Tin Oo: A Man With Many Enemies
Source : Aung Zaw, Irrawaddy Magazine(Feb 24)
The helicopter crash in southern Burma that killed a leading general means that the power struggle among high-ranking officials could get fiercer, as different factions want to fill the vacancy left by Lt-Gen Tin Oo, secretary two of the ruling council and chief of staff of the army.
Tin Oo was known to be close to the hard-line group led by Gen Maung Aye, vice chairman of the ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Tin Oo, 67, was being groomed to take over as commander-in-chief of Defense Services (Army), a position currently held by Gen Maung Aye, in the increasingly likely event that the latter takes over as chairman of the SPDC when the current chairman, Gen Than Shwe, retires.
Tin Oo was a valuable asset to the army faction, as he was in charge of purchasing military hardware in Russia, China and Western countries. He was generally recognized as the fourth most powerful general in Burma.
Though his straightforward and blunt style were unpopular with the Burmese public, he was well respected within the army. Before the elections in 1990, Tin Oo went to as many army quarters as possible to tell family members of soldiers not to vote for the National League for Democracy (NLD), which later won a landslide victory.
Tin Oo was best known among the public for his virulent criticism of pro-democracy activists, particularly Aung San Suu Kyi. He once urged the public to annihilate the opposition. He is also well known in Shan State for his rudeness and as someone who has little respect for Shan culture. In Karen State, where Tin Oo and his army were behind numerous military operations against civilians and Karen rebels, news of the crash was quietly welcomed. "God has finally decided to purge the beast," remarked one senior Karen leader.
Sit Maung, commander of the Burmese army's Southeastern Region, also died in the crash. Sit Maung had received several military awards, and he was known to be a good fighter in the battlefields against ethnic insurgents and communists. Sit Maung was also being groomed to take over a top army post in the future.
Who will fill the gap? An analyst close to high-ranking officials in Rangoon commented that there will be a consensus among the top leaders as to who will take over, but it will take time. "They have a list of people who could fill the position, but this event was a shock to everyone," he said. A strong possibility to take over would be Lt-Gen Win Myint, secretary three of the SPDC, who is said to be close to Secretary One Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
Tin Oo had survived several assassination attempts, including one in April 1997, when a parcel bomb airmailed from Japan exploded in his house, killing his daughter, Cho Lei Oo, a university lecturer. Tin Oo was in the house but escaped unhurt. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been placed under severe restrictions by the junta, called the act "cowardly". Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt blamed anti-government dissidents in Japan, but dissidents inside Burma and in exile have suggested that the bomb attack was the result of a power struggle between top leaders.
Before then, there had been two other assassination attempts aimed at Tin Oo. Analysts said Tin Oo was the likely target of a December 1996 bombing at Rangoon's Kabaaye pagoda that killed five people. The first of two bombs went off just after Tin Oo left the pagoda. The junta blamed Karen insurgents, but evidence for the rebel group's involvement has never been presented.
Last year, Tin Oo once again narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during a visit to Pyi Town, Pegu Division, once again raising questions about who could be targetting him, and why.
Some foreign observers have attributed the attacks to Tin Oo's repeated threats to "annihilate destructive elements and foreign stooges". But opposition groups in exile claimed that the bombing was the result of a power struggle and business conflicts within the ruling junta. Generals Maung Aye and Tin Oo, who led the army faction, are rumored to be rivals of Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, who is believed to favor a more moderate line in dealing with the opposition.
According to the official report of the crash, the Russian-made helicopter went down due to mechanical failure. That is quite possible, but ironically, many ordinary Burmese refuse to believe it. "I'm sure he was killed [by a rival faction]," said a 67 year-old woman in Rangoon. Many others agree that foul play was most likely involved.
This attitude is largely a reflection of the regime's complete lack of credibility among the public. "Even if the government tells the truth to the public, they don't believe it anymore," said one veteran journalist in Rangoon.
Others, however, believe the suspicions are well founded. "Many believed that there were attempts to kill Tin Oo, now they are convinced that this was another attempt," said another writer.
Surprisingly, the death of one of the country's top generals wasn't big news in government newspapers, nor on television. But many ordinary Burmese were jubilant when they heard the news. "Really?" was the shocked response of a 45 year-old journal editor in Rangoon when asked if he knew about the crash and the death of Tin Oo. "That's such good news!" he exclaimed when he heard that the reports had been confirmed.
However, relatives and family members of Tin Oo went to his house to console his wife and family. The funeral will be a low-key event, according to a government source. "They know people don't like them," said one activist in Rangoon.