4k

Desperate regime ramps up forcible conscription as military defeat looms in Rakhine and Kachin states.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Arrests Ex-Navy Chief for Disobeying Orders
Burma

Myanmar Junta Arrests Ex-Navy Chief for Disobeying Orders

by The Irrawaddy
July 29, 2024
10.8k

Admiral Zwe Win Myint resigned after being ordered not to shell crony-owned hotels in Ngapali, and has now been detained,...

Read moreDetails
Karen Brigades Take More Territory From Myanmar Junta: KNU 
Burma

Karen Brigades Take More Territory From Myanmar Junta: KNU 

by The Irrawaddy
February 23, 2024
10.5k

The powerful ethnic armed organization reports gains in Mon and Karen states and Bago Region.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Rejects Bangladeshi Call for Rohingya State
Burma

Myanmar Junta Rejects Bangladeshi Call for Rohingya State

by Maung Kavi
May 2, 2025
10.4k

A political party in Bangladesh says a Rohingya-majority area of Rakhine State should become an independent state for returning refugees.

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Myanmar Turns To China as It Faces International Criticism

Myanmar Turns To China as It Faces International Criticism

A US Air Force airman marshals an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet after it arrives for deployment at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, August 3, 2017. / US Air Force via Reuters

S Korea, US Kick Off Largest Air Exercise Amid N Korean Warnings

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

6 days ago
1.7k
Untested Commander Takes Charge as Myanmar Military Faces Toughest Challenge in Decades

Untested Commander Takes Charge as Myanmar Military Faces Toughest Challenge in Decades

6 days ago
1.8k

Most Read

  • On Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday, Recalling the Cake That Rattled the Junta

    On Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday, Recalling the Cake That Rattled the Junta

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Global Campaign Reaches Goal to Honor Aung San Suu Kyi on Her 80th Birthday

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Bago Resistance Claims 20 Myanmar Junta Personnel Killed

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Thai PM Faces Growing Calls to Quit in Cambodia Phone Row

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • KIA, Junta Troops Continue Battle for Control of Myanmar’s Jade Hub

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.