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Organization: Forum for Democracy and Human Rights
To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 18:29:36 +0000
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Subject: Burma Army, where to?
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More soldiers turned aside from a military command to the civilian governm=
ent
 
Burma Army, where to? 

One of the primary pillars of support to the SLORC is known to be the army=
 . 
Gen. Ne Win has made use of Burma army to build his own power. Since then 
the army was trained and proficient just to obey the orders of whatsoever =
sort 
they were given. The very tactics was successful due to the fact that admi=
nistration, 
judiciary and everything has been of the military and for the military. Th=
e Generals 
become to think that exclusively they are the super-ones. It is tragic tha=
t the olive 
greens have no chance of logical perception. Likewise the civilians have b=
een forced 
to adhere not only to so-called laws but also to oral instructions of rank=
 and file. 
In fact even an empty threat works. 

When the 26 years of marathon BSPP experience was proved to be absolute fa=
ilure, 
a new group of guys try to manipulate the army again notwithstanding the w=
hole 
country. They attempt to strengthen its physical support by expending the =
number 
of soldiers twice as much. How are the new soldiers? 
What is the trend of that pillar of support?

The following is an analysis on the soldiers who have deflected voluntaril=
y from a 
military regime, SLORC to the civilian elected government, NCGUB. The firs=
t batch 
of five turned aside four months ago and the second group of six in June 1=
996 to the western end.

Why did they join the army?

=B7 Two joined army as they loved fighting with arms1 ,
=B7 One was lured to join the army2 ,
=B7 One was kidnapped by the army to join while he was doing his own busin=
ess3 ,
=B7 Three joined army because of uneasy social lives4  and
=B7 Four joined army because of poverty5 .

Particulars of eleven ex-soldiers

 Name	                  Age	Rank	Private #	Unit	Service	Education
1. Kyaw Moe 	22	L. Corp.	825676 	LIG 269	5 years	Monastery 
2. Aung Win	24	Private	963398	LIG 269	1 =BD years	Class 4
3. San Oo	                   21	Private	996567       LIG 269	1 =BD years	I=
lliterate
4. Khin Maung Wai	19	Private	963599	LIG 269	1 =BD years	Class 4
5. Kyaw Naing Lin	18	Private	977037	LIG 269	1 =BD years	Class 7
6. Kyaw Moe Khine	21	Private	996204	LIG 269	8 years	Illiterate
7. Win Zaw	20	Private	911747	LIG 269	2 years +	Class 6
8. Kyaw Zan	18	Private	954988	LIG 540	2 years +	Class 1
9. San Lin	                   22	Private	959624	LIG 269	1 year -	Class 4
10. Kyaw Han	24	Private	826279	LIG 269	4 years +	Class 5
11. Khin Maung Oo	24	Private	772571	LIG 269	5 years	Class 5
  
Why did they run away from Burma army?

A. Discrimination between officers and other ranks.
	Privates are like the slaves of the seniors6 .
	Officers have other ways of income such as taking money from business-men=
 and the people7.
	Forced to obey any sort of orders such as looting from the villagers 
                   and requisition of porters8 .
	Punished if they could not fulfill the necessities of the officers 
                   including hunting for the girls9 .
	Only officers get meat tins at the front line while soldiers have to eat =
just boiled vegetable.
	Relation between officers and soldiers is grave10 .
	Officers are not properly punished for their offenses11 .

B. Insufficient salary.
	The salary of a private is 600 kyat / month.
	Saving 100/-, Donation 5/-, Welfare 10/-, Unit reserve 5/-, Calendar 15/-=
, Rice for widows 15/-, 	
                   Compulsory monthly lottery 50/-, etc. are 
                   deducted. The net payment is just 400/month12 .
	Soldiers have to buy their own uniforms and medicine13 .
	Food ration is also reduced by shrinking the measuring cups14 .

C. Do not enjoy suppression and overpowering on the civilians.
	Harassment on the people15 .
	Use of forced porters16 .
	Penalty, fine and/or punishment for shortage or failure of porter 
                   contribution17 .
	Rape and molestation of women and girls18 .
	Looting private properties and food19 . 
	Force the villagers to wear military uniforms while marching across 
                   the risky front line20 .
	Seize the land of the civilians to make new military establishment21 .
	Use the free civilian labor for military constructions22 .
	Order the villagers to cultivate the military farm 23.
	Urged soldiers to marry Christian girls24 .
	They become to learn that people hate the army25 .
	Recruitment based on quota system26. 

D. Lack of liberty in the army.
	No newspaper, no TV for ordinary soldiers.
	If there is TV, only Myawaddy (military) channel is shown.
	No radio. If there is radio, no BBC, no VOA, no DVB.
	No discussion on any issue critical of the SLORC.
	Military intelligent are sandwiched among them27 .
	Retirement from army is uncertain28 .
	Personal mails are usually opened or not delivered29 .
	No knowledge of what is going on outside their military unit 30.

How do they feel here?

=E0 We love the way we are living now.
=E0 We do not want to hold arms again.
=E0 We are surprised to learn how and why other people here are striving a=
gainst.
=E0 We realize that we have been shut our eyes and closed our ears in the =
army.
=E0 We feel at ease by reason of the people will not hate us now.
=E0 We would like to serve hand in hand with the people who are fighting a=
gainst the dictatorship.
=E0 We know there are about 50% of soldiers want to run away from the army=