By Syed Zarir Hussain
Moreh (Myanmar-India Border), Sep 29 (IANS) Leading exile-run websites have claimed cracks have surfaced within the military junta in Myanmar with serious differences brewing between Senior General Than Shwe and his second-in-command, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye, over the brutal attacks on pro-democracy protestors.
“Maung Aye and his loyalists are opposed to shooting into the crowd,” the Mizzima, a leading news portal run by exiled pro-democracy journalists, said.
It was the 12th straight day Saturday since widespread protests erupted against the ruling junta, which caused outrage in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation by doubling fuel prices Aug 15.
Government-backed soldiers fired on protesting monks for the first time Wednesday and hauled hundreds of clergymen to jail to quell the demonstrations, the biggest such protests since the 1988 pro-democracy movement that saw about 3,000 people killed.
“It is almost sure that there is some sort of a revolt within the army top brass and the ranks over firing on unarmed protestors,” Min Maung, an exiled Burmese student leader and now a correspondent for the BBC (Burmese Service) in New Delhi, told IANS by telephone.
The Irrawaddy and Mizzima web sites have claimed that Than Shwe is in favour of opening fire on the demonstrators, while other commanders, including the Yangon regional commander and the northwest and northeastern regional commanders, favour restraint.
“Very soon Myanmar could witness a mutiny of sorts with several senior commanders and soldiers not willing to attack monks,” Kyaw Than, president of the All Burmese Students’ League, told IANS.
Hidden behind dark sunglasses and a military uniform, the 74-year-old Senior Gen Shwe is seen as the single major obstacle to restoration of democracy.
A school dropout, he rose to the military’s top brass by helping General Ne Win seize power in a 1962 military coup, ending the country’s short post-independence experiment with democracy.
Gen Shwe was also directly involved in quelling the failed popular insurrection in 1988.
There are several instances of mutiny and revolts in Myanmar — Colonel Zeya of the 3rd Regiment of the army went underground along with his entire unit after Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, attained independence from British rule in 1947.
“There were differences in ideology that led to Col Zeya and his regiment going underground. There could be similar reactions even now with reports indicating that lower ranked officers and soldiers are siding with the demonstrators,” Maung said.
During the military’s internal squabbling after 1988, Ne Win was ousted in a coup and Gen Shwe became the top military commander in 1992. Ne Win died under house arrest in 2002.
“Gen Shwe is said to be suffering from various ailments and often visits Singapore for treatment. Now someone within the army top brass might stage a coup if reports are to be believed,” Than said.
Reporters Without Borders, a press-freedom group based in France, described Gen Shwe as a “notoriously paranoid general”.
“He makes very few public appearances, and most Burmese have never heard him speak,” the rights group said.
The military of Myanmar, officially known as Tatmadaw, has an estimated strength of about 500,000.