Military Officers Flood Civilian Ministries Ahead of Min Aung Hlaing Presidency

Nearly 70 military officers have been transferred to civilian ministries ahead of junta chief Min Aung Hlaing’s inauguration as the “elected” president of Myanmar, as the military regime continues a tradition first entrenched by coup leader Ne Win more than six decades ago.

Gazettes released by the regime earlier this month show that 68 officers—ranked from captain to lieutenant colonel—were reassigned to 10 ministries as officials in January and February. The ministries include Home Affairs, Border Affairs, Transport and Communications, Agriculture and Irrigation, Industry, Commerce, Construction, Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Electricity, and Health, as well as the Naypyitaw and Yangon development committees.

The officers have been placed in senior administrative roles such as staff officer, deputy director, assistant director, assistant general manager, branch head, section head, chief engineer, and food and drug inspector.