Myint Swe
{{Short description|Burmese politician and military officer (born 1950)}}
{{Other people|Myint Swe}}
{{Family name hatnote|Myint Swe|lang=Burmese}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = His Excellency
Thiri Thudhamma[https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-regime-leader-awards-himself-two-highest-honorary-titles.html Myanmar Regime Leader Awards Himself Two Highest Honorary Titles]
Lieutenant General
| name = Myint Swe
| native_name_lang = my
| native_name = {{nobold|မြင့်ဆွေ}}
| image =
| caption =
| order = Acting
| office = President of Myanmar
| 1blankname = Prime Minister
| 1namedata = Min Aung Hlaing
| term_start = 1 February 2021
| term_end = 22 July 2024
| predecessor = Win Myint
| successor = Min Aung Hlaing (acting)
| vicepresident = Henry Van Thio
| 1blankname1 = {{nowrap|State Counsellor}}
| 1namedata1 = Aung San Suu Kyi
| term_start1 = 21 March 2018
| term_end1 = 30 March 2018
| predecessor1 = Htin Kyaw
| successor1 = Win Myint
| vicepresident1 = Henry Van Thio
| office2 = 3rd First Vice President of Myanmar
| president2 = Htin Kyaw
Himself (acting)
Win Myint
Himself (acting)
Min Aung Hlaing (acting)
| term_start2 = 30 March 2016
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = Sai Mauk Kham
| successor2 =
| alongside2 = Henry Van Thio
(2016-2024)
| office3 = 1st Chief Minister of Yangon Region
| term_start3 = 30 March 2011
| term_end3 = 30 March 2016
| predecessor3 = Office established
| successor3 = Phyo Min Thein
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1951|5|24}}
| birth_place = Mandalay, Union of Burma (now Myanmar)
| party = Union Solidarity and Development (USDP)
| spouse = Khin Thet Htay
| children = 2
| relations = Agga Min Gaung (grandson)
| education = Defence Services Academy
| allegiance = {{MMR}}
| branch = {{army|MYA}}
| serviceyears = 1973–2010
| rank = 13px Lieutenant General
}}
Myint Swe ({{langx|my|မြင့်ဆွေ}}; {{IPA|my|mjɪ̰ɰ̃ sʰwè|pron}}; born 5 June 1950{{cite web |url=http://www.altsean.org/Research/SPDC%20Whos%20Who/SPDC/MyintSwe.htm |title=Lt Gen Myint Swe |access-date=2 July 2008 |publisher=Alternative Asean Network on Burma |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624081049/http://www.altsean.org/Research/SPDC%20Whos%20Who/SPDC/MyintSwe.htm |archive-date=24 June 2014 |url-status=dead }}) is a Burmese politician and retired army officer who has been Vice President of Myanmar since 30 March 2016 and previously served as Acting President of Myanmar from 1 February 2021 to 22 July 2024. He also served as the acting president from 21 March 2018 to 30 March 2018 after the resignation of President Htin Kyaw, and the chief minister of Yangon Region from 30 March 2011 to 30 March 2016. A member of the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party, he is an ethnic Mon and a former lieutenant general in the Myanmar Army.{{cite news|url=http://www.moi.gov.mm/npe:zg/sites/default/files/newspaper-journal/2016/03/12/mal|title=ဒုသမ္မတအဖြစ် ရွေးချယ်တင်မြှောက်ခံရသူ ကိုယ်ရေးအချက်အလက် အကျဉ်း|date=12 March 2016|access-date=12 March 2016|newspaper=Myanmar Ahlin|archive-date=4 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004145027/http://www.moi.gov.mm/npe:zg/sites/default/files/newspaper-journal/2016/03/12/mal|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/burma.htm|title=CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK|date=20 April 2011|work=Her Majesty's Treasury|publisher=UK Government|access-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130129110402/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/burma.htm|archive-date=29 January 2013}}
Myint Swe was declared acting president by the Tatmadaw in the coup d'état on 1 February 2021, after which he immediately declared a state of emergency and formally transferred power to coup leader Min Aung Hlaing.{{cite web |title=Myanmar coup: who are the military figures running the country? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/02/myanmar-coup-who-are-the-military-figures-running-the-country |website=The Guardian |access-date=23 February 2021 |date=2 February 2021 |archive-date=17 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217120811/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/02/myanmar-coup-who-are-the-military-figures-running-the-country |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Milko |first1=Victoria |title=Why is the military taking control in the Myanmar coup? |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-02-01/why-military-taking-control-coup-myanmar |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=10 March 2021 |date=1 February 2021 |archive-date=14 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314133724/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-02-01/why-military-taking-control-coup-myanmar |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Myanmar Military Seizes Power |url=https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-military-seizes-power.html |website=The Irrawaddy |access-date=10 March 2021 |date=1 February 2021 |archive-date=9 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309165714/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-military-seizes-power.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Milko |first1=Victoria |last2=Kurtenbach |first2=Elaine |title=A decade after junta's end, Myanmar military back in control |url=https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-coup-aung-san-suu-kyi-a9843c6bf9c85b3944a606017e500162 |website=Associated Press |access-date=10 March 2021 |date=1 February 2021 |archive-date=10 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310231824/https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-coup-aung-san-suu-kyi-a9843c6bf9c85b3944a606017e500162 |url-status=live }} Throughout his political career, Myint Swe has worked to ensure the Tatmadaw's influence in politics. He has rarely been seen in public since the coup, with Min Aung Hlaing serving as the face of the government. Myint Swe's main role in the military government was to formally grant and renew Min Aung Hlaing's emergency powers.
Military career
He graduated from the Defence Services Academy in 1973 as part of the 15th intake.{{cite news |first=Min |last=Lwin |title=Lt-Gen Myint Swe: Future No 2? |url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13014 |work=The Irrawaddy |date=27 June 2008 |access-date=2 July 2008 |archive-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217174320/http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13014 |url-status=live }} He became a brigadier general and commander of Light Infantry Division 11 in 1997. He was appointed as Commander of Southeastern Command and member of State Peace and Development Council in 2001. He was transferred as Commander of Yangon Command and promoted to major general. He also acted as Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council.
He became the Chief of Military Security Affairs after General Khin Nyunt was purged in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.altsean.org/Research/SPDC%20Whos%20Who/SPDC/MyintSwe.htm|title=Myint Soe|website=www.altsean.org|access-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624081049/http://www.altsean.org/Research/SPDC%20Whos%20Who/SPDC/MyintSwe.htm|archive-date=24 June 2014|url-status=dead}} He became Chief of Bureau of Special Operations – 5 (BSO-5) in January 2006. He is the first ethnic Mon to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in 2005. He was promoted to Quartermaster General and was rumored to be the next in line to replace Vice-Senior General Maung Aye in 2009.
He executed 3 major events while he was commanding the Yangon Command, arresting family members of General Ne Win in 2002 after an alleged coup conspiracy was uncovered, arresting Khin Nyunt and his associates in 2004 in the purge of the Military Intelligence faction and crushing the Saffron Revolution in 2007. His actions after Cyclone Nargis was criticized. He dealt with activists harshly in the pre-2010 general election period.{{cite web|title=Myint Swe Nominated as New Vice-President|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/ceasefire-keywords/myint-swe-nominated-as-new-vice-president.html|newspaper=The Irrawaddy|date=10 July 2012|access-date=14 July 2014|archive-date=15 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715004816/http://www.irrawaddy.org/ceasefire-keywords/myint-swe-nominated-as-new-vice-president.html|url-status=live}}
Political career
=Chief Minister of Yangon Region=
He was nominated as chief-minister of the Yangon Region after the general election by President Thein Sein. He was tipped to be nominated to become Vice President of Burma after Tin Aung Myint Oo's resignation in 2012, but did not qualify per the Constitution of Burma, as his son-in-law was an Australian citizen at the time.{{cite news|url=https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/news/myint-swe-revealed-as-military-vp-pick|title=Myint Swe revealed as military VP pick|publisher=Frontier Myanmar|date=11 March 2016|author=Sean Gleeson|access-date=4 October 2018|archive-date=30 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630214037/https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/news/myint-swe-revealed-as-military-vp-pick|url-status=live}}
=Vice Presidency=
On 11 March 2016, military-appointed MPs of the Assembly of the Union nominated him as one of the Vice Presidents of Myanmar. He received 213 votes on 15 March 2016 and became First Vice President of Htin Kyaw's Cabinet.{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1923519/myanmar-military-picks-hardliner-myint-swe-work-suu-kyis|title=Myanmar military picks hardliner Myint Swe to work with Suu Kyi's proxy president|date=11 March 2016|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=11 March 2016|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108122454/http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/1923519/myanmar-military-picks-hardliner-myint-swe-work-suu-kyis|url-status=live}} He was sworn in on 30 March 2016.
=Acting President=
On 21 March 2018, following the sudden resignation of Htin Kyaw as President of Myanmar, Myint Swe was sworn in as acting president under the Constitution of Myanmar, which also called for the Assembly to select a new president within seven days of Htin Kyaw's resignation.
On 1 February 2021, President Win Myint was removed from office in a coup and detained by the Tatmadaw (Myanmar's military), so Myint Swe would become Acting President, allowing him to call a meeting of the military-controlled National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) and declare a state of emergency and formally transfer power to coup leader Min Aung Hlaing. The military maintains that Myint Swe constitutionally assumed the presidency because the constitution states the first vice president becomes acting president if the presidency becomes vacant due to "resignation, death, permanent disability or any other cause". However, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, this interpretation is questionable as the military had no legal authority to detain Win Myint and the constitution provides for an impeachment and removal process which was not followed.{{cite web |last1=Noel |first1=Thibaut |title=Unconstitutionality of the 2021 Coup in Myanmar |url=https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/unconstitutionality-of-the-2021-military-coup-in-myanmar.pdf |website=International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance |access-date=15 March 2023 |date=March 2022 |archive-date=15 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315073816/https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/unconstitutionality-of-the-2021-military-coup-in-myanmar.pdf |url-status=live }}
Myint Swe extended the state of emergency five times by six month periods at meetings of the NSDC, but did not otherwise participate in government.{{cite news |last1=Strangio |first1=Sebastian |title=Myanmar Junta Again Extends State of Emergency Ahead of Coup Anniversary |url=https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/myanmar-junta-again-extends-state-of-emergency-ahead-of-coup-anniversary/ |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=The Diplomat |date=1 February 2024}}{{cite news |title=Junta Watch: Old Faces Reappear, Coup Leader Declares Himself Buddhism's Savior and More |url=https://irrawaddy.com/news/burma/junta-watch-old-faces-reappear-coup-leader-declares-himself-buddhisms-savior-and-more.html |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=The Irrawaddy |date=5 February 2022 |archive-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314003635/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/junta-watch-old-faces-reappear-coup-leader-declares-himself-buddhisms-savior-and-more.html |url-status=live }} The third extension was especially controversial because the constitution says up to two extensions are "normally" allowed. According to some international observers such as the International Crisis Group, the third extension was unconstitutional. Myint Swe justified the extension due to what he said are "extraordinary circumstances". The junta-packed Constitutional Tribunal affirmed his interpretation.{{cite web |title=A Road to Nowhere: The Myanmar Regime’s Stage-managed Elections |url=https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-east-asia/myanmar/b175-road-nowhere-myanmar-regimes-stage-managed-elections |website=International Crisis Group |access-date=11 March 2025}}{{cite news |title=Extension of State of Emergency conforms with Constitution: CT response |url=https://cdn.myanmarseo.com/file/client-cdn/gnlm/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2_Feb_23_gnlm.pdf |access-date=8 February 2023 |work=Global New Light of Myanmar |date=1 February 2023 |page=2 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202003458/https://cdn.myanmarseo.com/file/client-cdn/gnlm/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2_Feb_23_gnlm.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Myanmar’s military regime extends state of emergency by 6 months as civil war rages |url=https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-state-of-emergency-military-government-extended-bc7001ffd9affcbe3cffd4237e7d32b6 |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=Associated Press |date=1 August 2024}}
In a November 2023 meeting of the NSDC, Myint Swe warned that the country was at risk of being "split into various parts" amid the civil war.{{cite news |title=Myanmar president: country at risk of breaking apart due to clashes |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-president-country-risk-breaking-apart-due-border-violence-2023-11-09/ |access-date=14 February 2024 |work=Reuters |date=9 November 2023}}
On 18 July 2024, state media in Myanmar reported that Myint Swe was suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease, adding that he had been receiving medical treatment since early in 2024 and was unable to eat or carry out other basic functions.{{Cite web |title=The leader of Myanmar’s army government is named acting president so he can renew state of emergency |url=https://apnews.com/article/army-min-aung-hlaing-myint-swe-president-210cebcc6268b372493041b70fcf0a25 |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=Associated Press |language=en-US}} On 22 July 2024, he took medical leave and transferred his duties as president to Min Aung Hlaing on an acting basis.[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/22/myanmars-military-chief-named-acting-president Myanmar’s military chief named acting president] - Aljazeera(07/23/2024)
Personal life
Myint Swe is of Mon descent. He is married to Khin Thet Htay, and has two children.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-11 |title=Children of Burma's bloody junta in Sydney deny black money |url=https://www.kalminer.com.au/news/nsw/children-of-burmese-military-living-in-sydney-c-3083900 |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=Kalgoorlie Miner |language=en |archive-date=4 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804062641/https://www.kalminer.com.au/news/nsw/children-of-burmese-military-living-in-sydney-c-3083900 |url-status=live }}
References
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{{s-ttl|title=Chief Minister of Yangon Region|years=2011–2016}}
{{s-aft|after=Phyo Min Thein}}
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{{s-bef|before=Sai Mauk Kham}}
{{s-ttl|title=First Vice President of Myanmar|years=2016–present}}
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{{s-bef|before=Htin Kyaw}}
{{s-ttl|title=Acting President of Myanmar|years=2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Win Myint}}
{{s-bef|before=Win Myint}}
{{s-ttl|title=Acting President of Myanmar|years=2021–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Min Aung Hlaing}}
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{{Heads of state of Burma (Myanmar)}}
{{Chief Ministers of Burma}}
Category:Defence Services Academy alumni
Category:Vice-presidents of Myanmar
Category:Leaders who took power by coup
Category:Union Solidarity and Development Party politicians
Category:Acting presidents of Myanmar
Category:presidents of Myanmar
Category:21st-century Burmese politicians
Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List