As Burma deals with the pain of one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in recent history, one face is conspicuous by its absence— that of commander in chief of the Burmese armed forces and chairman of the ruling SPDC, Snr-Gen Than Shwe.
Than Shwe and his close aides, generals Maung Aye and Thura Shwe Mann, have all but disappeared since Cyclone Nargis hit Burma.
People in Burma who read and watch the state-run media told The Irrawaddy that Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein and other ministers are constantly featured in news reports, meeting with survivors and distributing food and water.
However, there is no sign of Than Shwe and his top two generals. As head of state, Than Shwe has not even responded to world leaders who sent messages of condolences to the people of Burma.
Than Shwe’s the last appearance in the Burmese media was Friday, May 2, the day the cyclone struck. Instead of issuing a cyclone warning, the state radio and television reported a backdated news item that Than Shwe had personally picked up Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein from the airport in Naypyidaw.
The junta’s propaganda machine has since banned footage in the national media of monks helping survivors and providing assistance.
“I was so annoyed when I saw a TV report showing a donation box with the name of Lt-Gen Myint Swe—a member of the ruling junta—plastered on it,” said Ko Htoo, a student in Rangoon. “This is no time for propaganda. We need accurate news on the crisis.”
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