Lieutenant Colonels Soe Soe Myint and San Thida Khin, who were appointed by the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, were sworn in when the Pyithu Hluttaw reconvened on January 13.

The declined to comment on their appointment to the 110-member military bloc in the 440-member lower house, but other Pyithu Hluttaw MPs told Mizzima they welcomed the move.

Daw Khin Saw Wai (Rakhine Nationalities Progressive Party, Yathethaung, Rakhine State) said that when she once observed in the Pyithu Hluttaw that there were no women among the military representatives, the chamber had burst into laughter.

“Now they are here and we welcome them,” said Daw Khin Saw Wai, who expressed support for moves throughout the world for women to comprise 30 percent of MPs.

Daw Khin Saw Wai said twenty-five women officers would be better than two and more could be appointed to the military bloc after the 2015 election.

“Though they are not elected by the people, they are the representatives of the people and can work for the interests of the people,” she said.

“I want them to submit proposals and ask questions like other members of parliament.”

U Winn Myint (National League for Democracy, Pathein, Ayeyarwaddy Region), said he welcomed the women Tatmadaw representatives because he did not believe in gender discrimination.

“If we can have not only women representatives in the hluttaw but also a woman national leader that would be even better,” U Winn Myint said.

Daw Khin San Hlaing (NLD, Pale, Sagaing Region) welcomed the appointments and said there should be more women in the hluttaw.

“We want more women to be involved in making decisions for the country,” Daw Khin San Hlaing said.

Among members of the Amyotha Hluttaw who welcomed the appointments was Daw Khin Wine Kyi (National Democratic Force, Yangon Region) who said they were “a step in the right direction”.

“When the Tatmadaw representatives have something to say about defence and security matters a women’s point of view will be different to that of the men but it will make their contribution to the hluttaw more complete,” she said.

Dr Banyar Aung Moe (All Mon Regions Democracy Party, Mon State) said the appointments would raise awareness about women’s rights in the Tatmadaw.

“It will also serve to encourage members of the hluttaw to think about women’s rights and I hope that good ideas might come from them,” Dr Banyar Aung Moe said.

U Paw Hlyan Lwin (Chin Progressive Party, Chin State) said that at a time when there was support in many countries for 30 percent female representation in their parliaments the appointments by the Commander-in-Chief were appropriate.

“I welcome them,” U Paw Hlyan Lwin said.

U Phone Myint Aung (New National Democracy Party, Yangon Region) said he had been told by a Tatmadaw MP that the idea to appoint women officers had been suggested by former US president Jimmy Carter when he met the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, during his visit to Myanmar last year.

“The Commander-in-Chief accepted Mr Carter’s idea and explained it to the Tatmadaw representatives in the hluttaw,” U Phone Myint Aung said.

“Men and women have different ideas and the hluttaw should be a place of different ideas.”