Bo Than Swe,

I’m sure this letter will reach you without doubt, course’ I give it to the young intelligent officer stationed outside my house, passed it on to his top boss, Bo Khin Nyunt. By the way, tell Bo Khin Nyunt, I thank him for placing those securities in front of my house around the clock. Due to their present, many people stopped coming to my house, especially my old comrades and veterans. Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

I see your pictures in the Myanma Ah-lin and TV almost daily, you look extremely well, and gain lots of weight. And look at your wife, Ma Kyaing, totally contrast to the young skinny house maid that we met at Pa-Oh village head’s house near Pa-ann, what - 40 years ago. Well, life at the top with such luxuries could not be better. Yes, one could not contest one’s karma. Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

Hey, you remember on that front post in Karen state back in 50s, while Captain Saw Maung was our platoon commander, and we’re just second lieutenants, you were so scared to move out of the trench during the assault. Bo Saw Maung waiving his pistol took charge of the assault in front, and every one joined in, except you. I shouted at you not to be a coward but to move out - you just stayed inside the bunker. Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

And, when I was the garrison commander of War Office in the late 70s, you came by my house in the War Office compound, after the staff meeting with C-in-C General Thura Tin Oo. You knew about Captain Ohn Kyaw Myint’s plans to assassinate the ‘old man - Ne Win’. After the event, Ohn Kyaw Myint was hanged, Ako-gyi Tin Oo was dismissed and jailed; I was detained briefly, and given early retirement, thanks to my old commander, Ako-gyi Sann Yu. But, you went scot-free and even promoted to General Staff (1) at the War Office. Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

When Bo Saw Maung became Commander-in-chief and you were appointed as his deputy, and later form SLORC took over the power from Dr. Maung Maung, in August, 1988, after letting the “Ah-Yan” Tin Hla with his 22 LID, killed thousands of innocent people, students and monks, you quietly supported Bo Saw Maung and Bo Khin Nyunt from behind. When I made my complaint – but you give slim argument by redirecting those responsibilities to Bo Saw Maung and Bo Khin Nyunt.

Later, when Bo Saw Maung became uncontrollable, talking nonsense, claiming himself as ‘reincarnated’ Kyan-Sitt-Tha-Min, 10th century warrior-king of Pagan era, but most of all, he committed a cardinal sin by promising the world that ‘tatmadaw’ will go back to the barracks after the 90 elections. This was the last straw for the ‘old man – Ne Win’ who finally sacked him and promoted you to his place, the C-in-C with the grand title, Senior General. Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

When Bo Tun Kyi, Bo Kyaw Ba, and Bo Myint Aung became out of control, taking full advantages of so-call free-market economy alias cronies-cum-nepotistic and corrupted economy to their own benefits and their families became extremely super rich with millions of dollar deposited in Singapore and Bangkok banks, thus became rivals to ‘old man – Ne Win’ and his family, particularly, to Sandar Ne Win and her family. Taking heeds and advices from Bo Khin Nyunt, you together with Bo Aye, abolished SLORC and replaced it with SPDC, members consisted of your hand-picked younger generals, too young for me to remember their names. Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

Due to shrinking economy and the pie became smaller, thanks to you and your ministers, the cronies of Bo Aye, Bo Khin Nyunt, Bo Win Myint, Bo Tin Hla and Aye Zaw Win came to head-on each others, and Sandar Win’s three spoil brats terrorized Rangoon elites and night cubs, planned to make a cosmetic coup with their father, you thrown them in jail, later refused to give a proper funeral for their grand-father, who was also your god-father, ‘old man –Ne Win’, instead sent him unceremoniously with in hours of his dead to Ye-way cemetery for cremation. Let it be - I won’t complaint about it.

The news spread across the nation that the real Thi Baw Min, the last Kone-Bound-Minzet was not taken to India by the colonial British, but only his replacement. The real Thi baw Min was left hiding in Kyauk-se and, became your ancestor. Well, that’s too good to be true. Firstly, this Thi Baw replacement theory drawn too close to WW II’s Hitler looked alike and Saddam Hussein duplicates in Baghdad during recent Iraq war. But, for you to be the Kone-Bound-Minzet, is totally absurd, and completely incomprehensible. I am out of words. Since I knew your family well, there must be some thing wrong with this assumption. Do you really believe that you were born from the Shwe Bo Royal Blood? Let it be – I won’t complaint about it.

Now, I heard recently that our Bogyoke’s daughter, young Suu Suu, was attacked and almost killed by those thugs, and also Ako-gyi Thu ra Tin Oo was severely injured, by those wicked mobs orchestrated by S-2 Soe Win and accomplice USDA EC members, I am totally shocked and angry with you to let it happened to our beloved Bogyoke’s daughter in-harms way. Are you gone completely mad? You should be protecting her like a sister, you’d said it yourself over and over again. Now, you put her in jail, Insein prison! You’re really insane now. This time, I must complaint profoundly and I cannot let it be. If you have any decency left in you, you must release young Suu Suu immediately together with Ako-gyi Thu ra Tin Oo.

For the old time sake, please look what’d happened to your god father ‘old man – Ne Win’ and your old boss ‘Bo Saw Maung’ on the last journey of their lives. We are getting old but it’s not too late for you to act. For the love of the country, and our people, make the right decision for once in your life time.

Your old comrade,

Bo Sein
Sayar Sein