Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the coup d'état in Myanmar, wants to replace Aung San Suu Kyi, and his ambitions are clear.
Extraordinary leaders should not be confined to one position, especially those who dare to challenge the status quo. Min Aung Hlaing is such an example, his low-key and mysterious before 2016 seemed to be a strategy, but then he chose to show his strength, and even bravely accepted an exclusive interview with the BBC, a move that undoubtedly impressed Myanmar from all walks of life.
Regardless of the appearance, it is undeniable that he burns with a thirst for the throne and is an ambitious coup leader.
Min Aung Hlaing made his steady debut, and his resume is like a picture of steady progress. As an outstanding graduate of the law department of a prestigious university, his journey has been smooth without too many dramatic turns.
It is worth mentioning that in the 70s of the last century, he faced challenges, perseverance, and unremitting efforts three times before he successfully entered the Myanmar National Defense Service Academy, which became a unique stage of his life.
After a career in the military, he started as a grassroots combat staff officer and accumulated a wealth of experience until 2002, when he was appointed as the supreme commander of the Myanmar Triangle Military Region.
In 2010, he reached a new high in his career as Chief of Staff of the Tatmadaw Defence Force. In the same year, Aung San Suu Kyi, another shining star on the stage of history, was released from prison, and her return brought new vitality to the country.
Aung San Suu Kyi is clearly confident, and her goal is to reach the top of Myanmar. In 2011, she met with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a charismatic woman, and the two had a great conversation, Yingluck deeply felt the extraordinary features of Aung San Suu Kyi and gave her encouragement, hoping that she could maintain the momentum and win the championship as soon as possible.
At the beginning, the two women who did not let the eyebrows shave may not have foreseen the turbulent challenges ahead. As the story progresses, the bond goes beyond superficial nodding acquaintances, with frequent interactions, attending the World Economic Forum's East Asia Conference, visiting refugee areas, and experiencing first-hand the suffering of the masses.
After several years of hard work, in June 2013, Aung San Suu Kyi bravely declared: "Myanmar's ** election, I am coming!" Two years later, she resisted the pressure and decided to involve the NLD**.
Myanmar in 2015 was boiling over this far-reaching event, which touched the hearts of the country's 30 million voters, whose every vote was a matter of fate for many years to come.
The charismatic female navigator has a unique image and a convincing determination that heralds a new chapter in Myanmar. The NLD's astonishing performance, winning 886 of the 1,150 seats, is undoubtedly an unprecedented and brilliant achievement.
Basking in the joy of victory, Aung San Suu Kyi met with Thein Sein and the Commander-in-Chief of the National Defence Forces, Min Aung Hlaing, and despite the details being kept secret, the world watched the world. "
Although Myanmar** respects elections, the influence of the military cannot be ignored, and it is still unknown whether the transition of power will be smooth or not. The dust is not expected to settle until early next year, and it will take until March to get on the right track.
After a long period of research and deep understanding, it is clear that Aung San Suu Kyi's private meeting was not just for the sake of"Problem solving"At a deeper level, it is through interpersonal communication to build bridges.
As AFP put it, this could be a harbinger of uncertainty about the future, and even if the transition of power goes well, it is difficult to predict what will happen. This is crucial for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and any carelessness could lead to irreparable consequences.
The political situation in Myanmar in 2015,"Unpredictable"It is no longer enough to describe its complexity, but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is fortunate to have seized the opportunity.
In August of that year, the power of the popular candidate U Swee Man was suddenly shaken, and the conflict between the army and the "civilian army" was stalemate, so that Min Aung Hlaing was forced to fall into military affairs before putting on the cloak of political ideals.
His predecessor, Thein Sein, was on the eve of the signing of the National Ceasefire Agreement, but the conflict has not subsided, and his prestige is facing serious challenges, and the consolidation of power seems out of reach.
In a complicated situation, the NLD achieved a historic "overwhelming victory" by virtue of the interweaving of forces from various sides. However, the conundrum of "national reconciliation" is not empty rhetoric, and it requires action, not rhetoric.
As commander-in-chief of the three armed services, Min Aung Hlaing is deeply aware of the importance of ethnic issues, and the "Rohingya issue" has become a key chess game for international forces to influence Myanmar and promote the rise of nationalism in the country.
According to the 2014 Myanmar census, up to 30 percent of the population does not have identity credentials, and those at the bottom of the social ladder are limited by their basic rights to travel or receive education freely.
On the eve of the event, Myanmar and eight civil society groups (CSOs) launched a dialogue under the watchful eye of international and domestic attention. Despite the conclusion of the negotiations, several armed groups have not joined the ceasefire, which means that the road to comprehensive peace is still elusive.
Aung San Suu Kyi must understand that her path to power is not easy, and that the political system left behind by her predecessor is weak-rooted and needs to be repaired and improved to deal with those potential challengers.
No matter who takes office, the position of ** is like a dance on the tip of a knife, and any small mistake can trigger a violent rift and make the road to peace unattainable.
Sure enough, a year after the NLD came to power, Aung San Suu Kyi faced many challenges, and the transition from an opposition party to a ruling party was not easy"It is not easy to govern, and it is bitter and spicy"。
Her performance in governance cannot be judged solely by her own description, but by the public's resonance and experience. Wu Tingoo, honorary chairman of the Democratic League, believes that the achievements are remarkable, but this remark immediately attracted various doubts from the **, and the criticism pointed out that the performance of the Democratic League needs to be improved.
In the current situation in Myanmar, the NLD's performance can be called steady, after all, the country's development cannot be made by a single person to make Myanmar a copy of the United States. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi understands the competitive landscape, and she understands who she joins forces with.
Since 2016, Aung San Suu Kyi has met frequently with Min Aung Hlaing, and her spirit of collaboration has won the recognition of the military. However, as early as a year ago, we had already seen that Min Aung Hlaing's real ambition lies in the throne, and his attitude towards the current regime is more of strategic restraint and respect.
The appearance of 2016 may have misled us into believing that the NLD and the military are living in harmony. In fact, the tacit understanding between the two is not as simple as friendship.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's diplomacy was instrumental in making the dialogue run smoothly; The military, on the other hand, is aware of the need to cooperate with the NLD and looks forward to its practical actions. On the key issue of national reconciliation, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is an active advocate of negotiated settlement, personally leading the Centre for National Reconciliation and Peace, which launched its first meeting on 31 August.
However, the military seeks more than just peace, but substantial power. Min Aung Hlaing, a military man, adheres to the strategy of "pushing for peace talks by force", and even after the ceasefire agreement is signed, the two sides still disagree on the core conditions.
As a result, he tends to take a tough stance to achieve his goals.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's future is fraught with delicate challenges, as Myanmar's unique circumstances limit her movements. Even if she had insight into the essence of the problem, it was difficult to confront it directly.
If Min Aung Hlaing does not respect the constitution and electoral laws, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's situation will be even more dire. In fact, Min Aung Hlaing quietly unfolded when Aung San Suu Kyi was shining brightly, especially on the international stage"Debut strategy"。
As the leader of a small country, he can be strong at home, but he needs to show affability internationally to win favor. Now it seems that Min Aung Hlaing's"Appearance plan"It has been carefully designed.
His down-to-earth approach to social networking has earned him 460,000 enthusiastic fans, and the unique charm of his profile is the moment when General Min Aung Hlaing stands on a small plane and gives a thumbs up.
His posts are filled with touching moments, such as visits to the wounded and visits to military academies, and these mundane yet authentic images quietly change the traditional stereotype of Burmese soldiers.
Not only international netizens, but also the local population have mixed attitudes towards the military clique, but General Min Aung Hlaing is sparing no effort to reshape their public image to become a force for positive change.
Min Aung Hlaing is well aware of the dangers of the military clinging to politics, but he clings to power. Even when Aung San Suu Kyi was at the helm, his influence was second only to hers, and there was only a thin line between the two.
Beneath the apparent calm, there were undercurrents surging within Myanmar, culminating in a coup d'état at dawn on February 1, 2021. The military detention of Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi, followed by a one-year state of emergency, signaled Min Aung Hlaing's full control of the country's core power.
In fact, the fate of this upheaval has long been predicted, and it is only a matter of time. We don't need too much background, it's all about the result: Min Aung Hlaing is firmly in power.
In a subsequent press conference, Min Aung Hlaing expressed the position that the military adheres to the principles of the Constitution, but will not hesitate to uphold it if it is violated. He interpreted it with practical actions"Man will conquer the heavens"ideas.
In an in-depth interview, he clarified his attitude towards the revision of the constitution, emphasizing that it must conform to the will of the people, and the goal is to complete it within the year or after a delay of six months, depending on the situation. As for his personal future, in the face of reporters' questions, he responded wittily"There are no specific plans yet", implicitly expressing a potential expectation for the highest position.
Coups are often bloody, especially in the stress-stricken country of Myanmar. Since Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest, large-scale demonstrations have swept through like a storm, with reports that more than 700 lives have been lost.
In response, General Min Aung Hlaing confirmed that the death toll was about 300, including the police, and that 47 soldiers were unfortunately killed and more than 200 others were injured.
The situation was volatile, and the military acted decisively to detain thousands of people to maintain stability. International journalists rushed in, their messages arrived, military build-up was visible in Naypyidaw and other places, state television was in the hands of the military, and communications on channels were cut off, and the future of Myanmar was clouded.
Naturally, the United States will not sit idly by, and the White House spokesman responded quickly, emphasizing that Biden has paid attention to the situation in Myanmar and urged him to release political prisoners to reflect the spirit of democracy.
The U.S. statement was particularly grim, warning that if Burma violated the principles of peace, it would take appropriate measures against those responsible. Since then, there have been fewer reports about Myanmar, with only sporadic news.
However, in May, Min Aung Hlaing unexpectedly gave an in-depth interview to Phoenix TV's "Wind and Cloud Dialogue" and shared a lot of key information.
Following the first dialogue since the coup d'état in February, General Min Aung Hlaing confirmed to the public that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health and recuperating at home and will soon attend the trial. When asked sharply by the moderator about her assessment of Aung San Suu Kyi's time in office, Min Aung Hlaing's answer was succinct and straightforward: "She has done her best." ”
In the face of ASEAN's five-point consensus and peace initiative to stabilize Myanmar, which focuses on restoring calm as soon as possible, General Min Aung Hlaing pointed out that some countries are eager to advance democracy in Myanmar but do not seem to fully understand the reality in Myanmar.
On December 30, 2022, the dust settled on Aung San Suu Kyi's verdict: the cumulative sentence for corruption charges and other charges increased to 33 years, and if there is no turnaround, she may end her life in prison.
Although Min Aung Hlaing is not in power for the time being, Myanmar's state of emergency has been extended until August 2023, and in effect Min Aung Hlaing is in full charge of state affairs. Unless the future changes, the status quo is almost certain.
Breaking news: Myanmar's authority changes, Aung San Suu Kyi's detention, the country enters a state of emergency, and the commander-in-chief of the National Defense Forces, Min Aung Hlaing, temporarily takes over power.
*Times, editor Lin Yan brings the latest reports.