Sein Lwin
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U Sein Lwin (1923-11 April 2004), was a former General, Prime Minister (4 March 1974-29 March 1977) and briefly President of Myanmar (27 July – 12 August 1988). His death was reported in a state-run newspaper, Myanma Ahlin, which did not give a cause of death.
In 1943 he joined the army, and in 1944 joined Ne Win’s 4th Burma Rifles. He is believed to have personally killed Karen rebel leader Ba Gyi. General Sein Lwin had a reputation as being a henchman for General Ne Win. He was one of those responsible for the Rangoon Student Union massacre on 7 July 1962 when 130 university students protesting against General Ne Win's coup d'etat were killed when the Student Union building was dynamited. Aung Gyi and Tin Pe were the senior officers, and Sein Lwin was the field commanding officer in the University region. No one exactly knows who gave the order.
Sein Lwin, as commander of the security force riot police (Lon Htein) was responsible for dealing with student protests during the 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations. On 16 March, following the killing of two students, students marching on Prome Road were confronted near Inya Lake by the riot police and many beaten to death or drowned. On 17 March, soldiers and riot police entered Rangoon University and arrested hundreds of students, 41 dying in custody. As public unrest grew, a general strike was called for 8 August 1988. Sein Lwin, succeeded Ne Win as Burma Socialist Programme Party Chairman on 26 July and San Yu as President on 27 July 1988.
Sein Lwin, implementing the threat in Ne Win’s "sword with sword, spear with spear" resignation speech, directed troops to fire on groups of unarmed demonstrators in Yangon during the 8 August 1988 demonstrations (referred to as the 8888 Uprising), killing and wounding hundreds. Protests, more shootings and arrests continued until Sein Lwin resigned on 12 August.
The State Law and Order Restoration Council was established shortly after, on 18 September 1988. Following the military takeover, the junta provided assistance to Sein Lwin, including guards, a pension, several four-wheel drive vehicles and monthly food rations. However, after the junta put Ne Win under arrest in March 2002, his assistance was removed.
[edit] References
- Sein Lwin Short Biography
- Guardian Newspaper 4 August 1988 “But the 64-year-old brigadier general, known as the 'Butcher of Rangoon' for his brutal suppression of successive students' demonstrations in the capital, has marked his first days in power with a show of force against government critics”.
- New York times 12 April 2004 “General Sein Lwin had a reputation for being the brutal henchman of U Ne Win, the military dictator, and was best known for suppressing antigovernment activities. He led a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1988.”
- Encyclopedia Brittanica Year in Review 2004 “..he was better known as the “Butcher of Rangoon,” the brutal cohort of U Ne Win … and the man responsible for the ruthless suppression of dissent, notably antigovernment protests in 1962 in which scores of university students were killed”.
- The Irrawaddy Magazine Archive The Butcher sees Red
