Than Shwe

Than Shwe is one of the world’s most brutal dictators, presiding over a military regime that persists in repressing and brutalizing its own people. Until now, his story has not been told. Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma’s Tyrant provides the first-ever account of Than Shwe’s journey from postal clerk to dictator, analyzing his rise through the ranks of the army, his training in psychological warfare, his belief in astrology, his elimination of rivals and his ruthless suppression of dissent. Drawing on the insights of Burma Army defectors, international diplomats and others, Benedict Rogers provides a compelling account of the reclusive and xenophobic character of Than Shwe, and life in Burma under his rule. Benedict Rogers is a writer and human rights advocate specializing in Burma who has written articles for the International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, and The Guardian. He is the author of A Land Without Evil: Stopping the Genocide of Burma’s Karen People.

Foreword by Václav Havel Acknowledgments; Author’s note; Abbreviations From postman to tyrant; The land of green and orange; the democratic challenge; Than Shwe’s crimes against humanity; The new emperor; The seat of kings; The monks and the storm; The rivals, the heirs, the cronies and the future Notes; Bibliography; Index