[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

USDA, SLORC's Thugs [Research Paper



Subject: USDA, SLORC's Thugs [Research Paper]

USDA, Thugs Treating Democratic Leaders

Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) was formed on September
1993 aiming to mobilize Burmese populations, to implement Slorc's political,
social, and economics tasks. The organization secretary general is U Than
Aung and its patron is Slorc's Chairman Gen. Than Shwe. General Maung Aye
and Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt are also members of the USDA. Until September 1996,
4,635,777 members were admitted, and 1,456,000 were from Rangoon. In
addition, the regime mouth pace New Light of Myanmar on December 14, 1996
indicated that of the five million members of the USDA, 49 per cent are
students, 13 per cent workers, 22 per cent farmers, and 16 per cent
intellectuals and businessmen.     

The USDA  is a powerful civilian organization of the military's win. It can
any time become a military's party.  The organization is presently used by
the regime to oppose National League for Democracy (NLD) and Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi, to harass NLD's supporters, to support the national convention, to
organize mass rallies, and to counterattack local and foreign
non-governmental organizations.

There are several reasons people joining the organization. First, the
members and their children are offered basic computer training. Second, they
easily get promotions. Third, they are automatically  associated with
military officers. And forth, some members are selected scholars in overseas. 

The USDA is financed by its own businesses and the SLORC. Its membership fee
is 5 kyat for per membership, less than one U.S. dollar. The membership fee
is too little to finance sufficient funds the organization and its daily
activities. The organization has many offices throughout the country to
carry out the organization's activities, spending greater money than they
have earned. The USDA controls Mayn Gone Myint Company (MGMC). The company
operates gems businesses in Theingi Market and Myengone Market in Rangoon.
Burma Debate issued in February 1997 sated that the SUDA runs businesses
that range from bus and train transportation, monopolies to fish pounds,
plantations, and taxes on local businesses and activities, import
businesses, rice milling, and housing and real estates. A London based news
paper, Financial Times, on April 29 included that the USDA routinely imports
cars from neighboring countries; trading companies bring goods across from
Thailand by truck and from Malaysia by boats. The amount of the cash that
the SLORC provides the association are not accessible.     

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi calls the organization "Nazi's Brown Shirt" that Hitler
used to intimidate his opponents in Nazi Germany.

 The organization started a physical attack on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi last
year. On November 9, 1996, a group of 200 thugs with stones, knives, and
iron bars attacked on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's car while she was carried to a
hotel to give a weekly address to democracy  supporters. Her party's
Voice-Chairman U Tin Oo's face was slightly cut during the attack. She later
told Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona in Rangoon that the attackers
were from members of the USDA.

Mr. McCain was officially visiting in Rangoon on November 9 to 10 last year.
The senator met both military's leaders, Gen. Than Shwe and and NLD's
General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The organization is ready to support in the future the military sponsored
referendum after the shame "national convention" is completed. 

The convention was organized by the junta with its hand pick delegates in
1993 to draw a state constitution. After Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released
from under house arrest in 1995, the delegates of NLD walked out from the
convention because the party said the convention was discriminatory and the
constitution that has been drew by the regime was an undemocratic constitution.

The 1991 Peace Prize winner last year said that even thought the NLD was
decelerated an outlaw organization, people had to carry the movements of
democracy.

The most notorious SLORC has increasingly been cracking down the NLD's
members and its MPs since 1991 to make the party weaker. Many elected
representatives were force to exile, arrested, imprisoned, fired, and
pressured. 


 In the breakable movement when the party is faced, the SLORC will conclude
the phony constitution. In other words, the SLORC will call the referendum
supported by the USDA. 

However, the military drew constitution will never be finished and the USDA
supported referendum will never be called when, in the near future, people,
students, and monks along with NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are united and
oppose the constitution.

[Note: this research is completed  by The Rangoon Post's editors and will be
published in May issue. After VOA and AP reported that the USDA rallied
against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, it is posted to infrom what the USDA stands for.]

Editor (The Rangoon Post)