"...A flourishing civil society is often viewed as a threat by regimes that don't wish to see their policies or programs undermined or questioned. Civil society is composed of institutions and groupings that are outside of, or autonomous to, government. The wary state will often sponsor mass organizations that are designed to provide a popular or mass base for state policies. Since 1962 the military has effectively destroyed civil society in Burma, successfully controlling, co-opting or eliminating any organization that had potential beyond those at the most local level, such as village or ward Buddhist temples. However, the regime has created its own "civil society" in the form of the USDA. This Association was founded on September 15, 1993 shortly after the SLORC announced it would hold a national convention to write a new constitution. The USDA is registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs as a social organization, however, it is explicitly mandated to support the role of the Tatmadaw (the armed forces of Burma, and cannot be viewed as operating independently of the current regime.."