Burma in 1976: The Beginnings of Change?

Abstract

THE GOVERNMENT OF Burma has long been accustomed to the onslaughts of a large variety of insurgent forces, but in 1976 ominous signs of opposition to President Ne Win's leadership appeared within the Burmese army itself. There were also indications of strain within the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), the country's sole legal political party. Economic issues appeared to be at the root of the tensions within the army and the party. In the case of the army, officers who attempted a coup in July are said to have denounced the economic system,' while in the case of the BSPP, doctrinaire socialist elements may prevent implementation, if not the adoption, of measures essential to the revival of the seriously ailing Burmese economy. On September 10 began the trial of a group of young Burmese army officers accused of plotting to assassinate the President and stage a coup, allegedly the first such attempt by members of the army since Ne Win himself came to power by a military coup in March 1962. General San Yu, Secretary of the BSPP and of the State Council, and Colonel Tin Oo, Director General of the National Intelligence Board, were also alleged to have been targets for assassination. Two officers were accused of high treason and five others of encouraging them to commit acts of treason. All were accused of having sought to ruin the BSPP, thus violating the Vanguard Party Safeguarding Law. What gave this assassination and coup trial particular importance was the alleged role of former Defense Minister and Army Chief of Staff, General Tin U. who appeared in the dock along with the accused coup plotters. He was charged with misprision of treason, i.e., of knowing about the plotters' acts of treason but failing to report