Burma dismisses 8 deputy ministers

Jun 16, 2006 (AP) - Burma's military government reshuffled its Cabinet on Friday by dismissing eight deputy ministers, state-run radio and television said.

A Supreme Court judge also was dismissed, according to the announcement read on the evening news.

New appointments to fill the vacant posts were not announced.

Last month, the junta dismissed two Cabinet ministers and appointed four new ministers and four deputy ministers.

The May 15 shake-up was announced after the first day of the quarterly meeting of the junta, formally called the State Peace and Development Council. The meeting was held for the first time at the country's new administrative capital of Naypyidaw, 250 miles north of the old capital, Yangon.

Several of May's Cabinet appointments were former regional army commanders.

Myanmar's military junta took power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. In 1990, it refused to hand over power when pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party won a landslide victory in general elections.