In the world of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, we can find a wide variety of elements that allow us to explore and deepen their meaning. From its origins to the present, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services has played a fundamental role in people's lives, significantly impacting multiple aspects. Throughout history, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services has been the subject of study, debate and controversy, which has contributed to the enrichment of knowledge on this topic. In this article, we will delve into the world of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services to understand its importance, evolution and relevance in today's society.
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services | |
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တပ်မတော်ကာကွယ်ရေးဦးစီးချုပ် | |
Tatmadaw Ministry of Defence | |
Style | His Excellency |
Abbreviation | CinCDS |
Member of | National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) |
Seat | Naypyidaw, Myanmar |
Nominator | NDSC |
Appointer | State President |
Formation | 1945 |
First holder | General Aung San |
Unofficial names | တပ်ချုပ်၊ကာချုပ် |
Deputy | Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services |
Website | Official website |
The Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services (Burmese: တပ်မတော်ကာကွယ်ရေးဦးစီးချုပ်, romanized: Tatmadaw Kakweyay Uzigyoke) is the supreme commander of the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar. Since a state of emergency was declared following the 2021 military coup d'état, the Commander-in-Chief has been the highest authority in the country, with plenary power delegated by the president and the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC). Even in peacetime, however, the Tatmadaw is an independent branch of government under control of the Commander-in-Chief, though certain actions of the Commander-in-Chief require the approval of the NDSC.
According to the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar, the Commander-in-Chief is appointed by the President upon nomination by the NDSC, chaired by the President; the Commander-in-Chief is also a member of the NDSC. Article 418 of the 2008 Constitution allows the Commander-in-Chief broad authority over the government if the president declares a state of emergency in coordination with the NDSC. This happened after the 2021 military coup d'état: military-installed Acting President Myint Swe declared a state of emergency and transferred power to Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who then formed a military junta—the State Administration Council.
The current Commander-in-Chief is Min Aung Hlaing, since 30 March 2011. By law, the Commander-in-Chief must be under the age of 65. However, Min Aung Hlaing, who turned 65 on 3 July 2021, has remained in office.
No. | Portrait | Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
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1 | Aung San (1915–1947) | Major General1945 | 19 July 1947 † | 2 years | Patriotic Burmese Forces | |
2 | Let Yar (1911–1978) | Brigadier19 July 1947 | 4 January 1948 | 169 days | Burma Army | |
3 | Smith Dun (1906–1979) | Lieutenant General4 January 1948 | 31 January 1949 | 1 year, 27 days | Burma Army | |
4 | Ne Win (1910–2002) | General1 February 1949 | 20 April 1972 | 23 years, 79 days | Burma Army | |
5 | San Yu (1918–1996) | General20 April 1972 | 1 March 1974 | 1 year, 315 days | Burma Army | |
6 | Tin Oo (born 1927) | General1 March 1974 | 6 March 1976 | 2 years, 5 days | Burma Army | |
7 | Kyaw Htin (1925–1996) | General6 March 1976 | 3 November 1985 | 9 years, 242 days | Burma Army | |
8 | Saw Maung (1928–1997) | Senior General4 November 1985 | 22 April 1992 | 6 years, 170 days | Myanmar Army | |
9 | Than Shwe (born 1933) | Senior General22 April 1992 | 30 March 2011 | 18 years, 342 days | Myanmar Army | |
10 | Min Aung Hlaing (born 1956) | Senior General30 March 2011 | Incumbent | 13 years, 29 days | Myanmar Army |