Maung Maung, U

▪ 1995

      Burmese politician (b. Jan. 11, 1925, Mandalay, Burma [now Myanmar]—d. July 2, 1994, Yangon [Rangoon], Myanmar), was a Western-educated lawyer, judge, and government official before being named the civilian president of Burma on Aug. 19, 1988. His attempts at reform were undermined, however, by his longtime association with the 26-year dictatorial rule of Gen. Ne Win, and he was unable to prevent the September 18 military coup. Maung Maung fought with the Burmese nationalists during and after World War II. After Burma gained independence from Britain (1948), he studied law at the University of Rangoon, was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in London, and studied further at the University of Utrecht, Neth., and Yale University, where he later taught political science and Southeast Asian studies. In Burma in the 1950s he practiced law, founded the Guardian Magazine (1954) and Guardian newspaper (1956), and served in Prime Minister U Nu's civilian administration. After a 1962 coup brought Gen. Ne Win to power, Maung Maung was named supreme court chief justice and appointed to the central committee of the Burma Socialist Program Party. Ne Win unexpectedly resigned on July 23, 1988, but his successor, U Sein Lwin, was forced out by antigovernment riots after about two and a half weeks. As president, Maung Maung lifted martial law, released political prisoners, and declared a free press, but the riots continued until the military stepped in after only one month.

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