Profile: Sandar Win

Ne Win is being cared for by his favoured daughter

By Larry Jagan BBC regional analyst in Bangkok

News that four relatives of Burma's former military dictator General Ne Win face trial for high treason has turned the spotlight onto Sandar Win, his favoured daughter.

Her husband Aye Zaw Win and their three sons have been accused of plotting to overthrow the country's military rulers.

The military authorities are strongly hinting that Sandar Win may join her husband and sons on trial for treason

Although Sanwar Win has yet to be directly accused of being a part of the plot, few doubt she is the brains behind the family.

The more charitable suggest she was motivated by a desire to do the best by her three sons. Others simply believe she was consumed by her own desire for power and influence. The idea of establishing a dynasty certainly seems to have originated with her.

Power-broker

Sandar Win, a medical doctor in her 50s, prefers to be called Dr Daw Khin Sandar Win. She is actually a gynaecologist and after graduation joined the military where she practised.

The family's downfall last month has shocked observers in Rangoon, who had seen them as untouchable

During her father's twenty-six year rule, she acted as a bridge between Ne Win and officials of the Burma Socialist Programme Party when they wanted access or help from him.

Sanwar Win passed on requests for help and meetings with the former ruler, known as the "Old Man".

As Ne Win grew older and his health deteriorated, she took on an increasingly important role.

She is believed to have played a major role in the suppression of the democracy movement in 1988 after her father resigned as ruler.

That was also when she left the military's medical services and became a businesswoman.

She has presided over the Ne Win clan as it developed a significant business empire encompassing hotels, medical services and telecommunications.

Nepotism

Sandar Win's husband, Aye Zaw Win, was a sailor before he married her.

Allegations of nepotism and favouritism have long been associated with the Ne Win family, and he was quickly promoted to deputy director of Burma's Pearl and Fisheries corporation after the marriage.

The family's downfall last month has shocked observers in Rangoon, who had seen them as untouchable despite the waning influence of Ne Win as he entered his nineties.

Sandar Win and her father have been under house arrest since her husband and three sons were detained, arrested in a raid on a restaurant where they were having dinner three weeks ago.

And the military authorities are strongly hinting that Sandar Win may join her husband and sons on trial for treason.

Sandar Win was known to be extremely ambitious and diplomats who knew her well believed she was trying to carve out a high public profile for herself as part of a plan to become a future political leader.

Many speculated that eventually there might be a struggle for power in Myanmar, between Sandar Win and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is currently under house arrest in Rangoon.