Saw Maung

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Saw Maung
Saw Maung

In office
1988 – 1992
Vice President General Than Shwe
Preceded by General Ne Win
Succeeded by Senior General Than Shwe

Born 1928
Mandalay, Upper Burma
Died 24 July 1997
Nationality Burmese
Political party SLORC

Saw Maung (December 1928 - 24 July 1997), born in Mandalay, was a head of State in Myanmar.

Saw Maung joined the army in 1949, a year after Burma gained independence from Britain. He became a major in 1967. From 1975-76, he fought against communist insurgents and ethnic rebels along the border with Thailand. In 1976, he became a brigadier general, and in 1981 an adjutant-general. He became armed forces commander in 1983.

Saw Maung was army chief of staff and defence minister in the brief government of Sein Lwin and became chairman of the junta when the army staged its coup in 1988 after the 8888 Uprising. He was effective ruler of the country as head of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). He also held the posts of prime minister and foreign minister. As a high-ranking member of the Burma Socialist Programme Party, he provided continuity of leadership during a succession of short-lived predecessors that followed the toppling of Ne Win earlier in 1988.

SLORC held free elections in 1990. The 1990 parliamentary elections were won by the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi, but SLORC did not accept the results. It is believed that he retired as Chairman of SLORC in April 1992 for health reasons, and he was replaced as Chairman by General Than Shwe. Saw Maung died of a heart attack at 68 on 24 July 1997.

Preceded by
Maung Maung (acting)
Chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council
After 1997 State Peace and Development Council
1988–1992
Succeeded by
Than Shwe

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