Aung Gyi
Encyclopedia
Aung Gyi was a member of General Ne Win
's 4th Burma Rifles
rising to Brigadier General
. Aung Gyi was a Chinese descendant and he had a very typical Chinese name Chen Tianwang in addition to the more commonly used Ang Ji . He played a role in the caretaker government
of 1958-60 led by Ne Win. Aung Gyi was number two in the Revolutionary Council
set up after the 1962 coup, serving as vice-chief of staff and Minister of Trade and Industry. He was once known as Ne Win's heir apparent
. In his memoirs, "Saturday's Son", published in 1974, U Nu
, then Prime Minister of Myanmar
, claimed that his handover of power to the caretaker government was not voluntary but that a group of Army Officers led by Brigadier Aung Gyi and Brigadier Maung Maung threatened him with a "straight military coup" should he refuse to handover power to Ne Win.
Aung Gyi's role in suppressing the anti-government student protests in 1962 is not clear. In his resignation speech
of 23 July 1988 Ne Win blamed Aung Gyi as "the real culprit" in the destruction of the Rangoon University Student Union Building on 8 July 1962. Aung Gyi was ousted in 1963, when he criticized the Council's economic policies
, and for statements made in Japan about the cause of the 1962 coup. He was imprisoned in 1965-68, and again in 1973-74. However, Aung Gyi remained loyal to the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces), and his connection with Ne Win remained intact despite his later blunt criticism of the government.
Prior to the 8888 Uprising
Aung Gyi had written several long open letters, widely distributed throughout the country, to Ne Win
, critical of the government, and these became an important supporting factor to opposition movement. On 7 March 1988 Aung Gyi wrote his first letter to Ne Win, suggesting economic reforms and a new cabinet. He strongly criticised the government's Burmese Way to Socialism
and warned of possible social unrest. On 9 May 1988 he wrote a second 40-page open letter, reiterating the need for economic reforms.
In 1988, he emerged as prominent opposition leader and was imprisoned between 29 July and 25 August 1988. However, he remained a supporter of Ne Win and the army. Just before the army staged its coup on 18 September 1988, he told a crowd that he guaranteed that the army would not stage a coup and the interim government will be formed very soon: "I will kill myself, [if the army staged a coup]". After the coup, Aung Gyi told people who came to listen his speech that they "must not think bad (or 'sin' against) the army even in your minds".
The National League for Democracy
was formed on 27 September 1988, with Aung Gyi as Chairman, former General Thura Tin Oo
as Vice-Chairman and Aung San Suu Kyi
as General Secretary. He resigned on 3 December 1988 from the National League for Democracy
(NLD), alleging communist infiltration, to form the Union National Democracy Party (UNDP) on 16 December 1988. Only one candidate from the UNDP was elected in the Myanmar general elections that were held in May 1990. At those elections, there were 485 constituencies. The NDP fielded 447 candidates, and 392 were elected.
In 1993 Aung Gyi was sentenced to six months imprisonment for not paying a bill for eggs.
In 1998 he visited the USA and recorded an extensive interview with Radio Free Asia
. When asked about the army, he said: "People despise the Tatmadaw. This is a bad sign. The people of Burma have lost faith in the Tatmadaw." While he acknowledged the corruption and nepotism
of the top junta leaders, he considered that democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
was surrounded by communists, the same accusations made by the junta. He blamed the NLD
for boycotting the National Convention established to draft a new Constitution. He said, "I want U Ne Win to contribute something before he dies, because he knows what is right and wrong". He stated that Ne Win was still influential and had ordered the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) to change the name of the government and reshape the Cabinet in 1997.
Aung Gyi was among the few who attended the funeral of Ne Win in 2002 who spoke fondly of Ne Win's achievements in helping bring independence to Myanmar in 1948, but he also stated that "Ne Win betrayed Burma and Ne Win betrayed the country. He committed rape of democracy in Burma by staging a coup. He died an inglorious death. It was a sad and tragic ending".
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
's 4th Burma Rifles
Burma Rifles
The Burma Rifles were a regiment of the British Indian Army created in 1917. The regiment re-used the name of an unrelated earlier unit, the 10th Regiment Madras Infantry, which evolved into the 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles....
rising to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. Aung Gyi was a Chinese descendant and he had a very typical Chinese name Chen Tianwang in addition to the more commonly used Ang Ji . He played a role in the caretaker government
History of Myanmar
The history of Burma covers the period from the time of first-known human settlements 13,000 years ago to the present day. The earliest inhabitants of recorded history were the Pyu who entered the Irrawaddy valley from the north c. 2nd century BCE. By the 4th century CE, the Pyu had founded...
of 1958-60 led by Ne Win. Aung Gyi was number two in the Revolutionary Council
Revolutionary Council
Revolutionary Council may refer to:* Council of Islamic Revolution, a group of clerics and experts who chose by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 to manage Islamic revolution of Iran and then legislate for the Interim Government of Iran...
set up after the 1962 coup, serving as vice-chief of staff and Minister of Trade and Industry. He was once known as Ne Win's heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
. In his memoirs, "Saturday's Son", published in 1974, U Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...
, then Prime Minister of Myanmar
Prime Minister of Myanmar
The Prime Minister of Burma was the head of government of Burma, also called Myanmar, from 1948 to 2011.-History of the office:The position of Prime Minister was created in 1948, when Burma gained independence from the United Kingdom. Since then, eleven people have held the office...
, claimed that his handover of power to the caretaker government was not voluntary but that a group of Army Officers led by Brigadier Aung Gyi and Brigadier Maung Maung threatened him with a "straight military coup" should he refuse to handover power to Ne Win.
Aung Gyi's role in suppressing the anti-government student protests in 1962 is not clear. In his resignation speech
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
of 23 July 1988 Ne Win blamed Aung Gyi as "the real culprit" in the destruction of the Rangoon University Student Union Building on 8 July 1962. Aung Gyi was ousted in 1963, when he criticized the Council's economic policies
Economic policy
Economic policy refers to the actions that governments take in the economic field. It covers the systems for setting interest rates and government budget as well as the labor market, national ownership, and many other areas of government interventions into the economy.Such policies are often...
, and for statements made in Japan about the cause of the 1962 coup. He was imprisoned in 1965-68, and again in 1973-74. However, Aung Gyi remained loyal to the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces), and his connection with Ne Win remained intact despite his later blunt criticism of the government.
Prior to the 8888 Uprising
8888 Uprising
The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma...
Aung Gyi had written several long open letters, widely distributed throughout the country, to Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
, critical of the government, and these became an important supporting factor to opposition movement. On 7 March 1988 Aung Gyi wrote his first letter to Ne Win, suggesting economic reforms and a new cabinet. He strongly criticised the government's Burmese Way to Socialism
Burmese Way to Socialism
The Burmese Way to Socialism refers to the ideology of the Socialist regime in Burma, from 1962 to 1988, when the 1962 coup d'état was led by Ne Win and the military to remove U Nu from power...
and warned of possible social unrest. On 9 May 1988 he wrote a second 40-page open letter, reiterating the need for economic reforms.
In 1988, he emerged as prominent opposition leader and was imprisoned between 29 July and 25 August 1988. However, he remained a supporter of Ne Win and the army. Just before the army staged its coup on 18 September 1988, he told a crowd that he guaranteed that the army would not stage a coup and the interim government will be formed very soon: "I will kill myself, [if the army staged a coup]". After the coup, Aung Gyi told people who came to listen his speech that they "must not think bad (or 'sin' against) the army even in your minds".
The National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
was formed on 27 September 1988, with Aung Gyi as Chairman, former General Thura Tin Oo
Tin Oo
General Thura Tin Oo is a retired general, former commander in chief of the armed forces of Union of Myanmar, highly decorated soldier, pro-democracy activist and deputy leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar.- Military career:...
as Vice-Chairman and Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
as General Secretary. He resigned on 3 December 1988 from the National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
(NLD), alleging communist infiltration, to form the Union National Democracy Party (UNDP) on 16 December 1988. Only one candidate from the UNDP was elected in the Myanmar general elections that were held in May 1990. At those elections, there were 485 constituencies. The NDP fielded 447 candidates, and 392 were elected.
In 1993 Aung Gyi was sentenced to six months imprisonment for not paying a bill for eggs.
In 1998 he visited the USA and recorded an extensive interview with Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation that operates a radio station and Internet news service. RFA was founded by an act of the US Congress and is operated by the Broadcasting Board of Governors . The RFA is supported in part by grants from the federal government of the United States...
. When asked about the army, he said: "People despise the Tatmadaw. This is a bad sign. The people of Burma have lost faith in the Tatmadaw." While he acknowledged the corruption and nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
of the top junta leaders, he considered that democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
was surrounded by communists, the same accusations made by the junta. He blamed the NLD
NLD
The acronym NLD can refer to* National League for Democracy, the main opposition party in Burma* Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, a skin disorder* Nonverbal learning disorder* Novell Linux Desktop* North London Derby...
for boycotting the National Convention established to draft a new Constitution. He said, "I want U Ne Win to contribute something before he dies, because he knows what is right and wrong". He stated that Ne Win was still influential and had ordered the State Peace and Development Council
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
(SPDC) to change the name of the government and reshape the Cabinet in 1997.
Aung Gyi was among the few who attended the funeral of Ne Win in 2002 who spoke fondly of Ne Win's achievements in helping bring independence to Myanmar in 1948, but he also stated that "Ne Win betrayed Burma and Ne Win betrayed the country. He committed rape of democracy in Burma by staging a coup. He died an inglorious death. It was a sad and tragic ending".