Demand for book on generals re

Demand for book on generals re-surges

Since the sensational arrests of the aging General Ne Win's close relatives last month, S.H.A.N. has been receiving rising orders for its book on the generals in Rangoon.

The book, "The village of the generals," written in Burmese by the late Sao Yin Aung of Monghsu, pen-named TNT, was actually a compilation of 16 articles that appeared in Independence, S.H.A.N.'s monthly paper. Written in a lively manner, the articles feature life, gossip and politics in the Generals Village, as the famous quarter in Rangoon's Bahan township is known.

The locality was first owned by a Chinese millionaire and was called Chingchong Palace until it was purchased by the Shan princes and became Kambawza Palace. The name stuck until its seizure by the coup generals in 1962. The area was then dealt out to the ruling generals and their families, and hence the present name.

Sao Yin Aung, who died of malaria in 1996, at the age of 45, was the son of Sao Manfah, former prince of the gemland of Monghsu and President of Shan State, who refused to sign a repudiation of Shan State's constitutional right of secession as demanded by the generals and spent six years in prison as a result. Being sociable as well as being the husband of one of the close friends of Sandar Win, U Ne Win's daughter and mother to the three 'coup plotters', he was privy to the internal affairs of Burma's rulers.

According to him, all the "top three" (generals Than Shwe, Maung Aye and Khin Nyunt) had been appointed to their current positions by the Old Man, as Gen Ne Win is known, himself.

S.H.A.N.'s sales agent in Maesod said, "I can sell the book for B. 100-200, and there are still many who are willing to pay the price to read it." The stall price is Baht 50.

Saengjuen Sarawin, the publisher, however, says the book is in low stock and needs reprinting.