During a press conference in Belarus, military council leader Min Aung Hlaing made confusing statements linking economic sanctions with computer software, drawing criticism from media council members and journalists. At the March 7 press conference, Min Aung Hlaing claimed that when faced with economic sanctions, computer software would gain more collective strength and increase competition, making statements that appeared to demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of both concepts.
U Toe Zaw Latt, Secretary of the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM), analyzed that Min Aung Hlaing spoke without properly understanding the meanings of economic sanctions and computer software. He pointed out that economic sanctions and computer software are entirely unrelated subjects, and Min Aung Hlaing’s statements were impossible to interpret meaningfully. The secretary suggested that Min Aung Hlaing might have confused sanctions with computer software, highlighting the military leader’s apparent lack of understanding of basic international concepts.
A veteran domestic journalist also noted that Min Aung Hlaing’s confused statements were published in both Myanmar and English language newspapers controlled by the military council. The journalist drew parallels to former leader Thein Sein’s misuse of terminology regarding the 2008 Constitution, suggesting that Min Aung Hlaing similarly demonstrated a poor grasp of English terminology by incorrectly connecting sanctions with software. During meetings with Russian leader Putin and the Belarus President, Min Aung Hlaing was unable to communicate in English and relied entirely on interpreters, speaking only in Myanmar language.
Furthermore, during his March 4 meeting with Putin, Min Aung Hlaing presented a book that referred to Putin as the ‘King of Mice’ according to supposed Buddhist prophecies, despite lacking any historical or documentary evidence for such claims. Media circles have criticized this as inappropriate behavior for international diplomacy, particularly the presentation of unsubstantiated historical claims to a foreign leader. The military council’s newspapers have continued to publish Min Aung Hlaing’s incorrect statements in both Myanmar and English languages, further highlighting the disconnect between the military leadership’s understanding and international diplomatic norms.
