Myanmar retires 1,300 low-ranking military officers

YANGON, Feb 15 (Reuters) More than 1,300 low and middle-ranking military officers have been forced to retire in army-ruled Myanmar since January under a plan to modernize the officer corps, a military official said today.

Another 2,000 officers, ranging from captains to colonels, would be forced out soon as part of the plan to create a ''younger and more educated leadership'', said the official, who declined to be named.

''Over 400 officers were retired in the first batch in early January and over 900 were retired about two weeks ago,'' the official said.

The forced retirements will make room for younger officers coming up through the ranks of Myanmar's 400,000-strong military, which has ruled the former Burma in various guises since 1962.

''They seem to want to lay off overage, mid-level officers who tend to be disgruntled about their situation. They also need to make room for thousands of newly-commissioned officers every year,'' a retired army officer said.

The official military retirement age is 60, but most of the junta's senior leadership are well past that point.

Supreme leader Senior General Than Shwe is 74 and his deputy Vice Senior General Maung Aye is 68.

REUTERS SP RN1507