New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Burmese junta is gearing up to hold its first military quarterly meeting for 2009 in the second week of March, where it is likely to discuss major issues including plans for the 2010 general elections, sources in the army said.
The source said, following the meeting, the generals are likely to announce the election law for the 2010 general elections.
The quarterly meeting is a gathering of military officers including commanders of various military commands, brigade commanders, and up to the rank of director-generals from various ministries. It is usually held in Naypyitaw and attended by officers across the country.
But Aung Kyaw Zaw, a military analyst based on the Sino-Burma border, said while a high percentage of generals are for announcing the election law following their discussion in the meeting, a section of the military, particularly the older groups feel the announcement of the election law should be further delayed.
“People like Aung Thaung and Kyaw Hsan think that they should declare the election law now as they are sure that they have enough preparation,” he said, referring to the junta’s Minister of Industry-1, and Minister for Information.
But senior military leaders including Than Shwe and Maung Aye, who witnessed the military’s failure in the 1990 elections, feel that the announcement should be delayed in order to give opposition limited time for preparation.
“This might be one area they will discuss in the quarterly meeting,” he added.
The military usually holds three quarterly meetings in a year – in January, May and September. But in 2008, the military only held two, canceling a meeting in May. It also altered the timings of the meeting with the last quarterly meeting held in November.
“To me, it seems, that the quarterly meeting has lost its essence and is only used by a few top military leaders to explain their plans to their lower ranks,” Aung Kyaw Zaw said.
According to him, the top five – Snr. Gen Than Shwe, Vice Snr. Gen Maung Aye, Thura Shwe Mann, Prime Minister Thein Sein and Secretary (1) Tin Aung Myint Oo – meet in advance and take major decisions before the meeting and explaining to their junior officers the plan ahead.
“A few suggestions and discussions are made during the meeting, but major decisions are taken by the five before the meeting,” Aung Kyaw Zaw said.
Most reshuffles in the military takes place during the quarterly meetings and most military observers said the last quarterly meeting, usually in September, is always crucial in announcing major reshuffles in the military.
