Sittwe: The key ministries of state and division governments in Burma were pulled out by the central government on orders of President U Thein Sein without any constitutional amendments, said officials and local legislators.

The key ministries, including ministries of health, education, religious affairs, and immigration, at state and division-level governments were eliminated by the central government in a reform of the government structure on 1 July, 2011.

U Aung Mra Kyaw, a legislator in the Arakan State parliament said, "The Arakan State government called an emergency meeting on 30 June where it was announced the education, health, religion, and immigration ministries in our state were withdrawn by the central government without stated reason."

The Arakan State government was dissolved at the emergency meeting, which was held in the state parliament on 30 June with the aim of reformation. The next day, the new Arakan State government with the new ministries was announced in the parliament.

"President U Thein Sein appointed nine ministers to serve in an equal number of ministries in the Arakan State government, with his undersigning, but they are not important ministries like education, health, and religious affairs. There was no explanation in parliament as to why the authority pulled out the ministries from our state government," U Aung said. He did not speculate as to why the education, health, religion, and immigration ministries were removed not only from Arakan, but also from other states and divisions across the country.

The central government reformed the state and division-level government after removing the key ministries on orders of the president.

Among those ministers who were appointed by President Thein Sein to serve in the Arakan State government are: Lt. Colonel Htin Lin for the Ministry of Security and Border Affairs; U Soe Aye for the Ministry of Finance and Tax; U Kyaw Thein for the Ministry of Agriculture and Breeding; U Aung Than Tin for the Ministry of Forest and Mining; U Mra Aung for the Ministry of Planning and Business; U Kyaw Khin for the Ministry of Transportation; U Tha Luu Chay for the Ministry of Power and Industry; U Hla Han for the Municipal Ministry; and Dr. Aung Kyaw Min for the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The reformation of the state and division governments came out before the new government's tenure had even reached 100 days.

Many politicians in Burma believe the central government wants to control the state and division governments across the country from Naypyidaw, and eliminated key ministries in order to help achieve that goal.

copy from Narinjara