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February 2, 1933 - Than Shwe

Than Shwe governed Myanmar for nearly two decades through a military junta that suppressed political opposition, kept Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi under extended house arrest, and oversaw a brutal crackdown on the 2007 Saffron Revolution in which monks and protesters were killed and imprisoned. His rule was marked by the consolidation of military power behind a constitutional framework designed to entrench that power long after his formal resignation in 2011. The 2008 Constitution he adopted reserved a quarter of parliamentary seats for the military and granted the armed forces sweeping autonomous authority — structural legacies that shaped Myanmar's political instability for years to come.

From Wikipedia

Than Shwe

Than Shwe (Burmese: သန်းရွှေ; pronounced [θáɰ̃ ʃwè]; born 2 February 1933) is a retired Burmese military officer who ruled Myanmar as the second chairman of the State Peace, and Development Council as well as the commander-in-chief of Defence Services from 1992 until his resignation in 2011, and concurrently served as the eighth prime minister of Myanmar from 1992 to 2003. He previously served as the deputy commander-in-chief of Defence Services from 1985, and the vice chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, and deputy prime minister of Myanmar from 1988 until 1992.

Born in Kyaukse in Upper Burma, Than Shwe received military training and in 1953 joined the Tatmadaw (armed forces), and rose through the ranks. In 1985, he was appointed the deputy commander-in-chief of Defence Services. In 1988, following a coup d'état that followed the 8888 Uprising, Than Shwe was appointed the vice chairman of the newly formed State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and deputy prime minister by Saw Maung, the new leader of Myanmar. In 1992, Saw Maung stepped down and Than Shwe immediately became the new leader of Myanmar.

As head of state, Than Shwe played a major role in shaping the country's political landscape. He adopted the 2008 Constitution, implementation of various policies aimed at economic development, modernization and infrastructure improvements, and as well as also being involved in efforts to stabilize the country and manage internal conflicts.

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