IMNA News Report

Crime Against Humanity: Dirty Politics on Hands of Burmese Junta

Banya Hongsar / 18 June 2003 / Monland

A well planned confrontation by the State Peace and Development Council towards Leader of Opposition in Ye Oo Town stired local democratic supporters that killed four civilians and injuried over fifty last week in upper Burma. The world leaders including United States of America and UN have called Burmese junta to resume political talks and national reconciliation in the country. The Burmese ruling junta have paid a very low attention to listen outsiders’ words.

A source from Moulmein said, Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered to local Police Force to take a good measure for prevention of anti-government campaigns, further confrontatons and potential of uprising in each towns. The Ministry urged local Police Force to give new training for local police as well as new recruitment in the community. The local Police Force urged local authority for sending twenty youngmen from each suburb for new recruitment and a short training in Moulmein. Only members of USDA, Local Militia Members, (zea aiem hmu and yar aiem hmu – in Burmese term), Fire Brigade Force and Red Cross Force.

According to source from inside Moulmein, the Ministry only assigned Police Force to maintain social order in local towns but the army will be called when the matter raises out of contrl, local source said.

“They seem busy in these days on the streets in towns” local resident, Kyaw Kyaw a local shop owner in Moulmein said. Policemen with and without uniform have extended number of personals in town for prevention of public reactions to the government in regard the attack to democratic leader Daw Suu Kyi.

An order of Ministry of Home Affairs have despatched to all governmental departments in state-wide after a killing took place in Ye Oo Township on 30 May in Mandalay Division, Upper Burma. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of opposition is now deatined for secerity reason by the ruling junta while ohter key leaders of National League for Democracy including Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo were kept in unknown places.

The killing of democratic supporters and ordinary civilians is condemned by regional and foreign governments. It is a dirty operation of local Union Solidarity and Development Association and its youth wings who are only worked under an order of Burmese military commanders in every Township and Division.

Previous events have proved that the ruling junta have planned to block any political activities of oppositon party (parties) in the country. Major General Own Myint gave an opening speech in a formal meeting of USDA in Kyeik Ma Yaw Township last year in December. He said “on July 21, 2002 Daw Suu came to Kyeik Ma Yaw. She travelled with ten motovehicles and ten motorcyles and they acted as traffic police. Actually, it cannot come like this. She held a public gathering in front the the pagoda that atttended over (400) people. The law only allowed less than (50) people for gathering”.

On a speech at the same formal meeting, General Maung Bo ,Ministry of Defense said, “when the government has faced enormous crisis in the country, we have solved it with the strength of USDA. Therefore, you must work hard for winning to other groups in a political match. Leader of the NLD is only an eduated person. However,she left the country for long and now she acted with a third party’s influency on her”.

Major General Own Myint has conducted regular meeting with local members of USDA in Kyeik Ma Yaw Township during 2002. USDA’s State Special Meeting held on 25 June 2002 at Aung San Hall in Moulmein, capital city of Mon State. Maj-Gen Own Myint again addressed to the meeting.

“do public campaigns in wider community with a mapping system. Watch out activities of NLD. Don’t say anything. If possible, do your campaign quietly. Block the NLD’s activities” Maj Gen Myint told members in a special meeting in 2002.

Local USDA’s members in Mon State regularly hold meeting each township for a special operation and campaign. A special meeting that held in Shwe Hin Tha Hall in Kyeik Ma Yaw in January 11, 2003 between District and Townships’ members. Dr Aung Kyaw Tun, Senior Official of Moulmein District addressed in this formal meeting. He focused on anti-government organizations’ activities in the meeting.

“Observe anti-government groups’ activities. Don’t use confrontation tactic and convince them to be our members” Dr Tun told the meeting.

The organizational structure of the USDA is formed as a Political Party. After it formally estalished in September 1993, three year after General Election, the association has published its officials organizational constitution and other policy papers. Local USDA’s senior members have campaigned in grassroot level in Mon State to promote the role of SPDC / USDA in politics. U Min Lwin Aung, senior official of USDA in Kyeik Ma Yaw Township said on May 11, 2002 meeting that the USDA is a National Political Organization. It have categoried three level of member; ordinary, formal and full memberships.

The USDA has designed as a Political Party in the country under the hands of ruling Burmese junta including retired military personals. According to a media release from Kyeik Ma Yaw Township’s USDA meeting on June 11, 2002, the government will not released leader of NLD with a common understanding. Members are urged to report activities of NLD to headquarter in Moulmein. USDA is not influenced by any person or organization.

The official constitution of USDA first published in 1993 reads as, each member of the association shall be fulfilled his / her obligations; --keep moral ground in high tone with good behaviours and maintain association’s reputation.

The USDA has implemeted its policies for handling a political campaing in the country. The original document of the organization has implemted principles in five areas; principles on nationalism, ethnic nationalities affairs, religious affars, social affairs and financial management.

Top Burmese military officiers hold the highest posts in the organization in every level from headquarter to branch offices in the village. Local military commanders, police officers, militiamen are assigned to be full executive committee members of the organization in each Twonship, State as well as District.

A document obtained by Independent Mon News Agency last year that issued for a training to local USDA’s members contains various of tactis for dirty political operation in the country. Under a title of “Subject of Combat for Propaganda” dated on 26 December 2000 publlished by Sub-police inspector Kyin Thein, chief of Township Police Force from Paung Township in Mon State.

The document is used as a hand out for trainees that contains psychological warfare for a political operation in the country. The training also designed for local USDA’s members for a confrontation with democratic force. Sub-inspector Police Kyin Thein acted as trainer and he also outlined three categories on doing propaganda war to white, gray and black areas for public campaigns. The document is originally written in Burmese language.

Over ten years of playing dirty politics on hands, members of USDA have commited crime against humanity last week in Ye Oo Town that killed four ordinary civilian and injuried over fifty. The concept of solidarity and development itself has been misled to local community and the country.