US embassy cable - 04RANGOON1372

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001372 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; INR/B, PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, PINR, BM 
SUBJECT: TOUGH(ER) GUYS MOVE UP IN RANGOON: BIOGRAPHIC 
INFORMATION ON THE NEW PRIME MINISTER AND S-1 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1370 
     B. RANGOON 1359 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1, (C)  Summary:  The two SPDC members promoted in the 
shuffle that led to Prime Minister Khin Nyunt's "retirement" 
in Rangoon on October 19 have apparently been chosen 
primarily for their loyalty to Senior General Than Shwe and 
their willingness to subordinate themselves to him.  They 
have also shown themselves to be ruthless, opportunistic 
operators.  Biographic information on the promoted officials 
follows.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  Lieutenant-General Soe Win, General Khin Nyunt's 
replacement as Prime Minister of Burma, has advanced his 
career and reputation as a capable, loyal supporter of the 
Burmese strongman, Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the 
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).  Cunning and 
ambitious, he has shown willingness to go the extra mile for 
the Senior General and those closest to him.  There are 
credible reports that he directed the May 2003 attack in 
Depayin on Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters. 
 
3. (C)  After joining the SPDC in 1997, Soe Win was promoted 
to "Secretary Two" and rapidly advanced to "Secretary One" in 
August 2003.  He has consolidated his power base as a 
"patron" of the Union Solidarity Development Association 
(USDA), the regime's mass organization and political arm (and 
a pet project of General Than Shwe).  He is said to now 
control the entire USDA organization.  Unlike the deposed 
Khin Nyunt, who had a strong following among his former 
subordinates in the now bruised military intelligence (MI) 
wing of the armed forces, the new Prime Minister has formed 
his primary power base among civilians in the USDA.  He had 
previously demonstrated ability to deal effectively with 
civilians while serving as the military commander in Monywa. 
He has also shown a flair for the dramatic, pulling himself 
out from a pile of troops who had been killed--while under 
his command--in a battle with communist forces in the '80s. 
This earned him the nickname, "Strong Life." 
 
4.  (C)  Born in the Shan State on May 10, 1949, the newly 
appointed Prime Minister graduated from the Defense Services 
Academy in 1970. While holding the rank of Major in 1988, he 
commanded Light Infantry Division (LID)-22 under Lt. General 
Tin Hla (Deputy Prime Minister for Military Affairs, 
2000-2001).  LID-22 played an important role in the crackdown 
on the 1988 uprising for democracy. Unconfirmed reports 
suggest that then Major Soe Win issued the order to fire the 
first shots at City Hall on August 8, 1988. 
 
5.  (C)  The new Prime Minister was quoted by the Democratic 
Voice of Burma (DVB) in January 2003 as saying the SPDC would 
"never negotiate with Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD."  This 
comment was reportedly made at a meeting of the USDA with 
local authorities and civil servants in mid-January 2003, 
well before the May 2003 attack.  He has also reportedly said 
that Burma can rely on China to protect it against the United 
States. 
 
6.  (U)  Lt. General Soe Win is married to Than Than Hwe, but 
little else is known about his personal life.  He has 
delivered public addresses in understandable English, but is 
said to have limited ability to speak the language 
extemporaneously. 
 
Lieutenant-General Thein Sein--Another Loyal Follower of the 
Senior General 
 
7. (C)  Lieutenant-General Thein Sein has been chosen to move 
up from "Secretary Two" to replace Soe Win as "Secretary One" 
in the SPDC.  By all accounts a quiet personality who shuns 
the spotlight, he was born on April 20, 1945 in Pathein, 
Irrawaddy Division.  In 1988, then Major Thein Sein served as 
commander of Light Infantry Division (LID)-55, one of the 
elite organizations loyal to the Burmese Socialist Program 
Party (BSPP).  In that capacity, he distinguished himself, as 
did Soe Win, in the crackdown against the 1988 uprising in 
support of democracy. 
 
7. (SBU)  In late 1996, Thein Sein was promoted to the rank 
of Brigadier General and assigned to the then newly formed 
Triangle Region Command in Kengtung.  He became a member of 
the SPDC in 1997.  In 2001, after being promoted to Major 
General, he was transferred to Rangoon and assigned to the 
post of Adjutant General.  In this capacity, he was 
responsible for the MoD's business interests.  He was 
appointed "Secretary Two" of the SPDC on August 25, 2003. As 
are Prime Minister Soe Win and other members of the SPDC, 
Thein Sein is a "patron" of the USDA (note: The 
organization's "patrons" form, in effect, its policy making 
body).  He is also Chairman of the National Convention 
Commission, Chairman of the Central Organizing Committee for 
War Veterans, Chairman of the Committee on Prevention of 
Recruitment of Child Soldiers, and Chairman of the Police 
Reform Committee.  He is slated to accompany Senior General 
Than Shwe to India on October 24. 
 
8. (U)  The new "Secretary One" is married to Khin Khin Win, 
who is not known to have any important political connections. 
 He is thought to have limited English ability and little, if 
any, experience in the West. 
Martinez