Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s attempted coup was supposedly for upholding the integrity of Myanmar’s electoral process, but Justice for Myanmar posits that his motivation lies on preserving his financial interests as head of the military’s economic conglomerates and the business interests of his family.

According to the report, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing expanded businesses that were built through the systemic corruption of military dictatorship and the theft of public assets. He oversees strategic assets outsourced to cronies and notorious international businesses through corrupt deals he has presided over.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has also abused his power to benefit his family, who have profited from their access to state resources and the military’s total impunity. His son, daughter, and daughter-in-law all benefit from their position of power.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing economic activities have been the subject of growing domestic and international criticism. Since 2019, scrutiny of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and the Myanmar military’s economic interests has increased, after the UN Fact-Finding Mission published a report that implicated military-owned businesses in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited 21 of the companies mentioned in the report to respond (responses and non-responses included): Kirin, Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd., KBZ, Ever Flow River Group and China North Industries (NORINCO) responded. KT Group, Asia World, A&M Mahar, China North Industries (NORINCO), Pan-Pacific, The Yangon Gallery, Azura Beach Resort, Sky One Construction, Winning Star, Mrauk-U Hotel, Nyein Chan Pyae Sone Manufacturing & Trading Company, Seventh Sense, Mytel, and Everfit did not respond. Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and The Yangon Restaurant could not be reached for comment.