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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=