Irrawaddy-Apr 19
Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing marked the traditional New Year on Thursday by granting honorary titles to ministers wanted for genocide and sanctioned by the EU and Switzerland. Among those awarded the Sithu title for “excellence in national development” was Shan State Chief Minister Lieutenant General Aung Aung, who along with Min Aung Hlaing and his deputy Soe Win faces an Argentinian arrest warrant over genocide against the Rohingya. Also handed New Year Sithu titles were State Administration Council (SAC) member Porel Aung Thein, sanctioned by Switzerland, and EU-sanctioned SAC member Dr Hmu Htan. Lt-Gen Aung Aung, known for his slavish loyalty to Min Aung Hlaing, was sanctioned by the US and Britain four years before the 2021 coup over the 2017 crackdown on the Rohingya in Rakhine State. As chief of the 33rd Light Infantry Division (LID), he led what the regime described as “clearance operations” in Rakhine. After the putsch, he oversaw brutal military operations in Shan and Karenni states, before being appointed Shan State chief minister last year. In February, he received more “official recognition”, this time from an Argentina court over his actions in Rakhine. Min Aung Hlaing also chose to honor Electricity Minister Nyan Tun, head of arguably Myanmar’s most criticized ministry, granting him the Thiri Pyanchi title for his stellar performance in ensuring a power supply of just eight hours per day, split into two four-hour slots. Citizens enduring 16-hour daily power outages were no doubt left speechless by Min Aung Hlaing’s appraisal of his cabinet, which coincided with record-breaking power outages since the 2021 coup. Rakhine State chief minister Htein Lin was another Thiri Pyanchi recipient. He currently controls just three towns – Sittwe, Manaung, and Kyaukphyu – across a vast western state that has been overrun by the ethnic Arakan Army. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/factiva/new-year-honors-list-a-whos-who-of-genocide-sanctions-and-misrule.html
