Saw Maung

Senior General Saw Maung (, ; December 1928 – 24 July 1997) was the founder of the State Peace and Development Council in Myanmar. He served as their Chairman from 1988 to 1992.

Early life and career

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.

Chairman of SLORC

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. He retired as Chairman of SLORC in April 1992. According to the junta this was for health reasons. It has...
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