10,000 villagers sign in to serve B

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Subject: 10,000 villagers sign in to serve Burma junta (The Asian Age, 2/12/96.)

10,000 villagers sign in to serve Burma junta 
 
Rangoon, Dec. 1: More than 10,000 Rangoon city workers and 
two villages have applied to join the military government's mass 
organisation, the Union Solidarity Development Association, 
the state press reported on Sunday. 
 
At a ceremony at City Hall on Friday, department heads of the 
Rangoon City Development Committee submitted applications 
on behalf of employees, according to the New Light of 
Myanmar newspaper. 
 
On Thursday, applications by two whole villages, totalling 
4,000 people, were formally given by a community 
representative to the USDA chairman for Sagaing division in 
northern Burma. According to the government, USDA has built 
up a nation-wide membership of five million people, mostly 
made up of youths and students, since it was established three 
years ago. 
 
It has recently been under fire from Opposition leader Aung San 
Suu Kyi, who believes that members of USDA carried out an 
attack on a motorcade carrying her and senior aides last month. 
 
Students, public workers and teachers are among those 
encouraged by authorities to join USDA, to build up civilian 
support base of the junta, the State Law and Order Restoration 
Council. (AFP)